The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-07-22

The LATE DOUBLE MURDER AT DETROIT
Mrs. Phillips visited the residence of Mrs Clear
(where the murder was commtted) on We'd
nesday, taking with her an unmarried daught-
er. and they remained there together most, if
not all, of the afternoon. Miss Phillips return
evening, leaving her mother at the residence Of
Mrs. Clear, she having decided to remain there
over night, as she feared that Hoag, who SEEM
ed to be in ill-temper, meant to do some sort of
mischief and thought that her presence might
act as a check upon him. The fact that she
laid down upon the bed without removing her
clothing-in which condition her body was
found after the murder-shows that she was
suspicious of some danger 1t will be seen from
this statement that her presence in the house
was due to her solcitude for her daughter, and
that whatever Mrs. Clears and Hoag' relations
may have been, she was not responsible there
for. She was a woman of uprig hti character,
and a communicate of the Mariners Church.
Coroner Cahill empaneled a jury yesterday
morning, and, after viewing the bodies, ad-
journed the inquest until this afternoon at 2
o'clock, when the testimony will be taken.
The scene of the trageday was, yesterday, WIS.,
tied by thousands of people, and an officer had
to be stationed there to prevent matters from
being disturbed. The murderer is 81 years of
age, and is believed to be worth several thou
sand dollars. He is of small stature, not COM
municative, but fond of money and misery to
the lastdegree. The police station was throng-
ed all day yesterday, by persons to get glimpse
of him, and he seemed to fear that he would be
lynched. He is, however, too closely guarded
for an effort at violence to have the slightest
chance of success. During yesterday afternoon
he was visited by some acquaintance and, be"
ing advised to tell the whole truth concering
the murder he finally made confession, which
In substance is as follows: He wanted money,
and having learned that Mrs. Phillips and Mrs
Clear had quantity, he asked them for some.
They refused his demand. He laid down upon
the sofa in the front room but did not go to Sleep
Mrs Phillips laid down upon the bed in the
kitchen with her clothes on, while Mrs Clear
undressed herself and laid down upon her bed
to read Two lamps were burning up to the
time of the murder. Between 1 and o'clock
Hoag approached Mrs. Clear and repeated his
demand for money, having first satisfied hir-
self that Mrs. Phillips was asleep. Upon be-
ing a second time refused he obtained the
Ratchet and attacked Mrs Clear, striking her
several times in the head, as he thinks The
noise, together with the cries for help, awoke
Mrs Phillips. The murderOus spirit being
now fairly or oused, HOag dealt Mrs. Clear one
more blow, which telled her upon the bed, and
then attacked Mrs. Phillips, cutting her in the
most horrible manner. After he was thorough
ly satisfied that Mrs. Phillips was dead he
seized the kerosene lamp that stood on the
table in her room and dashed it upon the bed.
He then returned to Mrs. Clears room and
also threw her room lamp upon her bed. He
says that both women were dead before he set
the beds on fire; but in this he was mist AIKEN,
as the body of the last named victim was found
upon the floor before life had become extinct.
After doing all this, he put on what clothing
he had previously removed, including his
boots carried his two trunks out of the house.
and went to the clubhouse, where he remained
till the arrival of Mr. Moses Stone. He says he
committed the murder purely because he want
ed to obtain whatever money the woman had !;
that he was perfectly sober a: the time, and in
full possession of his senses. He now realizes
the enormity of his crime, says it was "cold-
blooded murder" and claims to feel sorrow for
his fearful act. Detroit Post, July 18th.