Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-01-26
INQUEST HELD ON
CANAAN MURDER
Continued From Page y

have talked with him several times.
told him once that l was going to get
a divorce. He then got mad AMI
blamed Ireland for our separation
Mrs. Nelson is comely woman, Very
modest and unassuming in her ways.
She was straightfor ward in. her testi
mony. and when she was asked a
question in regard to her husband,
whether favoring him or not, she
maintained the same calmness. She
said that Friday night about seven
o'clock, she saw Nelson in the post
office, and he told her that he ha !
had a fail while hunting. and nearly
broke his neck.
The Jury
The jury was made up Of Richard
Harris. foreman, Scott Lord, George
W. Smith. Alton Goodrich. Arthur
Burrill. and Glenn Holt. Its report
was that Ireland came to his death
by being beaten about the head with
a club and through strangulation from
a rope placed about his neck. and the
person doing the deed was TO the jury
unknown.
A. j. keene Found Body
\. J. keene, who has been reported as
being Joseph King. was the first to tes-
tify, as he was the first 10 discover
the body He, with other citizens, feel
ing that ireland might be sick. decided.
Saturday evening, to 80 TO his farm
! home and Their" they found the dead
man. kcane said that he had seen Ire
land the last time at 10 O'Clock Friday
forenoon, that he had come into his
store, bought a pound &C butter and he
had changed a $40 bill for Ireland When
he went TO Irelands house he found the
kerosene lamp burning. partly turned
down and in the bedroom Ireland was
living across lie bed with 4 rope twisted
about his neck. Frank Lewis said thai
he had seen Ireland at 40 T. NJ, COM
ing home from the village, and IT E.
Harris slii h saw him the latter part
of the az erAoor. when nc came into his
storc, and he changed $50 bill. giving
him back 'tWo tens. That evening
Verde Nelson came into his store about
o'clock. ana there were many bruises
upon his face. In explanation OF the
bruises nc said that ne had been hunt
ing THAT Gay ana fell. Ana when asked
how ne happened 10 get hit OIL top Of
the head SAID that he had struck against
rock. Dr. Earle said that Nelson
called Al MS office Friday night ana
wanted some court plaster for bruises
on his nose and eyes. Tie told Dr.
Earl that he had fallen while hunting
Nelson's Father Witness
Louis H. Nelson. father of Verde Mel
son, testified that he had never heard
Of any trouble between his son and Ire
land. In explaining the wherea bouts of
his son on Friday. he said that he had
been IN the village until noon, after din
ner sawed some wood and about l.30
took his gun and started hunting. u
next saw him at o'clock when he came
in ard said he had stove himself all
up. and began washing the blood from
his face. He then Went TO the doctors 5.
There was blood on his oyeralls And
my wife burned them UP telling me that
they were not worth washing nv son
came back to so to bed about O'Clock
He never told me anything about Ire
land being lead
Fred Priest
Fred Priest said II never had any
trouble with Nelson. and never knew
why he threatened TO kill me ] thought
! was in for helping Ireland as l am
Nelson's Wife's uncle. never knew
that Nelson's wife and ireland were
more than social friends
Mrs. Guy Nelson
TriGAy night, according TO Guy Mel
sons wife. Verde came running 10 her
house all out of breath, his face and
clothes bloody. After washing up ne
looked in the mirror and said: Il am
better now than three dead men. |
was scared and went to the neighbors
Mrs. Buella Holt said that Friday night
after the mail had come in, Nelson was
telling her how he got the bruises on his
face. He said. pointing TO the one on
his forehead, The man who gave me
that was not as large as I am" He
told another man that he got the bruises
from Sighting. James A. Priest, grand
father of Mrs. Nelson, said in his testi-
rnony in regard to the trouble between
Nelson and Ireland that Nelson told
him. Damn that Ireland; ! shall have
Eva-rnea ming Nelson's wife-and I will
fix him so that he can't have anybody.
I will bore a hole in him if he makes
much talk 10 me-
DR. NJ s S1inchfield county medical