Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-05-29
HER LITTLE GIRL FINDS BODIES
Cause Said to Be Refusal to Marry Him,
He Being Protestant and She Catholic
Both Parties Had Families.

Bangor, Me, May 2S.-The bodies of
Gideon Keith and Mrs. Elizabeth
Ready We're found early this morning
in the kitchen of Mrs. 4Readys home
1t was undoubtedly q case of murder
and suicide, Keith having Killed the
woman and then killed himself
Two bullets entered Mrs. Readys
body, one through the left hand and
the other in the left side of the head
just above the car, doubtless causing
instant DEATH Keith then turned the
weapon, 30-calibre revolver, on HIM
self and put bullet into his own
brain.
The doors of the apartment We're
locked and the bodies We're fully cloth
ed with the exception of Mrs. Ready's
feet, which were bare. The bodies lay
within three feet of each other and the
revolver, VITA three exploded shells,
lay between keith's feet. The crime
probably was committed about II
O'Clock Wednesday night, but though
there were half dozen other occu-
pants Of the house no disturbance was
noticed. The man and woman We're
about As years of age and each had
several children.
Keith wanted Mrs. Ready to marry
him but she refused because she was
q Catholic and he is Protestant and
the motive for the crime is doubtless
explained by that. Mrs. Ready was
| married twice before. Her last hus-
band, Eli Willett, is now serving four
years in State prison at Thomaston for
the attempted poisoning by arsenic Of
Mrs. Readys son by her first hus-
band.
The bodies were discovered shortly
before o'clock, Thursday morning by
Clara, the 13-year-old daughter of Mrs.
Ready. The house in which the double
tragedy occurred is occupied by Mrs.
| Ready and several children on one side
and Mrs. Sarah Collins on the other.
Mrs. Collins arose about o'clock
Thursday morning and found that the
doors leading to the kitchen and bed
room Of Mrs. Ready were locked. She
| thought nothing more about it. at least
the little girl, Clara, came down stairs.
| The little girl also tried to set into
the rooms where her mother slept but
could not. Then Mrs. Collins helped
Clara in through a rear window of the
kitchen The room was dark and the
little girl fell over the body of her mo-
ther lying cold in death.
Frightened half to death because her
mother did not speak to her, but keep
| ing her wits about her. the little girl
gave the alarm and unlocked the door
| leading out into the living roonl. The
police were Immediately notified and
Chief Bowen, Capt. Fahey and Patrol
men Mackie, Griffin. Reagan, Pierce
and Dan Smith were on the scene in a
short time. 1t required but glance to
show the police that the case was one
| for a coroner and Coroner Finnigan
was summoned. DR.. Starret also ar
rived very quickly.
The front room of that side of the
house occupied by Mrs. Ready is used
as an Office by William w. Overlook,
dealer in wood. Just in the rear of this
office room and up two steps is Mrs.
Rcady's kitchen and at the further side
|
a small bedroom. The rooms are light
ed only by window in the back of the
kitchen and another in the bedroom
and these windows are almost on a
level with the ground outside. The
rooms are low-poSted, the ceilings De-
ing but little higher than a mans head
| and the furniture is of the scantiest
Two small tables. a rocking chair,
child's high chair, the cook stove, a
woodbox, q kitchen chair and some
bric-a-brac constituted the entire fur
nishings of the kitchen. In the bed
room was an old-fashioned bed
stead. with the bed clothing rumpled,
and a small stand, with few pic
| lures and other bric-a-brac.
Both bodies lay on the kitchen floor.
The body of Mrs. Ready lay few feet
| from the stove. with the head in a pool
of blood. The head was toward the
door leading to the living room on the
other side of the house and about fve
feet from it, and from that it would
appear as though Mr.. Ready had been
| fleeing toward the door to escape from
her murderer when the shot which
! ended her life was fired. There were
two bullets in Mrs. Ready's body. one
/ entered the back of the left hand. Pos
! sibly the terrified woman had thrown
this hand up to try to ward on TN
death dealing bullets. The other bull
; let entered the left side of the heat
! about three inches above the ear ant
= b. Z