Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-25
John Kelley, Frankfort, Me-,
Bound Over in $4,000
For an Assault with Intent TO
Kill Mrs. John Lowe.
Pleads Not Guilty..She Will Recov.
er From the Razor SIashes.

Belfast Me, March 24.-(SpeciaD.
The hearing of James Kelley, the
aged Frankfort man, who was arrest
| ed in that town, Wednesday night,
charged with assault with intent to
kill Mrs. John Lowe, was held, this
morning, and he was bound over by
Judge Knowlton, in $4,000, for the
grand jury.
Through his attorney. II. c. Buzzell
Mr. Kelley waived the reading of the
complaint and warrant.
John r. Lowe. the husband of the
victim, the first witness, said, The
first | knew of the trouble was hear
ing. Wednesday night, about 730, my
mother-in-law, Mrs Webster run
ming down the road screaming. /
went to the door of my house, where
was at the time, and she said:
Someone is being killed at Jim kel-
ley's. | started at once with my lit
tie boy and ran to Kelley's house. l
tried the door. 1t was locked. /
could hear a woman screaming and l
kicked the door. When | did so KEEL
ing that | had no business there and
that he would call an officer. l kept
on kicking and finally the door gave
way and | went in. On the bed lav
a woman and | found that it was my
wife Her throat was cut and the
bed was covered with blood. Kelley
was standing in the middle of tue
floor with a rope and bandage round
his head under his chin and the rope
led to the ceiling. There was no light
in the room. but soon one was lighted
by someone, who followed me in and
as | was holding my Wife's head, |
was so near To Kelley that my knee
almost touched his.
Kelley had been at my house that
day and left there, about $50, say
ing he was going home, make cup
of tea and 90 to bed. While he was
AT the house ne were all friendly and
talked of a schooner which had gone
ashore near by
Mr. Lowe then described the wounds /
made by the razor and stated that
he found razor on the bed, covered
with blood as was his wife and the
bed Kelley lived alone, the witness
said. when did your wife go to
Kelley's house," asked Judge KnoWl-
ton. Il couldn't say" the witness re-
piled. she went down to her moth
er's and started to come home with
one of the children. When passing
Kelley's house he came to the door
and asked her To come in"
John r. LOVE- testified that ne was so
ye4rs Of age that his wife was 81; that
they had been married 10 years and had
three children He stated that they lived
in A two-room house and that Kelley
was a frequent visitUr-sometimes came
two or three times a day. He was the
first 10 arrive At the Kelley house and
that he found the door locked and nailed
on the inside After time ne sue
ceeded in bursting open the door and saw
Kelley standing in the middle of the
floor. with a rope under his chin and up
over his head, and fastened to stick
of wood laid across the floor timbers
overhead. Kelley had. in his prepara-
tions for suicide. carefully placed
handkerchief between the rope and his
chin As his feet We're upon the leor
Mr.. Lowe did not seem to think he was
in any immediate danger of suffocation.
Kelley was able after time to wdlk
around and talk, but that he Howe)
heard him make no statement. He de-
clared that Kelley was not drunk when
he left the Lowe home at $50
The next witness was James Page
whose quaint manner and answers pro-
voked laughter at the outset. He de-
clared that when he went into the KEEL
ley house and saw the CORY spectacle he
became so nervous that he turned around
and went right out again. He said that
he had no hand in cutting down Kelley
but he heard somebody ask Mrs Lowe If
he was dead land she said that he
wasn't"
Constable LeSan said that when he ar
rived Kelley had been cut down and
was writhns and groaning on the floor.
A physician had arrived and was work
| ing over Mrs. Lowe. lie San stated that
he remained all night and toward morn
ing Kelley had talked some He had
said that he ought to have gone to live
with his daughter as She invited him;
| that he had said: Now see what
| Do