Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-04-17
DICKINSON MURDER TRIAL.
Continued from Page One.)

northern part of the county III the
month OF November, 1880. j. EdSa"
Dickinson, then Il young man just
reaching his majority, was married TO
Miss Annie Shaw, Il slip of a girl 10
or 6 years of age and for - years
and ii months Dickinson and his wife
lived together, first at Perham. then
at Pembroke. then in Lowell, Mass.
and again at Pembroke, y. H., until i'll
the year 1883, they moved to the town
of Smyrna where they continued to
reside until oct. Is, 1906.
To them had been born 10 children,
the youngest child born two months
after its fathers death. OF these chill
dren. six are Sil living. The oldest
boy, called Perlcy. is IS years Of age.
June. IL y"drs Of age Hattie, IL. frcda
seven, IL i .,.Gr. ana MAJ. ION two. all
of who! We're Il, hon" al the TIME of
their fatal ; death. excepting the
oldest girl. June who was working at
Winthrop.
"t'rom the year 1888 until the latter
part of June 1906. the family resided
upon Il small farm located on what IS
known as the Grant road in Smyrna
and distant from the village of Smyrna
Mills two miles. In the latter part of
June Mr.. Dictinson's buildings were
burned and for a month thereafter the
family lived i'm the Leeley house So
called. located upon the same road put
some nearer the village.
In July. Mr.. Dickinson purchased
the Joseph Chambers farm on the main
Iiuulton road i'll Smyrna and distant
from Smyrna Mills one and Il half
miles and here the family was living
al the time OF Mr.. Dic>inSon's death.
The respondent. John +. Roberts.
appeared at the Dickinson farm for the
fiI st time some eight or ten years ago,
representing himself as farm iaborer
out Of employment and asking work.
whereupon Mr. Dickinson hired him to
work fur thu, summer. Upon the first
appearance Of Roberts not a thing did
The family learn about this man VINO
had so APPLY been termed the man OF
mystery Where he came from. no
one knew. lie told the Dickinson
family that he was Il Mexican and ms
name was Jack Roberts and these two
facts and no more We're the family
able 10 discover during the eight or
ten Years that Roberts occasionally
came to their home asking work.
"A quiet observant man, keen and
vatchiul. APPLY he was called the
man uf mystery. Nothing unusual
Was noticed in the manner Of Roberts
towards the Dickinson family until
some time last summer.
The Dickinsons lived on the Grant
read which is one Of the back roads in
the town of Smyrna. which is little
Travelled and distant from neighbors
save. one and isolated also from all
ueighburs for one and a half miles,
but in the month of July, the family
| moved 10 the little house on the HOul-
| ton road and thereupon the condition
| OF affairs became known to the people
Of Smyrna Mills.
AS surely as the magnet attracts
the NJ cdlc did the Mexican become d
source Of fatal and Irresistible attrac-
| ton to the wife Of Edgar Dickinson.
| How completely this woman went UNI
der the MeXican's sway will show when
| she left her home in the morning and
| travelled Il distance Of five miles for
one hour Of Jack Roberts company.
Upon oct. Is, 1906. jack Roberts
| performed his last dcy'S work for Ed
gar Dickinson and in the morning o.
Oct. 4. Mr.. Dickinson harnessed his
| horse ANA took Pcrley. and Roberts up
the road as far as Nj. Clark'3 house
here ne walked along and continued
| atoot through tn" WOODS, Il distance OF
| about two miles, to Il tdrred paper
camp located upon what is called Duck
| pond He and Perley Dickinson hunt
cd all day for deer but without success.
| During the evening Pcrley Dickinson
| started fJr home leaving Roberts at
the camp where he informed Perley he
intended to stop for Il few days moose
hunting.
THE next day. Monday, Oct. l.. finds
Roberts at Island Falls. Il distance of
Il miles from his camp. Here he had
| the sight Of his rife fixed for tn" Sec
ond time since last fall and here he
also buy ii corduroy coat. Tuesday.
the 10Th. Roberts, evidently returned
| to the woods for he was seen on that
! day in the forenoon near his camp by
| two men. Wednesday, Oct. l.. again
finds him at island Falls where for the
thr'i time he has the sight Of h:. rife
fixed. The last man whom the state
has thus far been able to discover, who
saw Roberts prior to the crime. gave
him Il rid" 4 par: of the way from Is
| land Falls to Smyrna. where their
4 dyS parted as this man was not go
ing To the village OF Smyrna Mills and
Roberts ;uiShts from his wagon at Il
point seven miles south of the village
OF Smyrna Mile. 8 II miles south Of
the r.dga,' Dickinson house, which he
would l. I'VE to pass in order to reach
til" t;trTrd paper camp at Duck pond
which was - miles distant from where
he lett toe wagon. and this, gentlemen
VAS between 80 and 6 O'Clock
| On Wednesday evening, oct. Il. Of the
night before Dickinson was killed and
here lr; IL; leave Roberts with his face
set toward the Dickinson house on this
"Wednesday evening with MS rifle on
his shoulders.
let It's see how We i,ud NATTER, in
th@ Dickinson house ON this @Nentrul
evening. You VIII remember that The
Family ~, tins ttn" consisted IT Mr.
ana Mr.. Dickinson. Percy. Haiti"
and the three s.iHl. children. uM.! III
addition. there was IL hired man by
name 81 L"thT"p k"nacE. Vt supper
tim" Mr. Dickinson y. :, 10: ~, nome