The Portland daily press., 1875-11-29
MYSTERY AND DELUSION.
A FIRST CLASS SENSATION SPOILED.
Two Ladies Stray from Evergreen
Cemetery.
Large Numbers Searching for Them.
STRANGE PROCEEDINGS.

The people in the vicinity of MorriIls Corner
we've startled yesterd " morning with the ru-
NOR that two ladies had strayed from Ever
green Cemetery and could not be found. En-
quiries proved the intelligence to be too true.
The particulars of the affair are as follows:
Saturday afternoon Mr.. John Sweetsir of
this city went to the Boston depot to receive
the body of a daughter who.had died in Massa-
chu>etts. The body was taken in charge by
Mr.. Rich, the undertaken, and carried to Ever
green Cemetery for interment. Two sisters Of
the deceased, Mrs. q. F. Porter, who keeps a
millinery store at No. 245 Spring street, and
Miss Anna Swee tsir, who keeps fancy goods
store at 81 Bracket street, went out to the
before they were inferred. For some reason
the grave was not dug when the father and sis
tiers of the deceased arrived, and the latter said
they would wait until it was done, and in the
meanwhile would take stroll about the ceme-
terry. The father was much afflicted by the
death of his daughter and remained near the
grave which was so soon to receive her mortal
remains.
The ladies, who are about so years of age,
iCig INC AatdCi auo thO sioNO oiSSSi3 anu oltSi
being gone but short time, one of them re
turned and asked if her sister had been seen,
saying that she had lost her during the walk.
She could receive no information in regard to
her sister and started ia search of her. Her
search was successful, as they soon returned to
the grave. A son of Mr. Ramsey, the superin-
tendent of the cemetery, was digging the
grave, and they enquired OF him where the su.
perintendent was, and were directed to where
he and another son were at work. This was
after o'clock in the afternoon, and it was be-
coming quite dark. They left the grave to go
where the superintendent was at work. This
was the last that was seen of them Soon after
they left the grave Mr. Ramsey and his son
appeared. He was asked if the ladies had
been seen and replied that he had not seen
them. No alarm was felt at first as it was
thought they would soon return.As time passed
it got quite dark and as the grave was COM
peted the body was buried. Great alarm was
then felt for the ladies. Mr.. Ramsey and his
sons searched the grounds as well as they could
in the darkness, aud the father, who was 4
pitiful sight to behold, ran about calling for
his lost children. After a long search they de-
cided that they had gone home, and acting on
this theory the party left the cemetery and re-
turned to their homes.
THE SEARCH.
Mr.. Leach, the superintendent of the horse
car company, was not satisfied and took his
team and made enquiry about the village, bnt
could get no clew that night. Yesterday morn
ing he aroused the neighbors and renewed the
search. He first came into the city and ascer-
tanned that they had not returned. On leaving
each of them left small girl in the store, and
promised to be back late in the afternoon.
Mr.. Leach notified the police and Deputy
Bridges and number of officers went out in
the afternoon. Every tomb was opened and
the woods searched but no clew could be
found The search was not at all systematic
and consequently was not thorough. Every
one started off of his own accord. The woods
in the rear of the cemetery lot are about a
mile square and it would have required large
force to have searched it thoroughly. Strange
to say there was but little excitement and but
few appeared to care whether the missing la
dies were found or not The father was nearly
frantic with grief and he wandered about the
RTdNC VI LIE uduSutCI udit uotceS uduutT
during the day.
Mr.. Leach, who was we'll acquainted with
the ladies, was very active and did his utmost
to begin thorough search, but without avail.
During the afternoon he invited PRESS repre-
sentative to take a seat in his carriage, and
together they started up the Windham road.
His theory was that they had become excited
as night came onand standing on the brow of
the hill facing the pond they could see the
lights beyond the woods. Thinking this the
way out they wandered through the woods and
might have found shelter in some house. With
this in mind they drove up the Windham road,
calling at every house to make enquiry. Find
ing no one who had heard of the sad affair
they started along the Old Town house road
which runs about mile in the rear of the
cemetery lot and on the edge Of thu woods.
Every house here was visited, but the news had
not reached them. Mr.. Leach returned to
thoroughly.
DIFFERENT THEORIES.
AS the crowd augmented at the cemetery in
the afternoon the theories in regard to the sad
affair increased. Some one said that one Of
the horse car conductors said that two ladies
who answered the description of the missing
ones rode into town with him at o'clock
This story was closely followed up and proved
to be untrue. The ladies referred to went out
in the morning and spent the day at Morrilrs
Corner.
A second theory was that they had become
respondent over the death Of their sister and
had committed suicide by drowning in the
pond on the grounds.
AS it is we'll known that both of them, Miss
Sweetsir in particular, carried quite a sum of
money on their persons, foul play was feared. In
support of this theory one of the men who was
searching yesterday said that he found car
rage tracks leading from one of the streets in
the cemetery to the fir trees beyond the
grounds Here there were number of foot
marks, but nothing that resembled the mark of
lady's foot. 1t is we'll known that Miss
Sweetsir has had $4,000 on her person at time.
She also carried an elegant watch and chain.
In this connection and in support of the theory
of foul play, Mr.. Stinson, who lives near the
cemetery, stated that at about half past five
o'clock he saw hard looking tramp come
from the cemetery and pass down the road.
He was described as a rough looking man
about 50 years of age, with dark eyes and light
complexion. The same character had been
seen about the place for some time. Marshal
Parker was notified about two weeks since
that there were two suspicious looking tramps
in the vicinity of the GENE terry.
1t was thought by large number that they
must have strayed off and becoming lost in the
woods were frozen to death, and when the
woods are thoroughly searched they would be
found. gentleman who was searching
discovered track in the snow which was
apparently made by a woman who
had rubbers over her boots. The track was
eight and half inches long and three and a
half inches wide This trail was followed for
some distance through the snow, until it led to
spot of bare ground where ir was lost.
Here a dog was called, but he failed to trace it
but short distance over the bare ground
EXCITEMENT IN THE CITY.
The news of the affair spread rather slow in
the city. AS it became generally known
crowds fiocked to the police station to obtain
the latest news concerning the affair. About
5 o'clock officers Miles and York brought in
two tramps who were found on Fore street
One of them answered the exact description OF