The infamous Harry A. Kirby case involved the murder of Aida Hayward and her aunt, Emma Towns in Winthrop. James Crawford, who used the Harry A. Kirby name as an alias, kidnapped Aida before he burned her cottage down with her aunt inside. Kirby and later murdered Aida in a failed kidnap for ransom attempt. Once captured, Kirby was imprisoned in Augusta where he committed suicide in his jail cell the same year.