Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-10-27
The Tragedy at LOngwOOd.

At an early hour on Wednesday milk
man, driving into the city over the Western
avenue, discovered the body of woman
lying under the bank beside the highway, be-
tween fremont and Francis streets. The
police were notified of the fact, and on re-
pairing to the spot discovered the body in
the position described, and on the avenue,
about fifty feet from the spot, evidences of a
severe struggle. The body was identified as
that of young unmarried woman named
Catherine Leehan, who resided with Mrs. r.
M. Brown, on the corner of Park street and
Western avenue. Her head was horribly
mutilated, and a stone weighing at least
twenty pounds was imbedded in the skull
The clothing Of the unfortunate victim was
torn and disordered, and the body presented
unmistakable evidence of having been out
ragged. A short distance from the body the
officers found an iron stove wrench, attached
to which was a cord. 1t was partially
wrapped with paper, and was covered with
blood. Coroner Allen was notified of the
tragedy, and took charge of the body, which
he removed to his office.
1t appears that between seven and nine
o'clock Tuesday evening the deceased in
Morris, went to store in Brooklne to make
purchases. Finding the store closed they
returned toward home, and on the way
stopped at house or shop kept by one
Curry where they met several young men
They remained there until about nine o'clock
when they proceeded to the house of the
girl Morris, and sat down upon the door
step. At halfpast nine Miss Morris retired,
after having been urged by her companion to
remain up longer. On parting Miss Leehan
said she should not go in until ten o'clock
and as she was soon met by two young
women, going back in the direction of
Brookline, it is conjectured that she returned
to Curry's. This was the last seen of him
alive.
On Wednesday Sargent Folsom and Nc
Namara of the 10th Station, assisted by Off
GERS Hines of the Sd and Drew of the 18th
Boston Stations, and officer johnson of
Brookline, proceeded to the boarding house
of Dennis Corners, near the railway depot
in Brookline, where they found at dinner the
three young men in whose company the vic
tim of the outrage passed the evening. They
were taken into custody, handcuffed and fol-
lowed by an excited crowd, brought to the
Highland Police District Station and securely
lodged. Not one of the suspected parties
had the temerity to inquire the nature of the
complaint on which they were arrested.
Their names are Patrick Mahoney, Daniel
Leonard and James Howe. They are all
young men from twenty to twenty-five years
of age, and one or more of them have been
familiar to the police. Mahoney and Leonard
are shoemakers and work at their trade in
Brookline, and Howe is employed as labor
er on a farm by Mr. Williams. The latter
has paid his addresses to the deceased wo-
man, Miss Leehan, while Mahoney had been
H.
whose photograph he had in his possession
when arrested. There was a feeling of
jealousy between the women which is said to
have been shared by the men. The parties
were all engaged in playing cards and drink
ing at Currys during the evening of Tuesday.
The appalling nature of the crime of which
these young men stand suspected, might
appal the stoutest heart, and yet with the ex-
ception of Mahoney, who was very pale and
greatly agitated, the parties bore themselves
with composure. The officers secured a coat
besmeared with blood aud mud, which is sup
posed to belong to the murderer.
The autopsy was made Yesterday afternoon
by Doctors Allen, Arnold and Campbell at
the office of the former, and although the re-
suit will not be made public until the inquest
is held, yet the doctors do not hesitate to pro-
nounce it one of the most fendish outrages
ever committed in this vicinity, and second
only to the horrible Busy Woods tragedy.
The wounds on the head made by the wrench
are three in number, are star shaped. varying
from two to five inches in length, and at each
blow given bp the murderer the skull was
fractured. The nail was torn from the large
finger of the left hand, and marks of teeth
were visible on both sides of a finger
on which she wore ring. 1t has also been
ascertained that marks of severe struggle
were found on Western avenue, where spots
of blood were discovered in the dirt, and that
the body was afterward carried some fifty
feet to the place where it was found on We'd
nesday morning. In order to remove it to
its hiding place it became necessary to get it
over fence, and evidence of its being placed
between the rails admits of no doubt. In the
road was also found a portion of the victims
shawl, and as her clothes were all badly torn
it confirms the belief that hard struggle
must have ensued even after she had received
the first blow from the wrench. According
to the statement of everybody who knew Miss
Leehan, she would submit to no insult, and
her character was beyond suspicion.