Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-01-12

not Idtai except tnat long bleeding and
the low temperature had Slapped his
life.
TIE suicide left letter addressed to
his wife in Adair, Mich. but it has not
been opened. He was unknown to any
one in Carthage and gave the name of
John Elder
| The letter to the sheriff reads:
The coroner's jury returned a YER
dict late tonight as follows we the
| jury find that the supposed Jonn II.
| Carmichael came to his death by his
own hand and exposure to cold"
Carthage, ILL.,. Jan. 9. 1909
,, ''To Mr.. Waggonsteil.
Port Huron. Mich.
"Honored Sir:-I write this letter to eX-
plain some things in connection with the
Columbus church tragedy. l am guilty
only because l am coward. The man
had such a hypnotic influence over me
that l felt that something must be done.
| felt greatly ashamed that a man said
to be short minded should be able to
! compel me to yield to his will, but l said
nothing about it. At first he said It's
all right. elder: don't be afraid Then he
began to talk about how we two could
get rich. Three times he came to the
rear of my barn and talked to me
through the manure hole: twice he was
at the river when I went to water my
stock and each time I felt that he was
doing something that he was proud of.
"Once. when ] was going out to Co
ltlm bus, he was on the pike near the
Pink schoolhouse. When l overlook him
he asked me to ride. / could not refuse.
He asked me if ever I had driven up the
pike to Port Huron. to which 1 an
swered no. Then he said: Come. let's
drive up l dissented but he kept on I'M
| til he persuaded me to go. He got out
and stood at the corner while l went 10
| the barn with the rig. Then, after We
i had been at the restaurant, for which he
| paid also for the horse. he gave me Il
| half dollar and said he wanted me to go
across there and buy small Ratchet for
| his boy to play with. I began to tell him
| to go and do his own buying, when he
! set his eyes upon me in the queerest sort
| of a look something like the look of
snakes eyes. Then I felt his influence
| tightening his grip on my mind, so l went
intending to go into the store and out the
back way, to get the rise and rush Off
| for home When | turned to close the
| door he stood looking upon me through
| the window and ! Just bought the
| Ratchet and came out again, but by that
| time he had disappeared, so | went TO
the barn. got my rig and started Tor
| home When I made the turn onto Mil
| itarv street he was at the corner to get
| in lie rode as far as South Park. where
| he got out to take the car. He took the
Ratchet with him and said nothing. nor
| did 7 think anything at the time about
| the change.
"Once at the depot at Adair he came
out of the house in his shirt sleeves ana
| exercised me bv compelling me to walk
the rails All the while I felt as small
as a bantam chicken. When he arranged
with me about his wedding he said hc
would go to Port Huron and meet me on
the road between that place and the
church thought he fully meant t" get
married when he engaged my services
but when we met on the road and he was
alone I began to feel uneasy, but he said
it was all right, the others would come
in a carriage. When we went into the
| church l wanted to light lamp, TO
which he dissentcd. saying: No. elder.
no light unless they should come Pres
emily he said May be you'd better have "a
p j
to him through the window.
when / had put in what ] thought
would be enough he said: Now. elder
the moon is shining right on the front
door and if you go around there to come
in someone may see you. Just put up
some wood here and come in at TINS WIN
dow, T brought a few sticks and lalo
them across each other. from the top
of which he helped me into the building
| He let the window nearly down again
and we kent looking out through the
| oneninc to see the others come down the
state road. Presently he took a big
beartv laugh and said: There amt nc
usa looking. for there amt going to be
i no wedding He was sitting where the
/ e,eams of light shone on his face ano
his ewes were so brilliant that was
thri,,ed through and through with the
uueerest sort of feeling.
81 asked why. then, he had maze tnt
nresent arrangements. when ne saio
well elder, I just wanted to nave
little fun. You consider yourself an ed'
Gated man and look down on poor IL
, norant fellow like me- Ana Jus
Thought I would show what could 10
knowd if I could handle you L coui'
handle other men, too. and make a DIS
: thing out of it, Then he sald NO"
T saw raise your hand..up she goes see
Tbot,s no dream I felt my hand rals
without effort whatever on my part. Ihel
) no said: If I say let down your haho
down it goes and felt it going down Il
singular manner.
"py this time I was so alarmed tina
vas in a cold sweat. I then leane
over To see if anyone might be on tn
z ,x 10 hagan to laugh again an