The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-04-03
A MYSTERIOUS CASE.
The Sudden Death of n Young Giri-Sus'
piciOus Circumstances Attending the
Death-Arresf of n Suspicious Character
The Coroner's Enqucst-The Details of
the Sad Affair.

s. The COrOner's snqucsf-The Details C1
=; the Sad Affair.
The upper part of the city was excited by the
report of mysterious death yesterday morning
AS early as Saturday morning the neighbors in
= the vicinity of the corner of Spring and Clark
streets were startled by loud cries coming from
house A3 Spring street. This house is occu-
pied by several families and one-half of the
second story is rented by Mr.. James Hender-
son, who is a widower with two children. He
has had Miss Emma Spring keeping his
mouse for several weeks past. As the cries
continued for some time the neighbors gathered
around the house and discovered them to pro-
coed from the apartments occupied by Mr..
Henderson. Mrs. Eliza Galivan, who lives on
the same floor in the house, was the first to
visit the rooms occupied by Henderson. She
states that she found Miss Spring lying on the
hoor about half past five O'Clock, in commissions
She got her on the bed with the help of MI.
Henderson, and sent for medical assistance
Dr. Files Soon arrived and was with her nearly
all the time until the girl died Sunday morn
ing. Nearly all the evening the neighborhood
was alarmed by the cries of the girl. and at
about half-past eight o'clock one of the neigh
bors became fearful of foul play, and ran down
to the depot for policeman Officer New
comb returned with hun and entered the house
from which the cries proceeded. He met Hen
derson at the door and enquired the cause of
the noise. Henderson replied that girl 10 the
house was having a fit, and asked why the
officer came in. The officer replied that he
was sent for by the neighbors, when Henderson
asked eagerly what neighbors had sent for
him. The officer then left and nothing more
was known of the matter outside of the imme-
dlate neighborhood, until yesterday morning,
when neighbor called officer Slower and told
him that the Spring girl was dead; had died
under suspicious circumstances, and suspicion
rested on Henderson with whom she lived.
| Officer Slower reported the case to Deputy
Sterling, who turned it over to Deputy Chase
for investigation. The officer visited the house
and found the girl dead and Mr.. Henderson
was near the bUdy. He questioned him and
received the following account of the affair
Emma Spring came to live with me as house
keeper about sixteen weeks ago. She stopped
fourteen weeks and then left to work for Mrs.
VIM. Sherman, at No. 81 Danforth street. She
was absent about two weeks and returned to
my house and begged me to take her back I
had been paying her So week when she was
with me before, but told her should not be
able to pay her any wages if she returned She
| said it did not make so much difference, as
| she wanted home. She returned to my house
last Friday. came home Saturday about 81
O'Clock and found her washing the floor. One
OF the children asked me for some bread, but
she spoke up and said she was about getting
supper. AS she said this she took wash dish
and started toward the bedroom as though size
was about to wash preparatory to getting sup
per. AT the same time took pail and start
ed to 60 down stairs for water. Just as 1
reached the door 1 heard some one fall, and
turning around saw her lying on the floor. I
at once called Mrs. Galivan and sent for DR..
Files. also sent for him several times during
the night. When he arrived the last time, at
six o'clock. she was dying, and at seven o'clock
was dead. She was in the habit of sleeping in
the bed with the children, and lay on mat
in the other room.
Deputy Chase was not satisfied that all was
right and notified Coroner Gould of the death.
The coroner viewed the remains and decided
an inquest necessary. In the meantime Hen
derson was taken to the station to be used as
witness or otherwise
The inquest assembled at the City MarshaPs |
Office about half-past five o'clock and organized |
by the choice of M. N. Rich as foreman.
DR.. Files was called and made a brief state |
ment relative to his visits to the deceased. |
From his testimony it was deemed proper that |
post norton examination should be held. The |
coroner summoned Drs. True and Files for that |
purpose, and they were ordered to report to the |
inquest to-day.
The next witness called was Ellen H. Hill,
who was present with the deceased during the
night. She testified that she had commissions
and that the right side of her body was contin-
ually in motion, while the left side appeared |
paralyzed.
Mrs. Galvan testified to about the same ex-
cept she was sure that Miss Spring returned to |
the House Thursday instead of Friday.
Charles A. Green, the letter carrier, who was |
visiting at house near by, heard the noise !
made by Miss Spring and entered the house to |
learn the case about eight o'clock in the even
ing.
About this time County Attorney Libby, who
had just arrived in town, came into the room,
and produced quite sensation by driving out
the reporters aud beginning the inquest all
over again. The rest of the inquest was pri-
vate, and we are not able to give the testimony
in detail But it is said the women testified
that they believed The girl died from an
attempt to procure an abortion. The inquest
adjourned at o'clock until 10a this morning.
when it is expected the doctors who conducted |
the post norton examination will report They |
finished their labors at about 8 o'clock, but |
would not give any idea of what their report |
would be. From other sources we learn that |
the decease was enciente, but the doctors were /
unable to agree as to whether an attempt at /
abortion had been made.
THE VICTIM,
Miss Emma Spring, the victim of the crime, |
If crime there has been, was young lady of |
very prepossessing appearance. She was about /
q years of age and formerly lived on India |
street, where she was born. Her father died /
several years ago and she was compelled to 20 /
out to work to earn her bread. She engaged to
work in the tailoring establishment of s. |
Matthias on Exchange street. She remained |
there for some time and became a very expert |
needle girl. Less than year ago she became |
acquainted with Mr.. Henderson and about four /
months ago went to his house as housekeeper. |
Up to the time of entering his home nothing |
was ever heard against her good name. Since /
she has been at Henderson's rumor says she |
has been living with him on terms of criminal
intimacy. Henderson says she received gen.
tlemen callers at the house, and for that reason
he discharged her. When the story of her life
for the past few months reached the ears of
Mrs. Sherman, with whom she went to live,
shewas discharged. From here she went back
to the house of Henderson and begged to be
taken back. This was on Friday, and on the
following day she was taken with commissions
DR.. Files, who attended her, attributes her
death to disease of the kidneys, and says that
he had no idea when he was attending her that
any abortion had been attempted.
THE ACCUSED.
AT the adjournment of the inquest Mr. Hen
derson was locked up to await developments.
He is man about So years of age, stout and
rather tall. He wears long sandy hair and
heavy moustache. He kept grocery store
near where he lived, until he failed short