Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1906-04-10
Another Murder Charge
Henry L. Harrington shot Eugene
Bryant Near East Sumner.
He Says it was In Self.Defence.-
Bryant was Instantly Killed.

As the outcome of an ARRAY between
the two men in camp near East Sumner
last Tuesday, Henry L. harrington of
Hartford is held In Jail without bail,
charged with the murder of Eugene
Bryant, also of Hartford, by shooting.
The camp where the affair occurred Is
situated in the woods within half mile
of East Sumner station. 1t is some forty
rods from the road leading from East
Sumner to Hartford Centre, and is actual
" In the town of Hartford. The camp
bell ngs to Larry & Record Of Lewiston,
but had been hired by Willie Harrington,
son of Henry L. Harrington, to use while
he was cutting wood. Henry L. Far
rington had been employed there to
cook and take general care of the camp.
harrington is veteran of the civil
war and pensioner, about 60 years OF
age. He was for a while at the soldiers
home at Togus.
Eugene Bryant was man about 40
years of age, who has divorced wife
and child living in Massachusetts,. He
had been living in camp on the land OF
James E. Irish in Hartford, and had
worked for Irish more or less. He was
not at all steady about his work, loafing
la good deal, and was drunk at intervals.
| When in liquor he was apt to be quarrel
some, though entirely harmless when
sober.
Last Tuesday forenoon Bryant receiv-
ed package by express at East Sumner,
which later developments make it appear
contained liquor. Taking this liquor he
went to the harrington camp, where
Henry L. harrington was alone. What
happened there can be known only from
the story of Harrington, and such circum-
stances as have come to light in connec-
ton with the affair.
According to Farrington's story, Bry-
ant remained at the camp to dinner, and
both men had been drinking. A quarrel
arose as to who was boss at the camp,
and in the course of it Bryant drew re-
volver and fired at harrington, who stood
near the open door of the camp, but did
not hit him. A shot gun, kept at the
camp for the purpose of shooting hawks,
stood near harrington, and he picked it
up and fred it. Blood spurted from
Bryant's head.
Without waiting to see what was the
effect of the shot, Harrington at once
walked to the village, and going to the
store of E. P. Russell, told what he had
done and wanted to telephone to his son
Willie. His story was questioned at
first, but when it appeared that Bryant
had indeed been shot, Deputy Sheriff S.
C. Wilmington of Buckfield was tele-
phoned and at once came and took Far
rington into custody and had the camp
locked up.
County Attorney Barnes and Sheriff
McIntire were at once notified by tele-
phone, and leaving Norway on the after
noon train they reached East Sumner by
freight train that evening, to investi-
gate the affair.
The body of Bryant was lying on the
floor of the camp, apparently as it fell.
The charge of shot had struck in his
right eye, and the gun was so near that
the shot had not scattered, and had made
hole hardly larger than the gauge of
the gun. The skull had been fractured
and the brain mangled by the shot.
Death was probably instantaneous. In
his left hand was clutched a revolver,
with an exploded shell under the ham
mer, and loaded cartridges in the other
chambers. The table was standing as II
the dinner had been interrupted by the
ARRAY.
Coroner William j. Wheeler of South
Paris, who had also been telephoned for,
was not at home at the time. and was
unable to reach East Sumner until We'd
nesday forenoon.
An inquest was held in Grange Hall
Wednesday afternoon, by Coroner Will
liam j. Wheeler of South Paris. The
jury was composed of Sharon Robinson,
Foreman, R. G. Stephens, George A.
Maxim, Maurice Fogg, w. II. Eastman,
and D. j. Russell.
The verdict was "that Eugene Bryant
of Hartford, in the County of Oxford,
came to his death at said Hartford, be-
tween the hours of II A. NJ. and P. NJ.
of Tuesday, the Sd day of April, 1906, at
said Hartford, from wound inflicted by
shot from gun in the hands of Henry l.
harrington of said Hartford, and dis
charged by said harrington"
Following the report of the coroner's
jury on Thursday, hearing was held be-
fore Trial Justice Parsons of Buckfield,
on the charge of murder preferred
against harrington. F. R. Dyer, Esq,
of Buckfield, appeared as Farrington's
attorney. At the conclusion of the hear
ing, which was not long, harrington was
ordered held without bail for the October
term of court, and he was committed to
Jail at South Paris that night.
Harrington talked quite freely about
the matter after he was taken into
custody, until he was advised by his
friends not to be so free. He has insist
ed all the time that he fired only in self
defence.