, 1872-11-07

call George. He started at once, taking the
path to the woods which his granddaughter was
accustomed to follow, but was unable to find
her.
When Mr. Day arrived bone Mrs. Lowering
nothing Of the girl. Then Mr. Day and the
mother returned to the woods, and soon Mrs.
Lowering found on the ground the apron OF her
daughter. This aroused suspicion, and, an
alarm being given, tho immediate nelghbors
Joined in more thorough search. EARLY in tho
afternoon James Ponder, in crossing brush
fence about half mile from the entrance, found
broken comb that was at once recognized as
belonging to the absent girl. There was some
hair in the comb. and not far distant q strong
string was found. This discovery struck tho
company with horror, for then there were in
deed evidences that the girl had been foully
dealt with. Word was instantly sent to the vii
lage that George Lowering was missing, and
there were fears that she had been murdered.
A chord Of sympathy waB struck in every heart,
and more than hundred persons went at once
to assist in the work. Soon, near tho spot where
the apron Was found, there we're discovered
plain evidences Of o struggle. The earth was
stirred up and leaves we're misplaced. Further
along there were large and small tracks, as
The conviction was now general that the girl
had been murdered.
After Evans went into the woods in tho foro-
noon he was not seen again until noon, when he
stopped at E. c. Dow's, some two miles from
where the body Of the girl was subsequently
found He remained few moments at Mr.
Dow'B, and inquired the time Of day. Ho thon
went mile further to Rufus Roberts, but n.ndo
no particular errand there. Then ho started
toward home by the way Of the " NarrowB vii
lage, calling at Mr. Trickey's store, whore ho
purchased some pork aud butter. Next ho
stopped at Mr. Williams. From there he went
home through some woods. None OF tho Iooplo
with whom he conyerscd noticed anything t,tl-
usual in bis appearance. On Friday evening
Mr. John G. Mead, q merchnnt ut the village,
who usually transacted Mr. Lowering pension
business, went to tho house and bud COLI
yorBation with Evans, and questioned him CON
corning the missing girl. He emphnt'caiiy
asserted his innocence, md did not show tho
least trace OF any anxiety. Mr.. Mead was not
convinced Of the mans innocence mud no took
the precaution to havo him secretly guarded until
further action was taken. During Saturday no
made no attempt to eAcape. III tho meantime d
warrant was issued charging Evans with ,vllful
murder. This WAS given into tho hnnes OF
Sheriff Henry 4. Drew, OF Stranord, who went to
Mr. Days on Saturnny evening. Before serving
the paper be talked with Evans concerning the
missing girl, and Evans denied any knowledge Of
her whereabouts, and said that he was as lnno-
cent as IN angel in Heaven: This did not deter
the officer from arresting him. Evans made 10
resistance and was taken to the shoriff's house
in STAFFORD. Subsequently he VAS arraigncd
before Justice Ira B. Hoitt and bound ovor to
the Supreme Judicial Court While being takcn
the second time to Sheriff Drew's house Evans
conyersed freely about the absorbing theme.
He maintained that the girl WAS alive; asked
why he should injure her, q little innocent girl,
whom he thought great deal Of. Although he
appeared in fine spirits, yet he begged the Off
Ger earnestly for some strychnine. Before that,
while at the hotel at dinner, he privately whis-
pered to Hiss Brown, the landlords daughter,
and besought her to put some poison in his tea.
Although no further evidences Wsre found,
get the search was vigorously continued. The
drenchinS storm that came on deferred no one.
On Sunday the number OF persons engaged was
estimated ut $50. Some three-quarters of q mile
from where the path commences in the woods
there is most dismal swamp, through which
brave men went time and again, although they
often sank to their knees in the black mud. On
Tuesday night the search was abandoned for
time, for reasons which will appear in the fol-
lowing paragraph.
On tuesday afternoon the Sheriff told Evans
that, if the girl was alive and he would tell
where she was, no harm should be done him BY
that the girl was alive. He stated that he agreed
With man to help get her away. He had met
the man some days before near Captain Busail1s
in Stranord, and had promised to take her
through the woods to q point where the stranger
would be waiting, between the hours Of and II
on Friday. The mans name was Webster, Of
Kingston. Evans said he took the girl there as
he had promised, and had previously given her
Sl1 to buy some clothes with: Tho
man was on hand and had ralse with more
clothing, and the girl went into the woods and
changed her suit and the man drove away with
her. Evans told his story so plausbly that the
officer thought it YVES best to try and prove it.
The citizens had some confidence in Evans, at
least enough to suspend for the time their
search. The next morning Officer Drew took
Evans and vent to Kingston, andmade thorough
search for the man Webster, but no such charac-
ter could be found. Then Evans thought posi-
bly, the man might live in Kensington. On the
following day they went to Kensington, but
with no better success. As the next sub
terfuge, Evans concluded that it might have
been Gambia after all. At this point Mr. Drew's
confidence in his trumped-up story, which in the
first place had been quite small, now completely
with his prisoner at StraTord. During his jour-
ney Evans was generally in capital spirits, and
really seemed to enjoy the trip. Friday night
he ate hearty supper, and IN the evening talked
glibly with Mrs. Drew and some nelghbors who
came In.
After the fruitless trip to Kingston and Ken=-
Bington, Sheriff Drow was mora convinced than
ever that Evans knew whether the girl was alive
or dead. Under this conviction he resolved to
confront Evans, and solemnly put the question
to him concerning her whereabouts It living, and
the disposition Of her body il dead. Last Fri
day night, the evening referred to in the preced-
ing paragraph, after all the othet members Of
the family had retired, hlr. Drew resolved to
have his conVefS1Llou N1I0 LIS pIlsOu6ls uo
commenced by asking Evans if he remembered
the talk that he had with him concerning the
goodness Of the girl and the evidences that she
had been foully dealt with, by the finding OF her
apron and her broken comb containing some OF
her hair. Evans answered that he did. Drew
then asked him what effect such conversation
had upon him. He replied, It went like dag
ger to my heart" Then the Sheriff fastened
his eyes upon the prisoner and said: "In the
hearing Of no person but us two, and the Great
Being above, 7 ask you this question J.;
The eyes Of the two men were
fastened on each other. Neither made the
slightest movement, and not sound WAS heard
except the measured tick OF the clock and per-
haps their own partial]y-suppressed breathing.
For some seconds it seemed doubtful who would
relax first. But Evans, evidently becoming un-
nerged under the cain, searching gaze Of the
officer suddenly turned pale, his hands trem-
bled and from his quiVering lips came the
words, "It is, Mr. Drew; I have done wrong"
With the same ca1mness ho had maintained from
the beginning, the Sheriff said, $50 with me,
and show me where she is." Evans said, II
will" Thus the officer got the mastery over the
prisoner, and won the deep, bitter, and wicked
secret from his heart. Evans now seemed pow
erlesa. He asked if the Solectmen would show
him any protection. The officer told him they