Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-09-26
TAKES LIFE.
William Brown Dares
Not Face Arrest.
Suicide Shows That Man Was
Murderer OF jenkins.
Crime Gre of Most Brutal in New
Hampshire.

Northwnod. y. H.. Sept. 2I.-N llllam
Russ Brown. who hrutally murdered
| William Jenkins. Thursday afternoon.
! on Il lonely road in harrington, eight
/ miles from here. While returning from
the Rochester fair, committed suicide
! rather than face arrest.
His body was found in the woods
near Harveys pond at Northwood
, NarruWs, half 4 mile from his nome, by
/ Charles Kelley Of This town, about s
\. Nj, Saturday.
| The disaprc,.rance of Brown on the
night following the murder, which
proved so pulling to the Well-organ-
| lied posse of STAFFORD county officials.
was explained by Nj. kelley's discov-
| cry. The latter WAS searching the
woods in the hope of finding
| some clew to Browns where
ab"uts when he came upon the
murderers body lying i'll IL thick cIump
of bushes and almost entirely con-
| cealed under tho fur oVercoat which
F! Brown had taken with him when he
| fled from his house. Thursday night.
The dead mans head was pierced by
| 4 bullet. Beside the body lay Browns
rifle. which mad been discharged. This
told the story Of how the deed was
| done.
That Brown had carefully planned
| his taking Off W,is ~ fdcnt from the
| manner in which his body lay. He had
| evidently laid down ana spread his fur
coat over him then adjusted his rifle
at his side with the muzzle close to
the left temple. The weapon Was ap-
plrently discharged with his right
| hand.
The bullet entered the left temple
| ana pierced the center of the Uranium.
| coming out on the right side. Near the
| body was found also a dirk knife, but
| there was no revolver, although the Of
| ficers had been told that he had taken
| one from home
| Mr.. Kelley notified Deputy Sheriff
| Elmer Clark of STAFFORD, who. in turn.
| notified Col. W. W. Scott. solicitor Of
STAFFORD county, at Dover. AS the
suicide occurred in Rockingham coun-
| ty. Col. Scott gave instructions to have
Solicitor Kelley and Medical Referee
Lance of Portsmouth notified. They
arrived here, late saturday afternoon,
| together with Sheriff Coils. Solicitor
Scott met the officials here.
Browns body was viewed by the Of
| ficialS and later was removed to the
| undertaking rooms of NJ. ]. Bickford
at NorthWood NarrOws.
Brown 410years~ Old. a widow
a married daughter and four young
children survive him. Browns house
| is near the Narrows and six miles from
the home of his victim.
The crime of William Russ Brown
was one of The most brutal ever r~r-
| nntrated in Strafford county. v iIiiam
jenkins, whom he murdered. did not go
to Rochester with BROWN, rs WAS first
reported. but fell in with him tlInrr ana
WIS returning HON" with Brown ana
Frank ii. Hill, also OF this town. il,
Browns rig.
Accord, to the statement of Hill.
the sole survivor and eye witness or
The tragedy, all three men had several
drinks before leaving Rochester, ana
carried a bottle Of whiskcy With them.
| from which they drank. There was ar-
parently 10 quarrel between the mon.
The only trouble that arose. was
when Jenkins said TO Brown: }"LooE
here. I'm going to drive this hVrse.''
Hill was then sitting between them
and WAS driving. Brown replied: Not
by d sight. Hill shall drive
No more was said. but Brown stopped
the horse, and getting down from the.
wagon Went around back and took a
Whifiletree from behind the wagon scat
With it he struck Jenkins over the.
head, kHocfinc him off the seat The
| flrst blow killed Jenkins. but Brown
struck him again and then dragged the
body to tic side of the road ana said
TO Hill: There. | have killed him"
lfiil at once started ahead rn fant
and notified FL otis. the neares npi III
Dor, Of tn" crime, and Brown drove or
nome at great sIecI. lie WAS lot scru
h:ftfUard until his body was found.
today.
Jenkins was As years old ana M.
living mere with his second wife, on a
FUN.
Hill, who was taken into custody
huFS lay night, as IL witness ana WIS
carried To Dover, was released IS ynor
rs 1t was learned that the murderer
VAS a suicide.