Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-08-06
Brutal Murder by Negro
at Hartford, Ct.
Kills His Former Employer for
Having Been Discharged.
Henry Osborne Shot Down by Former
Valet, Who Hides Under Bed-lden-
tity Established and Confession Made
by the Murderer.

Hartford, CT. Aug. 5.-Henry Os'
fOfne,' 4 former police COMMISSIONS
and one of the leading business men Q
this city, was murdcre,i, today, by hi:
former body servant. Joseph Watson
I he negro was found. This evening, II
hiding under q bed I'm the banquet o
the Osborne home. % Capitol avenue
after a close search for him had bee!
made in al: sections Of the city. Out
side the house at the time the muir
Cerer was found, were gathered fully
1000 persons, and rs Watson, heavily
manacled, was conducted down tht
steps to the police paIrol wagon, the
ar rasOunded with cries of "kill him,
lynch nim," from the crowd, which
surged in toward the officers as if il
desired to take the prisoner.
AS the wagon started toward tine pO-
Ice station the crowd, which was rap
IDLY increasing in size, swarmed afte
it. n wildly demonstrative mass If hui
nanity, presenting Il spectacle the like
Of which has never been seen here be-
fore. At the police station the scene
was even more striking. for people al
| most fought among themselves to get
o glimpse of Watson, and it was only
ry the greatest effort on the part o.
lie many officers that the crowd wa!
KEEP rom forcing its way into the
euardroom
Watson is only is years of age, and is
very unprepossessing in appearance. He
did not quail even when face to face
wit tho crowd which CO
ious to avcnGe the murder. When
brought into the police station he was
asked several questions and without
hesitancy answered them.
Il had it in for him and killed him, y
said Watson. Il am not afraid to die
and I am satisfied now that / killed
him.
MIR. Osborne was deliberately killed
by Watson out Of revenge for being
discharged as valet, July Is. Mr.. Os-
borne's family was ut their summe root
Itage at Crescent Beach, near New Lon
don, but Mr.. Osborne slept at home
each night. Watson says that he got
into the house by key, last night, and
went to bed in the basement. Mr.. Os-
borne was abed at the time.
80 w "tIil up itN ii''ti u .'ii
Osborne stirring about and met him at
the bathroom door, firing one shot. Mr..
Osborne ran into his bedroom, leaving
trail of blood on the floor. The negro
| followed and twice more shot at Mr..
Osborne, both bullets taking effect.
Powder marks on the wounded mans
! face and body indicate that the negro
stood right over him as he fred the sec
ond and third shots. The sound of the
shots and the dying words of the vic
tim "Save me-" were heard by several
persons on the street.
Police Sergeant Dietrich, with sever
al officers rushed to the house ant
forced an entrance. Mr.. Osborne was
found stretched full length on the floor
of the hall in the second story, a poo
of blood at his side. He was faint. hui
managed to say to the officers that Joe
the negro, had shot him without cause
| pr. f. c. King, a neighbor, had ar.
rived and he ordered the removal o.
| the wounded man to the hospital, bu
Mr.. Osborne died just after reaching
that institution.
| Although n search of the house ha6
been made, this morning, the police. Al
| first, failed to locate the murderer anC
several times went through the room
where Watson was hiding. 1t was at 9
conference between Chief Ryan and
Commissioner Furlong, that it was de.
; cided to make another search of the
/ house. When found Watson showed nc
fight and gave himself up. On him was
found the revolver with which he killed
Mr.. Osborne. =,
At 10 o'clock. toeight. the crowd around
the building has begun to melt away AT
that time the police announced that wat
son had made a complete confession. The
Plan is to take Watson into court in the
morning and havi him committed to jail
without bonds ON charge of murder, IN
til the state is ready for the preliminary
hearing.
The family of Henry Osborne is among
the well-known families in this CITY
where Mr. Osborne had been prominent
In social and municipal life. A widow. a
son and daughter. the son being en-
nioyed in the office of the Durham Hos
iery Co. of which Mr.. Osborne was sec
/ rotary, survive
Mr.. Osbornes family reached Hartford