The northern tribune. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1847-1855, 1848-02-23

when all other efforts seemed useless, it was
suggested that the pond might be drained dry,
and by this process, the body must inevitably
| come to light. This plan CATER some further
search, in which the pole mentioned by the
child was found, stained with blood, and
with some remnants of apparel attached toit, }
was adopted by the authorities, and a sluice
was dug to let the water down the hill side.
The operation occupied some time, and when
at length vent was opened, the impetuous
rush of water swept away nearly the whole
bank of the pond on the hillside, letting off
the flood at one bound, followed by mass of
pitch black mud, dead logs, fresh water turtles,
cat fish, paddocks, cells, water snakes, and all
the strange tenants of the pool. Still the
body did not appear, and after thorough
examination of the black bottom of the pond,
vague suspicious of some other kind of rogue
ry began to be entertained by the crowd. The
child was again examined, the pond again
scraped, and the "intervale," over which the
dark sediment and filth of the pond now lay
directions, and still the dreadful mystery was
not unravelled.
The evidence of the child, the pole, the
money, the blood, the woman's strong ap-
pearance of guilt all proved that a heartless
and horrid human butchery had been perpe-
trated, and the fruitlcss search after the body
seemed but to add new terror to the excite
ment. Who was the unfortunate stranger r
Evidently some traveller from distance, for
nobody in the neighborhood was missed
Why could not the body be found Ten
thousand conjunctures flew around, each of
which added to the perplexing mystery.
strange uncertainty forced itself upon the
minds of the people. By all appearances, it
it appeared certain that the murdered man
had never been thrown into the pond at all;
yet that the bloody deed had been perpetrat-
ed was, from the evidence, conclusively es-
tablished.
Thus the affair continued, enveloped in
darkness, and all hope was abandoned of dis
covering the body. The woman could not be
convicted upon the evidence Of the child, and
that evidence itself could not be substantiated
without finding the body. So while every
person was satisfied of her guilt, it was clear
nothing but her own confession would ever
bring the murderess within the power of the
law. She, with unfinching obstinacy, con-
tinued to deny all knowledge of the murder,
and at length she was actually released from
confinement, no possibility appearing of ever
being able to secure her conviction.
A few months passed on, and the ''inter-
vale" upon which the pond had been emptied,
and which before had almost been worthless,
now grew to be fourishing pieces of land,
and people would remark that the draining of
the big pool had at least proved good thing
to the Yankee tavern keeper, who owned the
land below.
Now for the development eff this mysterious
tragedy. A quarrel occurred between the
heroine of this story and the inn-keeper OF
the intervale. In her exasperaton she came
forward and threw blaze of light upon this
blood. chilling mystery, which at once opened
all ewes with establishment. A scheme was
laid open, the cunningly devised wheels OF
which could never have been set in motion
but bv genuine bred and born and thorough
" educated, son of Yankee land. The tavern
keeper wanted his land improved he wanted
the pond turned on to it, and soon hit upon
plan to have the job done free of expense
He laid awake three nights, matured his plan,
contracted with the poor woman for fifty dol
lars to put lit in operation, and she with the
assistance of consummately artful child,
carried it out.