davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-02-01
20 MURDERS IN MAINE
IN 1871
Figures Recently Completed at Au-
gusta Some of the Crimes

Figures recently completed at Au-
gusta show that during 1911 there were
II cases of murder investigated by the
authorities and an equal number where
death resulted but where a lesser de-
gree of crime was charged.
Also there were three asses of muir
der and suicide making total of 20
murder and of 81 deaths by violence
in Maine for the year.
OF these crimes the most notable
was that of Marshal Taylor of Freeman
who enticed his wife into the woods
back of their home early in May, blew
the top of her head off and buried the
remains. He at first said that the wo-
man had run away and left him, and
exhibited a note from her to that effect.
After the body had been found he
broke down confersed his guilt, ad
mitted having written the note himself
and when brought before the court
pleaded guilty and was sentenced to
life imprisonment in the state prison
at Thomaston.
A case which attracted much atten-
ton was the arrest in June of Joseph
w Buzzell of Dayton and Olney w.
Merrill of Dresden on the charge of
having murdered Charles l. Weymouth
in Dayton, five years before. The
charge was made by Sheriff Emery of
York county, who based it upon stories
told him by two children of DR.. Fred
l. Snow, arrested earlier in the year
on a charge of larceny. The children
told the sheriff a detailed story of how
Weymouth came to their house and
was followed there by the two accused
men, who beat him to death and buried
the remains in the woods nearby.
Without waiting to find Weymouth's
body the sheriff caused the arrest of
the two men. Weymouth was located
in a small Canadian town. He came
back to Maine sufficiently long to
demonstrate that he had not been
murdered and Buzzell and Merrill
were released.
Since the first of the present year
two Of the cases which were begun in
1911 have been disposed of. First of
these was that of Mrs. Mildred |.
Keefe of Bath, charged with child
murder, who was convicted of man
slaughter and sent to prison for 20
years and the other was that of DR..
Henry S. Brown of Brighton charged
with the murder of Mrs. Rena Brown
Spiller by an illegal operation
His case was first on trial at the Su-
preme court of Somerset county in
October, but had to be continued to the
present month because of the serious
illness of an important witness. At
the trial the principal witness against
DR.. Brown was the husband of the
dead woman, Victor Spiller, of Med
ford, Mass. At the conclusion of the
husbands testimony, which showed
the operation was performed with the
knowledge and consent of the husband,
DR.. Brown retracted his plea of not
guilty to murder, and that indictment
was mol pressed, after which he plead
ed guilty to attempting to procure
an abortion and was fined $500.
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-02-01
somerset's Second Oldest Man.

John H. Whittier of Cornyille, is
the county's second oldest citizen,
Benjamin Priest q Canaan, being a
few months older Mr.. Whittier was
50 years old, Friday He is still in
comparatively good health. He is a
great great grandfather to two pairs
of twins, the children of Mr.. and Mrs.
Arthur Footer of East Madison He
moved to Cornville in 1863 He has
never been out of The state, never rid
den on train. He married Mary Hall
and they lived together &C years. or
six children born to them four are
now living: George H., with whom
Mr.. Whittier lives. Albert, Fred W. in
Topeka, Kan, and Abbie H. Russell
of Madison. Mr. Whittier is a Repub-
lican and voted for Jackson the first
time
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-02-01
Mystery in Milo Dam.

ID in Milo there is dam that is
mystery to the people of the town. 1t
is built in the heart of the town and
across the Sebec Stream. It's con
struction is of solid cement, but no
one there knows or if they do they
won't make the information public.
The dam stands there, holding back
a great volume of water, splendid
waterpower, yet absolutely unutilized.
Why it is, is the problem,
Some years ago the Boston Excel
sior Company secured control of these
riparian rights and soon afterwards
began the construction of this sub
stantial dam. 1t was built of rein
forced concrete and will stand the
hardest sort of pounding by freshet
and ice. 1t cost a good many thous-
ands of dollars, yet since the day II
was completed year ago it has not
been used. At the same time the dam
was constructed, several solid con-
crete piers were built in the stream,
Just above the dam. Their purpose is
as much a mystery as is that of the
dam.
When the construction was first
begun it was rumored that a big new
mill was to be erected, but no move
toward that end has been made All
effort to learn what the dam is for
ha1e failed, and Milo regards the dam
with perpleXity.
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-02-01
GETS ANOTHER $4,000.
Amount for Cooperative Forestry
Work.

State Forest Commissioner Mace has
returned from Washington, d. c.,
where he has been in conference with
the federal authorities in regard to
the appropriation for this State for
forestry work in accordance with the
provisions of the Appalachian For
estry Reserve bill.
Maine received $4,000 for the work,
last year. the highest amount given to
a single state, and Commissioner Mace
reports that the State will receive a
Ike amount for the year 1912 for the
maintenance of cooperative fire ser
vice between the Maine department
and the United States forestry bureau.
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-02-01

One day recently d dollar bill was
passed at the First National Bank Of
Pennington, which later was found to
be in two parasitic bills having been
torn literally Though pasted so well
that the parts came together quite
nicely, the numbers did not correspond
and the bill as it was was worthless
for circulation. Judge Thompson, the
cashier, showed the biz TO J. p. Flint.
cashier of the Peoples Bank, and sin
gularly in few days another mended
dollar bill came into the hands of Mr..
Flint. An examination proved that the
two parts corresponded to the two mis-
mated parts of the mended bill receiy-
ed by Judge Thompson. There was a
reimbursement and two good bills were
the result.
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-02-01
BABYS FACE MASS OF SORES
ECZEMA Is SPREAD BY SCRATCH
UNCOMFORTABLE SUFFERING.
Try this Remedy at Our Risk.

Often an ecZema-tortared baby
scratches and tears at his ..shing face
until it becomes one mass of sores
and the suffering Is frightful
Instead of tying the little ones
hands, as some do, merely cover the
Itching skin with a protecting, sooth-
ing application of our new skin rem
edy, Saxon Salve.
This allays the itching at once,
gives the child comfort and allows 1t
to get the needed rest and sleep.
More than that, it penetrates the
pores of the skin, reaching the very
roots of the disease with its germ-de-
stroying, healing power and soon ban
ishes the eruption, leaving the skin
smooth and unsecured.
We sell Saxon Salve on a positive
guaranty for all sorts of skin diseas
es. If 1t does not give satisfaction
you get your money back. Try it.
Frank w. Bucknam, Druggist, Show
hepan Me,
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-02-01

News comes from Scarsport that
The gold ring with the initials, 4
w. H which Archie Gilkey dug up
while digging clam worms on the flats
near the old Merithew ship yard, in
Searsport evidently belonged to Capt.
Isaac W. Ilayener, Jr, and was lost by
him while his bark, the Beatrice
Hayener, was building in 1871. Capt.
Havener died on the bark in 1873,
when on the passage from Buenos
Ayres to New York. Isaac H. Havener,
son of Capt, Hayener, bought the ring,
which weighed 41-2 penny weights
and was Is karat
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-02-01
Authors Interested

A new society has been organized
in France under the title The League
Against the Lending Of Books It
is asserted that the movement is real.
ly in the interest ii authors, as every
borrower may be considered as one
buyer less.
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-02-01

Hotel Light ". W. Light proprietor,
located at Washington Mills, was de-
stroyed by fire at about ] O'Clock. Jan.
%, together with a stable which ad-
Joined. The greater portion OF the
household goods were saved, as was
the livestock in the stable, also the
carriages. The loss is estimated at
about $500, and it is understood thar
the property was fairly well insured.
The fire originated in one of the
chambers on the second floor and over
the dining room, from cause unknown.
and was we'll underway when dis
covered. The hotel was story and a
half structure with two ellis. and CON
tanned about % rooms. There were
buildings on all sides of it and within
four feet of il was the store of j. L.
Burns, the largest in the village. The
village has no fire protection and the
Burns store was only saved through
the untiring efforts OF the citizens and
the use of Wet blankets.
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-02-01

An innovation his winter at the in.
sane asylum in Augusta are moving
picture shows for such as are fit &c
attend, of the inmates, given each
Monday night in the chapel DR. Mil
Ter, the superintendent states that by
exercising care in the selection of pie
lures it has been possible to make the
exhibits of considerable interest to
the patients, and that the tendency
is toward an improvement of their
mental condition.
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-02-01
DON'T GIVE

your child "teethlng" powders or
Soothing syrup or "quieting drops"
Such things often contain dope" They
are almost always dangerous. Clean
out the cause of the trouble with
Kickapoo Worm Killer, the gentle,
safe laxative, system cleanser, liver
stmulant and general health builder
for children. Price, 25c., sold by
druggists everywhere, and by
Il. F0GG, Skowhegan, Ne.
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-02-01
Post.Mortem Statement.

An Irishman saw while passing
through graveyard these words writ
ten on a tombstone: ~ still live"
BE jabbers, If was dead I'd own up
to II. "-Unidentifled.
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-02-01
Gas.

Mrs. Bacon-"The man was here to-
day, dear, looking for the gas leak"
Mr.. Bacon-"And did he find it?"
Yes, but they haven't found the man
yet" -Statesman.
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-02-01

Subscribe for Names Newsiest
Weekly-The Independent Reporter.
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-02-01

Peculiar sandpaper.
The dried skin of the dogfl4h was
once on a time used for sandpaper.
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-02-01

While Maine is rubbing its nose and
ears in 80 below zero temperatures,
North Pacific coast points report the
visitation of the rare but costly sill
yer thaw," con6ition peculiar to the
Northwest and. fortunately of infre-
quent occurrence. From the Pacific
Grove Daily Review We clip an ac-
count of the phenomena which has
just caused untold damage. It gives
the following in a dispatch from Port
land. Ore: No lives have been lost
so far as known There We're many
injured by falling wires, trees and
cakes of ice. Telephone and telegraph
wires generally are Frustrated and
electric light and power wires are
down in every direction depriying
many sections of the city of light.
power and regular street car service.
The electric light, telephone and tele-
graph companies have hundreds of
men at work and some service was
given recently, but it will be weeks
before normal conditions viii be re-
stored. When the silver thaw" is on
rain is formed into ice as soon as it
touches any object, the result OF frocz-
ing temperatures close to the earth.
Ice forms Immediately covering wires
and trees to thickness of one or two
inches The tremendous weight of the
ice on the wires and trees breaks them
down and causes great damage.
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-02-01

Contractors arr reported as busy a.
Dexter getting ready for an adyer-
tised building boom In addition 10
the opening up Of ueH aud desirable
residential portions Of tbe town. the
erection Of several homes and the
building Of bushes block by Wal
ter Eaton II has moss been decided By
George A. Dustin. hardware and
crockery dealer. 10 erect IA three or
four story brick building in the bust
ness section on Main street, on the
site occupied by his present store
Already contractors are estimating
the cost of construction It is planned
to have it Of attractive appearance.
with frontage of fifty feet.
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-02-01

Many q child is called dull and stupid
when the whole trouble is due TO a law
liver. We firmly believe your own doc
tor will tell you that an occasional dose
ofAyer's Pills, sugar-coated, will do such
children great deal OF good. Ask him.
Made By the J. c. AYR CO. Lowell Mass
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-02-01

History records strike on the
Kennebec over century ago. when
one Of the old settlers came to Wool
wich, cleared up a farm and hauled
over 100 cords Of wood to the bank
Of the Ecnnebec intending 10 sell il
10 coasters 10 take 70 Boston The
only offer he could gel was - cents
a cord and this 50 incensed him that
rather than accept the price for it he
waited until it had become thoroughly
dry and set it on FIRE and sat on The
bank watching it burn wifh much
satisfaction
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-02-01

Walter Durham of Mariaylle, is on
the lucky list this week. Hearing
his little dog barking for some time
one day recently, he thought he would
investigate. Peering into the hole at
the entrance to which the dog was
barking he saw two bright eyes. He
fired four shots, then went for help
On his return he found he had killed
to large bears
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-02-01

The dead body of William Davidson
aged so, of Lewiston, was found sus-
pended from a beam in the cellar OF
the house where he boarded on the
evening of the 25th by his landlady
Dependency over i'll health is said
to be the cause for his act. He was
born in Scotland and had lived here
for over 40 years.
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-02-01

Stockholm is another Maine town to
suffer from the loss of fire, the plant
of the Standard Veneer Co, one Of
the two principle industries of the
town being practically destroyed Fri
day. The loss is estimated at about
$4,000, and the blaze originated in the
kiln she'd
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-02-01

Caught in the act of burglarizing
the general store of f. S Martin &
Co of PASSPORT, early Jan. -, accord
ing to the testimony of the officer,
Edgar d. Stuart of Boston and Erin
Aliquette of Michigan were arraigned
in the municipal court and held in
$1,000 each for the grand jury
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-02-01

Has any winter, anywhere, ever
beaten this one for the complete
gamut of winter sports? Long period
of excellent skating, then sleighing
and snowshoeing-with enough snow
to furnish, under usual conditions,
real, old fashioned crust slidn' " in
the spring. Who wants to 80 to
Tampa Beach?
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-02-01

There viii be six centennial
towns in Maine this year Six towns
We're Incorporated by the legislature
of lS12, on Of which has sine grown
to be a rity They are the city OF
Brewer on the Penohscot river. Phil
lips far up in Franklin county Bune-
ham on the kennebec river, Troy il
Waldo county and FoXcroft and St
bee, Piscataquis county towns Most
Of these places Will have a centennial
celebration Some have been plan
ming for some time and local histor-
ans have been gathering material
for the historical address. The birth
days come in February but following
the usual customs will be held in the
summer and in connection With some
thing like an Old-Home week. when
the SONS and daughters OF the town
will gather from all parts of the
country There viii be family and
class reunions. exercises in the town
hall an historical parade a big din
ner, always a centennial ball" and
music by the village band
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-02-01

A daring robbery occurred last Fri
day night in Smyrna Mills when J. Z.
Tarbell a local merchant was robbed
of about 500 worth of jcwelry,
watches and reyolye9s. Tie robber
was later located in Wateryille having
disposed of d large amount of the
plumber, and was arrested in that city.
He admitted his guilt.
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-02-01

This hasn't been exactly cherry
blossom weather but a Portland
woman, Miss Henrietta Huston has
been enjoying them however Christ
mas several boughs from a cherry
tree were broken. These boughs were
put in water and soon buds, both leaf
and flower began to swell and later
six white cherry blossoms opened and
there are several leaves.
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-02-01

The Aroostook Times of Houlton an
nounces that it has moved into its
newly erected first class building
Congratulations to Charles II. Fogg,
who took over the ownership of this
Aroostook County Weekly several
years ago
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-02-01

Mrs l.. NJ y. Stevens and Miss Cor
don left Maine Thursday, to be i'll
Washington the Goth, for National ".
C.. r. L. day. Mrs. Stevens will be
there about three weeks in the inter
est of congressional measures in
which the ". {. T. l. has special in
terest. among them the fight against
any revival of the army cantecn.
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-02-01

The loggers have been handicapped
this winter by the deep SHOWS in
Northern Maine.
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-02-01

One Of the best school houses in
Hebron was destroyed by fire Friday
night The loss is reported as being
$500 with partial insurance.
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-02-01

More sand needed in Portland Two
men rendered unconscious by falls due
to the treacherous footing there, re
Gently.
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-02-01

The Industrial School for Girls at
Hallowell is filled TO its capacity. The
principal, Miss Gertrude Mcdonald,
asks magistrates to confer with her
regarding commitments under further
notice.
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-02-01

1t is thought that the next meeting
Of the State q. A. r encampment may
be held in Portland
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-02-01

Bath has an S7-year old milkman
who served his customers on his birth
day. Monday, Jan. %.
The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-02-01

The PASSPORT Indians who killed a
whale are now trying out the Gil.
They expect to secure zoo gallons.
The capture was 81 feet long.
Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-07-25
az THE POWERS ON GUARD

Two European powers are now challenging
Great Britain's claim that BRITANNIA rules the
waves and the naval experts of the two chal-
longing nations are busy disproving Englands
claim to supremacy. This, taken in conjunction
with marked movement in the lawmaking
bodies of both nations, France and Germany, to
enlarge their nayies, has led to triangle in in
ternational politics that is absorbing MUCH at
tention
In Germany the Naval league, We are in
formed by the German press, is growing for
midable in numbers and in power and is begin
ming to assert its right to dictate the naval pol
icy of the vaterland 1t hopes ultimately, ac-
cording to report, to have much to say in the
naming of the minister of marine, and already
it is clamoring for larger and larger battle
ship appropriation.
,The strength of the league has rendered it SO
confident that sone of its leaders, Admiral Won
Rooster, at a recent banquet declared that Ger
inany's feet should dominate the North Sea so
emphatically that all the world would recog-
nize it.
Meanwhile France is beginning to Gust Great
britain as the naval power of the MediterraI.
can, if the French newspapers are to be be-
lieved One of the government organs, the Paris
Matin, announced recently that France intends
to assert superiority from Gibraltar to Assouan,
and it is evident that the tricoor is intended to
wave over every spot along the Mediterranean
where there is the least excuse for it.
Frances policy is to pnt in the Mediter-
ranean naval force stronger than the COM
bined forces of the next two strongest powers.
Such program may well be looked upon by
Great Britain with some misgiving.
In view of this European policy of doubling
and TRIPPING naval strength, the struggle that
Congress is going through now in an effort to
reach an agreement on one or two battleships a
year. may well seem futile. Talk OF dlsarma-
ment in the face of such portentous prepara-
tions is pueriles
Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-07-25
FISHERS VISIT

Secretary Fishers visit to Hawaii seems to
have gone beyond the stage OF reasonable doubts
to Judge by the cablegram to Delegate Kuhio
that arrived today fatipolpcing that the cabinet
member will start from Washington on Au,
gust 49, i ggGlS 5IsngYLll. -
In Some quarters however, there has been a
feeling that Mr.eFisher is not coming at ALL
The feeling became more marked after the Ha-
waii Republican delegation Returned from Chi,
eago and the report was well confirmed that
Charles d. Hilles, the presidents secretary, had
intimated there would be a recess appointment
for the governor Immediately upon the.adjourn-
ment Of Congress-
Wise politicians on both sides can figure why
the secretary should come and why he should
not come from the standpoint of his visits eff
feet on national politics In view OF the latest
Information, it now seems wiser to figure that
secrntuy Fisher Is coming to settle the @con.
froyersyg on its merits and without regard to
whaiStlf br hat spolititta persbnage in Wash.
ingtdil may gaflr or lose h5Sit.a 8 : essss'
Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-07-25
LITTLE INTERVIEWS

W. II. HOoGS-I'm getting to be a
tennis enthusiast with two boys play
ing in the tournaments here.
ROBERT McGREER Raymond not
only has the audiences mystified. but
al 1.-The theatrical people too.
SUPERVISOR. McCLELI.AN-An l
Want Is action in getting down some
paving.
T. n. PETRIE-I suppose the term
OF a member of the Oahu loan fund
commission doesn't expire until the
commission spends all the money APP
propriated.
NJ. c. PACHECO-The gentlemen
who have shown such a sudden lasc1
est in local good government should
not lose sight OF the fac. that there
are just as patriotic democrasc Amer
leans in our community as republs
cans,