Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-06-04
TOLD STORY
CONTINUED from Page One)

the young woman in the cottage he
occupied after he held her there
through fear while he went back to
her cottage to burn it in g. desire to
destroy the evidence of his supposed
first murder, for he believed Mrs.
Towns was dead after he shot her
and saw her fall.
There was no blood upon the MUIR
derer's hands but in his fear and
imagination they were stained and
his clawlike fingers twisted nervous
ly as he glanced at them as though
he could see the girls life blood
dripping from them.
He choked her to death. He held
her throat in his clenched hands I'M
til the last spark of life had fled. He
released his hold long enough to try
to feel her heart beat There was
no heart action but the murderer
was afraid his victim was still alive
and he choked her again, and her
bullying eyes and protruding tongue
frightened him and he tossed fea-
Their tick over her body to hide the
sight from his own eyes.
Did Not Violate Body
There was only blood lust in Kir-
by's mind. He killed her with his
hands but he did not violate her
body. He robbed her like the petty
theft he has been all his life.
Tuesday night Kirby's soul was
tortured with a consciousness of his
guilt. He wanted to confess. His
mind was wracked. He knew that
he was guilty and that the officers
knew he was, but he just wanted to
tell them so.
Wife's Position Moved Him
His wife appealed to him. She
told him he must do something to
release her from her predicament for
she knew and he knew that though
she was a guest at the Jail, she was
detained and that her slightest eff
fort to leave would mean her formal
arrest. And she pleaded with him TO
confess in order that she might be
set free.
And Murderer Harry Kirby said
he would confess all for two egg
sandwiches and cup OF coffee.
Talks to Prosecutor
The murderer wanted to talk TO
someone. He asked that County AT
torney Southland be called and that
official reached the Jail early in the
stone wall and said, Hello, Harry"
And the murderer said, I'm guilty Of
all those crimes you accuse me OF"
and the county attorney said, i
know it."
Then Kirby unburdened his mind.
He confessed the murder. He had
already confessed other crimes,
mean crimes, but this was confess
sion of a horrible crime, the afro
cious murder of a woman.
Knew of Women's Movements
He said that he knew Mrs. Towns
and Aida Hayward and that they had
gone to live at their cottage for the
summer season. On the night he at
tackled them he said he knew they
were at the entertainment given by
the Eastern Star. He knew they
would not walk up the railroad tracks
alone in the dark, for the other cot
tages near them were not occupied.
He knew they would come home on
the last trolley car and when the car
had passed on they would be alone.
He went to the cottage and broke
in. He ransacked it. At that time
he was just a skulking thief. He
found their revolver, it was only a
toy to him but he thought one of
them might create an alarm With 1t
or maybe wound him and he put it
into his pocket. Then he sat down
within range of a window. He was
watching for the first CLEAN from
the headlight of the car upon which
his intended victims would return.
He heard the car rumbling down the
track. He crouched in the darkness
and waited. like jaguar. ready to
spring upon its helpless prey.
Afraid of Recognition
He was afraid Mrs. Towns would
recognize him. With his own 80
calibre revolver he shot her, firing
point blank at short range. One Of
the bullets went into her throat. She
fell and he thought she was dead.
Then he forced his second victim
to accompany him upstairs. He ter
rified her with threats to kill her if
she made outcry or refused to do his
bidding. She yielded. Then he
drove her at pistol point to the rail-
road track and compelled her to walk
a mile and three quarters through
the lonely dark trail to the cottage
he occupied. He forced her to 60 to