Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-07-09
SKoWHEeAN.
Two Men Held for Burn
ing Mercer Town Hearse.
Former ;s'kovhsgan Girl Dies
/: At White Plains, n. Y.
Other Items and Personal Notes
OF General Interest.

There was an interesting hearing
in the Skowhegan municipal court
| Wednesday afternoon. The two re-
| spo ldents, Kelsey Allen and John r.
Groves, both OF Mercer, were arraigned
| before Judge Lawrence on the charge
of malicously burning and destroying
property belonging to that town.
| Mercer started in last Sunday night
to observe the Fourth. There was the
usual celebration of a country village,
] the ringing of bells, blowing of horns,
| firing of guns, etc. Several bonfres
| We're also kindled in different parts of
the town. The next morning it was
| discovered that the village hearse had
| gone up in smoke. With two of his
deputies Sheriff Mooers made an auto
mobile trip to Mercer and Groves was
| placed under arrest and brought here.
| At first Groves denied all connection
with the affair, but finally weakened
and from what he told the sheriff
caused Mr.. Mooers to make a second
trip to Mercer on Wednesday morning
On his return a few hours later he had
in custody Allen.
That afternoon both men We're ar
| y,
| ing a clean breast of the affair." His
| testimony was to the effect that on
| Sunday he and Allen had two quarts of
| rum. That night Allen made the sug-
gostiOn that they burn the hearse, to
which he agreed. Allen took five
pound lard pail, filled it with kerosene
and the witness then started for the
| hearse house.
The first plan was for both men to go
| and do the job. but Allen, SO thewit-
| ness sold. thought that one man would
not be SO readily recognized as would
two, and Groves went alone. He
| reached the hearse house just beyong
the church, opened the door, run the
hcarse out into the highway hauled it
| few rods to clump of bushes and
then backed it in. Then he saturated it
with the oil given him, as he says by
Alien. and applied the match. ...
Judge Lawrence held Groves in $500
for, appearance before the September
grand jury. He was unable to get bail.
Allen pleaded not guilty and was de-
Tended by Edward N. Merrill. He die
not take the stand. Judge Lawrence
held him in the sum of $500. He easily
secured bonds.
t. II. Merrill and l.. l.. Walton are
attending the session of the law court
in Portland. .tD
M. and Mrs. Charles Lewis returned
Thursday to Portland after visit with
her parents Mr.. and Mrs. Joseph Ber-
nard. .....- ,.s, tn..
Mrs. I. j. Smith and daughter left
Thursday for a visit with relatives in
F'oXcroft. .- ga. >.rs 81
Mrs. S. w. Philbrick and her oldest
son, Donald. left Thursday for ST
stephen, NJ B., to visit her sister, Mrs
T. r. Ross. h-. sd
DR.. George o. Smith left Thursday
for Washington. d. c. His son Joey
accompanied him as far as Boston.
Mrs. Efie Robinson of North Arson
was in town Thursday, guest of Mrs.
+. e. futile. t,.
G. G.. Tozer, G. l.. Cleveland. E. H.
Murphy and A. II. Elwell left Thurs
day for a few days fishing at Mr. To-
tiers farm in Mayfield. Burton Manor
Mrs. w. A. Richardson of Lewiston
was in town Thursday, guest of her
father, G.. H. Pishon. .-.s
M. and Mrs. J. Slusman and daugil-
ter Of Bigelow enjoyed an auto trip
here Wednesday, remaining over night.
Judge Fred F.. Lawrence of the mu-
nicpal court left Thursday for Port
land, where he has business before the
law court. Mrs. Lawrence accompa-
MED him. They will pass several days
with friends at :, the. islands in Casco
bay.
Word was received here Thursday
Of the death i'm White Plains, n. Y. of
Mrs. James Raymond. She was Miss
Eliza Gaylord, lived here up to the
time OF her marriage. and is the daugh-
ter of Joseph Gaylord. now of Bright
on. The husband and two children sur
vive Death was the result of an oper
alton last winter, from the effects of
Wft II she failed to rally Her age was
about 28 years. Interment was at
White Plains.
Mrs. Mabel LaWrey and little
daughter Rcbecca of Fairfield are
guests of the Misses Elizabeth and
Ger tude Webb
is ibcllc Luce of Augusta arrived
Wednesday night leaving for Athens
to visit relatives for few weeks.
w r. Clifford arrived home WedneS-
day night from Il weeks fishing trip to
thu Belgrade lakes.
Capt. and Mrs. F.. H. Wing arrived
HON" Wednesday night from a visit
with their son Fred in Calais.
The special train from Waterville
"Wednesday afternoon brought 100 la
dies, IN, mberS of the various woman's
clubs i'll that city, Augusta. Oakland
and Fairfield, who came here to at
tend the Field day meet at Lakewood.
The party left the lake for home just
as Tie thunder shower struck, but ran
away from it, only to meet it again
when they landed here at s o'clock to
take the train for down river. But it
WAS not raining hard and only few
received wetting.
Mrs. w. Fl. Sprague and two chill
dren of Somerville, Mass, arrived
here Wednesday and left for Cornville,
her former home, for a visit with her
parents. ---. .s
Mr.. and Mrs r. E. Leavitt and two
children of Pucell, |. T., arrived here
Wednesday night and are the guests
of her parents, Mr.. and Mrs Llewellyn
Goodwin Mr.. Leavitt has not been in