Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-11-07
NO. 266.
THE NEW HAMPSHIRE MURDER.


! When the conviction had become settled on
the minds OF the friends of the missing girl,
at Northwood, that she had been murdered,
the suspicion at once turned to Evans, who
was an old, grey headed man of 64, that had
bet n married thrice, getting his living By
quackery and odd jobs of work. 1t vas soon
ascertained that he was not at work any
where on Friday. After leaving the house
where George lived, after breakfast, he was
seen on a hill from which the movements of
Georgle could be observed, and about 8
clock (the hour when the girl went out) he
was seen By another nan to come down from
the hill and enter the woods into which the
girl had gone. About noon Evans appeared
NJ farmers two miles of, and during the af.
ternoon visited various places, and toward
night returned. and expressed surprise at
Geogie Lovereings disappearance. Friday
evening he was questioned severely, but aver
red his innocence, and expressed his belief
that the gr,rl was alive. Suspicion against
him was so strong that he was guarded, and
the next day Saturday week) arrested bv
Sheriff Drew. He continued TO maintain ari
innocent appearance. and YET begged tbs
officer for some poison
Not~ outstanding the storm of Sunday
week, the search was prosecuted all day, ana
through Monday and Tuesday afternoon the
sheriff told Evans that if the girl was alive
and he woald tell where she was, no harm
should be done him. Evans then said that
the girl was alive, and had been taken away
ny man in Kingston. Wednesday the
sheriff took Evans TO Kingston, but no such
man could be found. Evans then said the
man might live in Candia-then in kensing-
ton; but no such man could be discovered.
and all concluded that Evans story was false
During this time search had been suspended
The sheriff now felt sure that the girl had
been murdered by the old man, and aS til.
former sat with the latter Friday evening. h..
looked Evans directly in the eye and said
In the hearing Of no persons but Us two
and the Great Being above, ask this lues-
ton: Is the body OF the girl cold in DEATH.
The eyes OF the two men were fastened on
each other. Neither made the slightest
movement, and not sound was heard ey.
! cept the measured tick of the clock and per
haps their own partially suppressed breath.
3, ing. For some seconds it seemed doubtful
who would relax first. But Evans, evidently
becoming unnerved under the calm, sea rcbing
gaze OF the officer, suddenly turned pale, his
hands trembled, and from his quiyering lips
came the words. ''lt is, Mr.. Drew. l have
done wrong" With the same cslmness he
had maintained from the beginning the Sher-
if SAID, Go with me snd show me where
she is" Evans said, II will"
send and have two peighoors follow them. and
join him when called for, and then drove
with Evans three miles to the woods where
the girl was last seen. Hitchng his horse. he
/ lighted lantern, and then in the darkness of
midnight both Sheriff and Evans threaded
their way TO the bIusl. fence where the brok.
en- comb was found. Evans then led the way
to dense and miry swamp three -fourths of a
mile distant. Into the swamp they plunged,
a at FAN t,k into,
The blackness of night made the scene all
the more fearful. AT length, Evans reached
n dense ihicket where a large tree had been
upturned by the roots, and stopping down and
scraping away some leaves, he pointed to Il
white object and simply muttered There"
Sheriff Drew held his lantern to the spot
indicated, and the.e was the face of George
Lowering cold in death. In moment he had
put on handouts on Evans, who only slightly
resisted, aud thea halio0ed. In short time
the two men whom be had notified to follow,
made their appearance, when the leaves and
brush were removed from the shelf formed
by the upturntd tree, and the body of the
missing girl exposed to view. The clothes
were gathered around the neck which showed
heavy prints of fingers where it had been
grasped. he face was not injured. The
lower part OF the body was horribly mutiat.
ed, and portion removed. Evans subse-
quentiy showed thefn where this portion was
concealed.
Evans, the prisoner. was taken TO North.
wood, and the body OF the dead girl also re.
moved there-the mournfu! procession reach
ing the village about o'clock Saturday
morning. The excitement Of the people was
intense, and the sheriff removed Evans 10
prevent them from lynching him. A coroners
Jury was summoned, and on Monday they re.
turned verdict in accordance with the fore.
going facts.
IL seems that Evans decoyed the girl into
the woods under the pretence of having her
look TO the bird snares he had set, and then
followed her. She resisted his heIlish de.
signs and struggle ensued; she probably
screamed, when Evans seized her by the
throat and finally strangled her. He then
dragged her leless body nearly mile and
concealed it under the roots OF fallen tree.