Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-04-19
DOUBLE MURDER,
Serious Charge Against Willis II. vii.
son at Boston.

Boston. April 1s.-Willis III. Wilson,
charged with having shot and killed
his stcpfather, Frank a. Brown, and his
mother, lsadora 6. Brown, at their
home in ROslindaile. March 26, was
brought before Judge James NJ. f..
Howard for 4 hearing, today. More
than a score Of witnesses were present
to give evidence in the case There
were many spectators, interest in the
double murder being very great espoci-
ally in that at first it was believed that
Brown had killed his wife and then
committed suicide, and 1t was not until
some days had lapsed that suspicion
attached to Wilson.
Medical Examiner Draper of Suffolk
county, who performed the autOpsies
upon the bodies of Mr.. and Mrs. Frank
A. Brown, was on the witness stand
during the entire forenoon. DIR. Dra-
per said that after the examination he
came to the conclusion that the case
was one of double murder instead of
murder and suicide. He said that the
revolver with which. the people were
killed must have been held within a
few inches of Mrs. Browns head. while
it was ut least a foot from the mans
head when the fatal shot was fired.
Drs. w. l.. Sayer and John W. Bos-
worth, who were called to the Brow n
home after the death of the couple, tes-
tined that Mrs. Brown was lying upon
the floor of the dining room and that
her husband was sitting in a chair anc
still breathing. They saw no powder
marks upon Mr.. Browns face.
Dr. l.. ID. Hodgdon, who had been
treating the entire Brown family for
ptomaine poison. testified that Wilson
raised the question to him of whether
the poisoning might not have been due
10 Rough on Rats. Wilson told him
that he thought that his mother had
poisoned the family with the compost
ton. she tried it once before" Will
son had exclaimed to the witness and
then he had added emphatically, but
she wont have another chance"
DR.. Edgar r. Newsome corroborated
the testimony of the physicians previ-
ously examined
r. l.. Gibbons, who lived in the house
with the Browns, in the floor below.
testified that about 12.15 on the eve of
the tragedy, he heard two shots fired
in quick succession on the floor above
his apartments. followed quickly by a
third. Before he could reach the door
Of the Brown apartments fourth shot
was fired. He heard Wilson calling for
help. AS he entered the rooms he met
Wilson, who exclaimed: My God, ia
Their has killed my mother. Go and get
help"
Witness Immediately left the house
to notify he police.
J. d. Flynn. who occupies a store in
the building where the Browns lived,
and Patrolman T. S. Connoughton, the
officer who took possession of the
Browns apartments after the tragedy,
testified as to the position of the bodies
of the dead couple Wilson, according
to their testimony. appeared greatly
grieved at his mothers. death.
Louis SeCall, a pawnbroker, teSti-
fed that two days previous to the trag-
edy, he sold revolver to Wilson. At
that time Wilson asked for sufficient
cartridges to fill the chambers. Wit
ness said he thought the revolver cx-
hibited was the one Wilson bought |
from him.
In the presence of Capt. Durgan of
the police detective force. Segall had
identified Wilson as the person who
bought a revolver and the defendant
made no attempt to deny the pawn
brokers' statements.
J. Z. Fishley, representing his wife.
who owned the building in which the
Browns lived. said that Mr.. and Mrs.
Brown frequently quarrelled. charging
each other with extravaganza.
At this point court adjourned until
next Friday.