The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1905-10-05
Given 90 Years.
Rufus rrown. Jr.. Is sentenced for Murder
of I'LL m Knight


of y Ill m Knight
Rufus Blown, Jr., was afraiRued In
the tupreme court at 10 30 Thursday
forenoon OF last week, and plead guilty
t. The indictment found against him by
the grand jury, that If manAIaeghier, III
causing the death of VIM. Knight at
Athens. April 20, 1905 I'll Judge
Spear might become acquainted with
the facts Of the care before passing sen
tence on the unfortunate man, hearing
followed.
Hon. Turner Boswell of Scion, a civil
engineer and surveyor, had made plan
of the neigh borhood where the crime
was committed and was the first witness
called. He explained to the court the
position Of the various novels which
make up the settlement at West Athens
where the Brown family live, OF rather
it would be nearer the truth to say
where they exist.
Moses d Cleveland was the second
witness. He testified To being con-
stable and that on the night the murder
vas committed he was called to the
scene of the crime by a party of five
people. " hen he arrived there he found
the body f William Knight, which was
not then cold, lying IN the door yard.
There were two bruises On the right
shoulder. one on the forehead and Que
lower down on the face across the nose
and face. There was no person in the
door yard, lie said when be arrived
The third witness WAS Rufus Brown,
Jr. lie made good appearance ON the
stand aud his answers were gwen with.
out hesitation and in loud clear voice.
According to his story he will be 20
years old, Nov. u He was born in
Happy Hollow, or Browns Valley.
Never went to school but two terms and
cannot read or write. Was married to
Sarah Wentworth two years ago, this
fall, when she was IA years, according to
her mother Since being confined in Jail
had been told she was younger than that
at the time they were married
On the MI rnlng of the day the crime
was committed he started after a load
of wood and throughout the day be and
bis companions drank several jugs of
cider. william Knight, the murdered
man, came to the settlement about 3
O'Clock, in the afternoon. He went for
jug of cider for him.
That evening, while returning from
the shed to his house, he found Knight
and his wife in a compromising position.
This was what cause him to go after
the gun. After OBJ aiming the gun he
returned and fired one shot into the roof
of his house TO scare Knight out, but he
did not seem to scare. With linn were
Hy me 1uttle, med with ptch fork
handle, and Jack Wentworth, armed
with gun.
futile went into the house first and
struck knight over the back Of the head
with the pitch fork handle. Then he
and Wentworth exchanged guns and
entworth struck knight over the head
with the gun.
Knight fell to the floor and all three
men carried him out into the yard and
laid him down ON the ground near
post Wentworth went through Knights
pockets and took out $l2 two IS bills
and two. Wentworth said he would
give him, Rufus, So, if he would be a
good boy and say nothing about it.
Rufus testified that all directly con-
cerned were drunk and that his wife
was 30 drunk she could not stand straight
or stand still Also that Knight brought
a quart Of whiskey there with him and
that he gave drink of it to Mrs Brown.
He testified that he never struck Knight
himself.
Rufus bad on a neat suit of clothes, a
collar and tie and his shoes we're BACKED
and his hair eombed. He WAS vastly
better dressed than the rest of the clan.
He was very cool while on the stand and
showed To signs of nervousness Much
of his testimony as well as that given
by other witnesses was unfit for publ
cation
Rufus Brown, Sr, father of Rufus Jr.
was the fourth witness. He testified to
seeing his son deal th fatal blow that
night and denied that he ever told dif
ferent story to anyone. He also testified
that his daughter Emma, was very
drunk that night and that she continual
ly tried to pick quarrel with her broth
er, Rufus
The first witness after dinner was Mrs
Sarah NJ. Brown, the wife of Rufus
Brown. She testified that she did not
know her age. Her mother had told her
but she had forgotten She knew VII.
liam Knight, the murdered man. but
never bought any liquor of him. She
testified that the day of the murder all
of the people were drunk, including her
self When asked how drunk she was.
she replied that she was 80 drunk she
did not know what she was about.
Knight gave her whiskey that afternoon.
She admitted being on the bed with
Knight in her room when her husband
came back with the jug Hymie futile
was with him. Her father was not of
the party. LYNNE struck knight over
the head with the handle of pitch fork
and he fell to the floor. He was carried
out and placed in the yard by her hus-
band and Hymie She then went to her
fathers, Fred Wentworth's, and spent
the night.
Alden Corson was the next witness
He testified that Rufus came 10 the door,
rushed in, grabbed gun and then went
out Later the witness heard the gun
discharge. He got out of bed and saw
Mrs. Sarah Brown leave her house and
disappear in the darkness. Then he saw
Knight come to the door, go back into
the house and then reappear at the door.
When he came to the door the second
time he saw Rufus come out of the dark
ness and strike him over the head. He
fell to the ground on his face and Rufus
jumped on him and struck him several
times.
On cross. examination by Mr Gould he
could not remember whether his broth
er's wife was drunk that day or not, and
he could not remember his testimony
given at the preliminary hearing as to
whether be recognized Rufus as the as