Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-03-20


notified that Northy had been shot. His
informant was Shepherd Eldridge, who
had driven over from the Edwin Coop
er place Immediately after the shoot
ing. Mr.. Gray said that he returned
with Eldridge to the home of the Coop
ers, which is located about one mile
from Gray's house, and that just be-
fore they reached the place they en-
countered Mr.. and Mrs. Cooper stand
ing in the roadway about four rods
east of the blacksmith shop adjacent
to the Cooper home Mr.. Cooper had his
arms about his wife and the couple
stood awaiting Gray's arrival. Mr..
Gray inquired the cause of the trouble
and Cooper said:
Charlie Northy came up on his
wheel after dinner and the fool has
shot himself
Gray went along to the Cooper house
ana entered through the ell door, pass
ing through the back entry in which
the two shots were later found imbed
ded in the woodwork. through the
kitchen and into the dining room where
he found young Northy lying on the
floor.
The first thing that Gray saw on en-
terins the room, he testified, was the
rocking chair which he identified when
it was shown him. He said that the
chair stood between the door and the
east window which looks out upon the
piazza and at the request of the coun-
ty attorney the witness descended from
the stand and placed the chair near the
section of the wall which was brought
into court ana showed the jury, what
in his judgment was the relative posi-
ton If the chair and the window when
he first entered the room. According to
the Judgment Of the witness, the chair
stood about liz inches from the wall,
with the front of the chair facing the
front windows of the room.
The witness testified that he found
young Northy lying on the floor direct
ly in front of tn" chair. He said that
the body was lying at full length with
the head triflc closer to the mopboard
at the base OF the wall then the feet.
which Wee Straighlcned out and close
together. The head WAS thrown back
and under Northy's shoulders. the wit
ness said. he found 4 cushion. This he
TIoyed up under the head of the young
mon and then noticed that he was shot
through the right side Of the head. His
forehead was covered with blood which
extended up into the hair. Answering
z question put BY the county attorney.
Mr. Gray said that he did not remem-
her seeing any blood on the left side of
the head.
The pistol with which the alleged
crime was committed. the witness said.
he found lying on the floor about 3
inches from the outstretched right
hand of NOrthy. He took possession OF
the weapon and later turned it over to
the coroner.
In answer to a question put by the
county attorney, witness said that he
noticed that the blinds on the windows
under which Northy was found We're
Closed when he entered the house and
that they were opened by his orders to
admit light and air.
Upon seeing that Northy was badly
wounded, witness said that he went to
the store at the four corners and tel
ephoned to Mr.. Northy. ST., and then
went to secure some whskey in the
hopes of rcviving the young man.
On his return he found Mrs. Cooper
standing in the same place in the road
way as when he first saw her that af-
ternoon. Witness said that Mrs. Cooper
asked him it Charlie" would live and
he replied that he did not know, but
that he was badly wounded.
He returned to the house and re-
manned there until the young mans
father arrived and then he left the
house and telephcned to Coroner Plum
mer Of Augusta, notifying him of the
shooting. When he returned again to
the house DR.. Sukeforth and a number
Of others were there.
Mr.. Gray said that he was not pres-
ent when Northy died, but that he was
there when the coroner arrived at
about 9 o'clock.
| In answer to questions from the
county attorney, the witness stated
that he saw pool of blood between
the body of Northy and the wall under
| that window. The pool was about s
inches long and 5 inches wide and
about inches from the mopboard. He
also noticed the splashes and spots of
| blood on the wall paper between the
door and the window and he Identified
these when they were shown him on
the section of the building produced in
| evidence.
In answer to questions the witness
said that he thought that the door
leading from the entryway to the pi-
azZa was closed when he first entered
| the building. as was the door between
that passage and the kitchen, to the
best of his recollection.
Continuing his story of the affair,
the witness said that the next time he
saw Mrs. Cooper was on the evening
OF the same day and she was then in
the parlor of the Henry Cooper home,
which is located in the upper stories
of the building at the cross roads in
which Mr. Cooper conducts a general
store and she was then with her hus-
band. He said that Mrs. Cooper an
peared to be very nervous and inclined
TO hysteria and that she was pacing the
1'oor eXcitedly when he entered the
room. Her little 4-year-old son was
also IN the room at that time. accord
ing to the witness. The witness said
That he heard DR.. Smith talk with Mrs.
S"oPer and he heard the physician ask
!