Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-06-04
an upstairs room. He told her HI
would kill her if she screamed.
Believed Mrs. Towns Dead

In the murderer's mind the memory
was the dead woman he believed he
had killed back at the Hayward cot
tage. He resolved to go back and de-
stroy the evidence of his crime. With
his revolver he completely cowed his
girl prisoner and he left her there
fear-shackled while he went down the
tracks to the scene of his earlier
crime. He again forced entrance into
the house, saw the body of his victim
and believed her dead. . He went to
the upstairs room again and applied
the torch. In a closet he found wom-
ems apparel, petticoats and skirts,
and as he touched match to the deli
cate fabrics flames spurted and in a..
thrice the kiln-dried lumber Of the
cottage was feeding the flames. The
murdered dashed into the room, the
light of the fire reflected on the lake,
and he ran to the cover Of darkness.
Back at his own cottage he found his
prisoner in terror and it maddened
him. His anger-distorted face fright
ened her and she screamed. He sprang
upon her and his talons sank into the
flesh of her throat. He bore her down
and continued to crush the frail bones
and to choke and choke and choke until
his grasp to feel for her heart beats,
then he choked her again, and held
her in his clutches until he knew she
was dead.
The murderer stood over his victim,
the dead staring eyes frightened him
and he hid it from his sight.
Planned to Hide Body
He planned to hide the body. He
went back to the fire to listen to what
was being said and he cried loudest
for vengeance against the fiend who
had shot one woman, abducted another
and burned their home. He thought
he would throw the body into the lake
but he heard the searchers say. they
were going to grapple. Then he
thought he would dig a grave in the
woods and conceal the body there, but
he overheard the searchers say the
bloodhounds were coming and he was
afraid the hounds would find the body
and then trail him as the murderer,
and so he kept the dead girl in his
house. He intended to go away, but
he didn't know where. He thought
that If he remained near\the cottage
until the hue and cry subslded sus-
picion would be diverted and that he
could then stink away and disappear
even as he had when he was
crawford. the sneak thief. in
the dormitories at Thiell, N. Y,
and the murder suspect who ned pc
fore the detectives finished their
questioning of him. He thought that
nv the time the body was found ne
would be in a distant land, unknown
and would not be found.
fxy attorney
there were no new details for the
authorities already knew what nap
pened at Maranacook. But the words
came from the murderer's lips and
completed his damnation.
Afterward Kirby recited his life
history. 1t was only a story OF
meanness, for Kirby had been a
sneak thief and burglar all of his
life.
The murderer's lips were parched
and his nerves were shattered. A
cigarette and a sip of water strength
ened him and maintained him until
he finished his sordid tale. Then he
went back to his cell to repent.
Detective James r. Wood Of Bos-
ton arrived here late tonight and
went Immediately to the county JAIL
The details of the confession dow
elled into the structure of the strong
est circumstantial case that was ever
prepared in Maine and the State and
county officers are satisfied with their
accomplishment.
Kirby will remain in Jail until the
September grand jury convenes. If
he then pleads guilty to the indicu-
ment returned against him he will be
sentenced to the States prison at
Thomaston for life, or if he repudi-
ates his confession he will be con-
victed on his own statements and
the evidence already accumulated
against him