Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-12-09
MONDAYS INVESTIGATION.
CONTINUED from Page one.)
ers of the neighborhood.

the coroner went to Augusta, where II
is understood, he left, with the inter-
nal organs of the bodies OF the VIC
tins for Brunswick. There they Will
be turned over to Prof. Cram of Bow
doin College and he will examine them
| for traces of poison.
The inquest was adjourned, until
report from the professor is had.
| Deputy Sheriff H. E. Emery of Man
chester, who has been placed in charge
of the place, discovered shortly aft
err his arrival, the two wills of the
/ dead people. As further resulting
from this search, the deputy says 9TH
er important things have been brought
| to light, and he absolutely and en-
phatically refused to talk about them
| When questioned, the deputy admit
ted the papers were important and re-
/ fused to say whether or not their con-
tents would furnish motive for the
| crime. His reticence as to this fact,
makes it appear as If the authorities
considered the documents of the ut
most Importance and refused to make
known just what worth they consider
ed them.
County Attorney Fisher admitted
their worth as clues to possible mo-
tive and explained the legal technical
ity upon which the motive might be
based. The intricate problem will fur
nish an interesting one for the courts,
should the son be convicted of the
murder of his father and mother
Again the time of the crime Is un-
able to be placed. The time as placed,
yesterday, between IL and IL, may
have been wrong and it may have
been committed earlier. 1t is true that
the neighbors noticed that the cur
| tains of the roonas were pulled down,
and were of a darker hue than was
commonly noticed.
| DR.. II. F. Merrill says he saw Mr..
Eldridge about the place, and placed
the time at about $50. DR.. Merrill
lives right across the road from the
Eldridge place and said that Mr.. Ell
dridge was entering the house. when
he saw him. This is the last time any
one saw him alive.
| The discovery of the murder, If 1t
was such, was made between IL and
IL, but DIR. Merrill and his family
place the time of the notice of the dis
celebration of the curtains about .
o'clock, which would leave a matter of
about four hours in which the Ell
bridges might have been murdered.
Still another bit of evidence that
| is disclosed, is the fact that James
Small, saw a man, whom he says
looked like Young Eldridge, about $50,
between the Horne and Eldridge
homes. These all tend to place the
murder earlier.
But to offset this was the apparent
sprinkle of kerosene over the bodies
and the fact that the kerosene must
have burned fast, and the bodies
burned quickly. SO that it seems al
most impossible that so long time
had elapsed before the fire was dis
covered.
Another important clue was the find
| ing of a club-a maple club-about is
inches long, which may have been used
to fell Mr.. Eldridge. Many are posi-
tive that 1t was used, though the au-
thorities rather doubt If so large a
club was the implement, if any was
used, by which Mr.. Eldridge came to
his death.
1t was about two inches through
hewed from a block. One end of tn,
| club was hewn into a rough handle. 1
was done some time ago as the whole
club is weather stained.
Near the end, where one would b.
hit, is a dark stain which may or ma.
not be blood, and which on closer ex
animation, may turn out to be the yer,
thing which will strengthen the cas-
| against young Eldridge.
Dr. Merrill states 1T. is just thu
kind Of a weapon to cause the sort O
an injury which I found on Mr.. Ed
ridges head"
The finding of the part-empty ker
osene can under the kitchen table
gave strength to the murder, theory
in that a man committing suicid'
would hardly have attempted to burr
the bodies Of himself up, after taking
poison or any death-dealing liquid.
The night before the day on which
the Eldridges met their death in tn
most cold-blooded way, seems to be ;
subject of some controversy. If an in
sight could have only been gotten t.
that night, If 1t was only known wha
| had happened in that home, why the,
sat up so late. being unusually earl,
rctirers, and this night their light
werc burning late,-at o'clock, for Dr.
Merrill came home at that time.
Still another theory is advanced, on
| Of murder and suicide, or possibly ;
suicide pact Had the husband ant
wife, sorrowed over the curse of ;
| drunken son, decided to make wa,
with themselves, to end all sorrow, ant
rid themselves forever of the SHADOW
| that hung over their lives. Had tn
man, seeing the sorrow from day t
/ Gay of his little wife, decided to pu
an end to the misery which was hers
] to the sorrow which she felt as sh
watched worthless son. who ha,
mothered and watched grow up from
childhood, making great plans, plan
ming 6 great future, fall so low in he
1 eyes Had the man decided to kill hi
! little wife and then before the law o
the land could reach him to kill himsel
/ and destroy all traces of the deed, b.
burning the home. And did he do 1t, o
/ did the son, in a drunken frenzy, owe
/ - LII