The Portland daily press., 1872-09-11
A Revolving Crime.

The Biddeford Times says the towns of Lv-
man Kennebunk and Kennebunkport haye
been thrown into fearful state of excitement
by the kews of horrible crime, which occurred
in Lyman yesterday afternoon. The particu-
lars of this shocking affair are as follows:
A fellow by the name of Charles Whitman,
son of c.. B. Whitman of Kennebunkport for
merly of Sanford, rode up to the house of Mrs.
Abigail Foss who lives in Lyman, some dis
lance from the highway between this city and
Alfred, and knocked at the door. Mrs. Foss,
who is an infirm old lady, seventy-four years of
age, went to the door and was met with re-
quest for 'drink of water" She readily
(, complied and after Whitman had satisfied his
thirst, he handed her hack the drinking vessel
and engaged in conversation with her. This
continued for few moments, and the next
thing that Mrs. Foss knew, according to her
story, was that she was felled SO the floor by a
brutal blow from the villain, who then in spite
of the piteous prayers for mercy and violent
struggles of his aged victim, effected his vile
purpose. He then left the house and drove
rapidly away. As soou as the old lady par
TALLY recovered from her fright and the effects
of the force used by the miscreant to accom-
plish his ends, she bent her tottering steps
toward the nearest neighbor's and told the fear
full story of the outrage perpetrated upon her
The neighborhood was soon aroused and large
party of men, excited by the piteous story of
her sutferings, started to scour the vicinity,
swearing if by any chance Whitman fell into
their hands they would Immediately hang him
to the nearest tree. Fortunately for him, he
has, up to this moment, eluded them He has
been traced with his team to the railroad cross
ing in this city, lnear Greenwood Cemetery,
where he left his horse about nine O'clock last
night. 1t is thought he took to the woods there
and was heading for Kennebunk depot, where
he might take the midnight train last night.
So an officer was sent there. The case has been
placed in the hands of City Marshal Tarbox,
and it is to be hoped that with his usual
pronptness, he may be able to overhaul
Whitman. A liberal reward will be paid for his
capture. He is a smooth faced young man about
% years of age,
BOLD BURGLARX.-Last Saturday night
young man who gives the name of Samuel
in this city and took lodgings with one Madame
second sight, and who, for modest fee, I'M
folds the mysterious future to such love-lorn
swains and foolish maidens as may chance to
visit her apartments in Quinby & Sweetsers
block. Whether under the influence of clair
vOyant inspirations or not, Roberts was Undue
ed Sunday to make a burglarious entry into
room in that block, used by Mr.. j. N. Coffin as
a storeroom. Here he ''prigged" six or eight
large and elegant pictures, and Monday he had
the audacious GOODNESS to offer them for sale at
several saloons in this city. Mr. John Pass,
however, one of the gentlemen who were shown
the pictures, recognized them and informed Mr..
Coffin, and Monday afternoon, after a short
chase the thief was captured by Officer Hanson
and locked up in the police station His artis-
tic turn of mind has at last got him into
scrapo which will be hard to get out of-Bid-
detord Times.