The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1917-02-15
OBITUARY..

Relatives and friends in this city and vicin.
ity of Mr.. and Mrs. Sidney B. Keene of Som.
ervie, Mass. were greatly shocked and griev-
ed on hearing last Saturday of the double
tragedy that ended their lives. They were de-
voted to each other, had beautiful home and
their home life was ideal. Mrs. Keene had
suffered from severe nervousness for the past
few years and it is thought that a sudden
mania resulting from this must have caused
her to have shot her husband and then to have
taken her own life by asphyxiation from gas
Mr.. and Mrs. Keene were inseparable and were
together Tuesday evening. Feb. 9Th at the
monthly meeting of the Winter Hill Improve
ment Association, of which both were among
the organizers, and remained until the closing
of the meeting about II o'clock. when they
went home. accompanied by neighbors. Mrs
heene was then IN the best of spirits. 1t is
thought that some time after they had retired
Mrs. Keene was seized with homicidal mania
and the tragedy followed. Mr.. Keene's alb
sence from his business duties aud failure to
hear from him finally led to entering the
house Friday night and finding that the in
mates had passed awav.
Mrs. Keene was Helen A., the only daughter
of the late Otis D. and Grace Pendleton Will
son. She was born in Belmont, but her child
hood was spent in SearsmoDt. She married
Mr.. Keene. boyhood friend and schoolmate
Dec. rs. 1888, in Waltham. Mass. Their only
child. Everard A., died when about three years
of age and was buried in South Mohtville
Mrs. keene was a member Of the Heptorean
Club. the Someryille Daughters of Maine and
the Somerville Woman's Club, and was an
attendant at the First Unversast Church.
She is survived by four brothers, Manley O.,
Lester A. DIR. Everard A. and Edmund Wilson,
all of Belfast.
Mr.. Keene was born in Appleton, Me-, Jan.
10, 1860, the son of Galen 7. and Statira Keene
lie attended the schools in that town and went
to Charlestown, Mass, when he was 81 years
old and entered the employ of older brother,
Noah A. Keene, proprietor of hay and grain
business. The latter is now resident of "a
Lowden av. West SomerviIIe. Mr.. Keene re-
mained with his brother for year and then en-
tered the employ of a wholesale hay and grain
concern ,ts king position with the firm by which
he was employed at the time of his death. He
had served aSomervIlle Alderman in 1904, 'O5
and 'O6 and was president of the board in the
latter year. He was elected to the Legislature in
the following year and served four terms In
1911 he was an unsuccessful candidate for the
Republican Mayoralty nomination. He was for
many years treasurer Of the S2merville Re-
publican City Committee and was the organizer
and first president of the Ward Republican
Club; organizer of the Somerville Sons of
Maine Club, and once was vice president; for
mer president of the Somerville Board of Trade
and was active in its affairs. He was an Odd
Fellows and was director of the Winter Hill
Cooperative Bank. Mr.. Keene s survived be-
side his brother. Noah A.. by these brothers
and sisters. Abdon W., of Camden, Me; Ansel,
of Rockand, Me; Mrs. Annie L.. Glidden of
Stoneham, Mrs. Mary "A. Jackson of Belfast,
Me. Mi iss Lila A Keene of Waltham.
Strictly private funeral services were held
Monday afternoon at the undertaking rooms of
Francis M. Wilson in Somerville. Rev. Harley
D. Maxwell, pastor of the First Universalist
church. officiating. There were many floral
tributes. Their remains arrived in Belfast
and Mrs. Edmund Wilson, who went to Somer-
vile last Saturday the receipt of the news.
and were placad in the receiving tomb at Grove
Cemetery and will be inferred in South Mont
vile In the spring
Among the many beautiful floral tributes
were the following from Somervie: The
Sons of Maine Club; The Board of Trade; The
d
mittee Of Ward 5; Winter Hill Improvement
Society. 1.-TWO pieces); Somerville Lodge, GIT;
B. P. o. Elks 1.-TWO pieces); Paul Revere Lodge,
I. o. o. F.. and Encampment; e. F. Il. w.
Eddy, Inc, officers and employ Heptorean
Club; Mayor z E. Cliff. Colonel Glines. Mr..
and Mrs. John ]. Higgins, Charles A. Grim
mons, Mr.. and Mrs. S. F. Rich. Mr.. and Mrs. C.
H. and J. Sewal Smith, Mr.. and Mrs. A. E
Keating, Messrs. David C. Theall. W. s. Gid
den. VIM. 1. Brown. Walter S. Dow, B. F.
Freeman, George q. Proctor.
Miss Helen R. Houston died at a. m. Feb.
18th at No. 25 Congress street. where she had
been boarding since last November with MIR.
and Mrs. Eugene NJ. Pierson. She had sufft r.
ed recently with a severe attack of bronchitis,
but her death was caused by heart trouble.
Her age was 81 years, 10 months and 10 days.
She was born in Belfast, the daughter of the
late Joseph End and Susan (Foster) Houston,
and was the great granddaughter of John
Mitchell, the first settler of Belfast. Her
father was born on the Houston farm in what
is now Searsport, in the house given to their
grandmother, Hannah Mitchell, by her father.
John Mitchell, and which was built on one of
the first division OF lots he drew. Her mother
belonged to the Foster family of Lexington,
| Mass and some of her ancestors are buried
under the Lexington monument. Miss Hous-
tons family readily traced to the May
flower colony and she was in the 9Th genera
| ton frnr, I1hn Roners the rnarfpr Sha gu 90