Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-11-07
When Examined Friday After
noon by Judge Lancaster of
The Municipal Court-Stories
Of Two Boys Differ
JOSEPH GIVES DETAILS OF
SHOOTING YOUNG BONSANT
Shows Himself Lacking of First
Rudiments of Education-Fi-
nal Disposition of Case Not
Yet Decided

In connection with the investigation
by the city authorities of the death
last Monday night of Napoleon Bon
SAINT, the 13-year- old son of Mr.. and
MRS. Peter Bonsant of Bourgette court.
Off Mt. Vernon avenue, following a
wound received in the head by a bull
let from a rifle in the hands of Jo-
seph Veilleux, aged 10 years. a son of
Mr. and Mrs Arthur Veilleux of Mt.
Vernon avenue, Judge Lancaster of the
municipal court conducted Friday af-
ternoon an examination of the Veilleux
boy and also his brother Charlie, aged
10 years. for the purpose of learning
further details of the tragedy.
While it was felt that some of the
statements made by the boys were not
strictly truthful, and also did not
agree, enough was learned of the &C.
currences on the day of the tragedy
so far as related to the boys concerned
TO give fairly clear idea of what
transpfred. According to the statement
OF Joseph Veilleux, he, with his brother
and two Bonsant boys, Napoleon and
Eugene, the latter aged 10 years. had
not been to school Monday and in the
afternoon went out in the woods with
a rifle which they had borrowed from
Paul Lapointe, another boy who lives
on Mt. Vernon avenue, taking with
them some cartridges tina. Napoleon
Bonsant had bought.
After doing some target shooting in
the woods, during which they fired
ABOUT nine shots each, they came
nome, and no one being at home in
the Bonsant house. Joseph Veilleux
and the two Bonsant boys went into
the shed of the Veilleux house In an
swer to questions by the Judge Jo-
seph Veilleux admitted that after en-
tering the shed he had fourished the
rifle and aimed it at Napoleon Bon
SAINT, and that the latter told him to
take 1t away, that it would go off; that
he told Napoleon that ii was not load
ed; that he got Napoleon into a cor
ner of the shed and pointed the rifle
at him, and that II went off: that he
then went into the house for some
water, at which time his mother and
brother Charlie came out into the shed
and saw what had happened
In regard to the purchase of the
cartridges, which We're Of % calibre.
pa SoAd liAdt me- Ills DTOlHer anu
Napoleon Bonsant went to a store af-
ter them, Napoleon going along be-
cause he could speak English better
than they could; that on reaching the
store he and Napoleon went in,
Charles Veilleux remaining outside;
that on entering the store they found
a French clerk there and had no
trouble in making their wants known.
The stories of the Veilleux boys diff
fered regarding the number of car
tridges used. Charles said that they
shot away all the cartridges in the
box, which was SO. but Joseph said
that there were 10 left In the box when
they finished shooting, and that he
threw them into Bond brook, but that
before doing so he loaded the rifle. for
getting afterward that he had load
ed it.
Just what will be done with the
Veilleux boy has not been decided. He
is about 10 years of age and appar-
emily bright but shows no indications
of having any schooling. He cannot
read or write or spell even the simplest
words