Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-02-02
SUICIDE.
William Williams Takes
His Lite, at RazorviIIe.
Found Through Letter Sent to
Wife, in Boston.
Body Discovered, Wednesday After
noon-Man Dead Since Monday.

Known TO himself. William Williams. a
young man Of but % years. and known
by almost everybody in this town and
vicinity, wendell his way into the
woods near Farrars mill, Monday. ana
laid himself down to die. undoubtedly
~ his own hand and with his secre;
locked within his breast. No one saw
lll'n 20 to the woods and no on. knew
OF his going, and indeed, it is said that
he WAS not missed
The case is one of the most peculiar
mat has occurred in Knox county for
years Nothing was known of the
death Of the Young man until the ar
rival OF the Washington stage from Au-
Susta, Wednesday, bringing "a passen-
gers Mrs. Williams, the widow of the
dead man. and her brother. Mrs. Will
liamS came on from Boston, Tuesday
afternoon. i'll response to a letter from
her husband, which had been mailed
at " ashington. Monday.
1t Was this letter that gave the first
irtiination of the mans death, and also
aided in the discovery of the body. It
WIS received by Mrs. Williams, Tues
her of his determination to take his life
ana also gave Instructions as to where
bis body would be found. and regard
ing the disposition of it. The letter was,
most carefully prepared. even to the
minute details.
Among other things. the letter direct
ed Mrs. Wilkins to go to the South
station in Boston, and get her hus-
| bands trunk and then to one of The
hotels and get his fur coat. dress over
| coat and grip. He also requested her to
| bring his black dress suit saying that
it was good enough for him to be nurie |
| in. He requested that she and her
| brother should go to Augusta and pro-
ceed from there to this place by stage
and said that the stage driver woul |
direct them to Farrar's mill He fur
ther said that his body would be found
| near the mill.
| With the letter he sent y deed Of his
| father'S lot in the Pierpont burying
ground in Washington. and requested
| that his wife should bring no miniSt CT
with her. In regard to his act OF TAX
! ing his life. he wrote his wife that the
people of Washington would eXpla;I;
why he did it.
| In accordance with the instructions III
the letter. Mrs. Williams and her broth
err visited the places in Boston as desig-
mated and found the different articles
as her husband had stated ana then,
| convinced that something was wrong,
they took the o'clock train out Of Bos-
ton. Tuesday evening. and came to
Maine. arriving i'll Augusta at about
At o'clock in the morning, the two
started on the Washington stage, driv-
en- BY Harvey Moore. on the long. sad
drive across country. fully convinced
that somewhere in the snowy faStness
ahead something WAS awaiting them
! Mrs. Williams WAS very calm during
the trip. but when on arriving at the
| W GODS whore her husband had written
that his body would he found. Mr..
Moore told her that that WIS the place,
hor grief overcome her. ana she Wept
bitterly.
On the arrival of the stage at Wash
meton. Mr. Moore at once notified First
Salpctman Freeman Light Of the facts
of the case and searching party was
organized and started out to search the
woods Nothing was discovered for
some time. but at last tracks were
| found leading from wood road near
the steam mill and the Searchers soon
came uDon the body, in about the To-
cation stated in the letter. EXCEPT that
| il was unon the right side of the road,
| Instead Of the left.
The body was discovered by Select
man Light attention being called TO
| II by an umbrella stuck in the snow
near it. The body lay upon its back IN
IN EASY rositior. with the left hand
resting IN the chest and the right arm
resting l,v the side. with the hand
rnrtlv buried in the snow. The nat
had fallen from the head and rested
| against the left shoulder.
Everything i'm connection with the
body suggested suicide and that after
the most mature deliberation. Even on
going into the woods. after leaving the
wod road. the man had dragged his
umbrella in the snow. apparently for
the purpose Of guiding those who he
knew would later be looking for his
| hodv And then, on arriving AT tne
place where the deed was committed
he stuck the umbrella up in the snow
to attract attention.
| w hen ne Mao TedcHeu tie Hf'N
| isnated in the letter he dug hole IN
| the snow. about eight feet IN iensth'
doing the work with the greatest care
and smoothing up the sides until they
looked as if the work had been done
with a brush broom. This done. ne TOOK
off his overcoat and spreading it In the
bottom of the hole in the snow. iald
down upon it and Strengthened himseit
out. with his head and shoulders rest
ing on the coat and ii was in this posi-
ton that he was found.
AS to the cause of his death it can
not yet he stated. There is no coroner
in Washington. and although Mr.. Light
telephoned to Rockland for that OFF,
cial he had a drive of % miles to come
: and will be late in arriving. In the
/, opinion of some, the mans death was
7 70 xyh 9th