Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2024 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ =========================================================================== Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== The Oxford Democrat Paris, Maine Tuesday, 6 May 1873 Another Horror! Murder and Lynch Law in Maine In the carnival of crime so common in our times, Maine seems to be "taking a hand," and outstripping all in its horrors. Only week before last two mur- derous assaults in Portland in one day, one of which is fatal, but now the country is startled by an af- fair in one of our northern Counties, Aroostook, which for the enormity is unparalled. The particu- lars from the Bangor Whig are as follows: On Saturday night, April 26th, the store of David Dudley at Presque Isle, was broken into, and a pair of boots and some other small articles stolen. Cir- cumstances transpiring which unmistakably pointed to one JAMES CULLEN a native of New Brunswick, but a resident of Mapleton for some two years past, as the burglar, a warrant was sworn out and placed in the hands of GRANVILLE A. HAYDEN of Presque Isle, Deputy Sheriff, to be served. Knowing CULLEN to be a hard character, MR. HAYDEN took with him two men, Messrs. W. H. BIRD and THOMAS HUBBARD, and on Tues- day morning started out to find their man. They traced him to a shingle camp, occupied by a man named SWANBECK, in Chapman Plantation, which they reached late in the evening. CULLEN saw that open resistance against so many would be useless, and surrendered himself without trouble, promising to go with them peaceably, as he thought that on re- turning matters might be satisfactorily arranged with MR. DUDLEY, whose store he acknowledged break- ing into. The hour was late, and it being some four miles to Presque Isle, over a hard woods road, the Sheriff and his party concluded to remain in the camp until morning, and accordingly arranged them- selves for the night as comfortably as they could, and went to sleep, little thinking what a terrible fate awaited three of the party. Some time after midnight, SWANBECK and BIRD were awakened by a noise in the camp, and on arousing themselves were horrified to see CULLEN chopping off the heads of Sheriff HAYDEN and MR. HUBBARD, with an axe he had found in the camp. Being nearer the door than the murderer, SWANBECK and BIRD jumped up and ran for their lives, pursued for some distance by CULLEN, who, seeming to be crazed by his infernal crime, brandished the axe recking with gore and yelled like a madman. Neither of the escaping men was armed and they made their way through the woods to the settle- ments as best they could in the darkness, to give the alarm. The word spread like wildfire, and the community was soon aroused by the terrible news. A party led by Mr. B. J. HUGHES started from Ball's mill for the camp, which they found to be a pile of smoking ashes under which lay the charred and shrivelled bodies of the Deputy Sheriff and his companion, CULLEN having applied the torch after committing the awful deed, in order to conceal the evidence of his crime. The most intense excitement was created by the news, and several parties of men armed themselves and started in pursuit of the murderer. One party went directly to CULLEN'S house in Mapleton, Wed- nesday morning, but MRS. CULLEN declared her hus- band was not in. Search was made, however, and he was found secreted in the cellar. He was dragged from his place of concealment, securely bound, and his captors started to bring him into Presque Isle. On their way they were met by a party from that village, who took possession of the prisoner, led him under a tall tree, gave him a few minutes for prayer, put a noose over his neck with a rope they had brought with them, threw the other end of the rope over a limb, and all taking hold strung him up and left him hanging until he was dead. We do not know who were the members of the party who thus took the law in their hands, as our cor- respondent was unable to obtain them. They have assumed a fearful responsibility, however, though we are informed that their action is sustained by the approval of a large portion of the community in which the murdered men resided. We learn that steps are being taken to thoroughly investigate the matter. MR. HAYDEN was a young man, much respected and widely known. He had been in business at Presque Isle for some years past, and has had extensive transactions with several firms in this city, all of whom bear testimony to his good qualities. He leaves a wife and one young child. MR. HUBBARD was a young man and unmarried. He too bore an excellent reputation and leaves many friends to mourn his untimely death. CULLEN, the murderer, had a wife and one child, who, as we before stated, reside in Mapleton. ===========================================================================