The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-10-30

with small lot surrounding it for nearly as
much as was paid for the whole farm. Mrs.
Strout, hearing this conceived bitter hatred
against Mr.. Emery, imagining that he was re-
sponsible for not knowing of the spring, and
thus realizing more from the property. This
hatred has grown more and more deadly, and
at last brought the woman into the hands of
United States Officers as will be seen.
About year ago Mr.. Emery on going to his
otics on Main street one morning discovered
the frort OF it mournfuly despatched with
black ink. Not in The least suspecting the
perpetrator of such a contemplate trick he
thought no more about it until shor. time at.
| terward he received an anonymous letter filled
with filthy and obscene language which made
him think that the writer was also the ink
spatterer. After this besides having his ofics
frequently covered with ink, he received many
letters similar to the first, which, although
written in a lady hand did not have the effect
OF making him suspect that any woman could
degrade herself enough to perpetrate such cor
temptible tricks. The letters frequently COZ
tanned strong hints that some night he
might be surprised to fad his building
burning, and the tenants of Mr.. Emery have
often received letters warning them to look out
for fire. The receipt of these letters and of
others by different persons, containing vile in
situations against the relatives of Mr.. Emery,
naturally aroused the good people of Gorham
to high degree of indignation, but no one
seemed TO have the least suspicion as to who
the writer could be, and one thing which tend.
ed to avert suspicion from any one in Gorham
was the fact that some of the letters were post.
marked Boston.
Mr.. Frank Emery, who keeps dry goods
store on the corner of Main streets, was one of
the persons receiving letters from this unknown
writer, and also frequently found his store and
residence sadly smeared with ink. Although
he ha known Mrs. Strout but about year and
half, from the very first he had strong suspic-
ions that she was the persistent quill
driver, and becoming more and more convinc-
ed OF the fact he resolved to watch her. AL
though ne watched diligently it was some time
before he could find any ground for his suspc-
ions. Miss Waters, the postmistress had also
very strong suspicious that Mrs. Strout was the
author of the obscene letters, and after Mr.. E.
d. Emery had compared the writing of the let
tiers to that of some legal documents written by
Mrs. Strout, and became thoroughly convinced
they were written by the same hand. they en-
tered complaint against her to District At
torney Lunt. But the Grand Jury, for want of
positive proof, failed to find an Indictment
against her.
Nothing daunted the dry goods dealer very
fully convinced that he was on the right track.
continued his watching and at last obtained
that positive proof wanted. In order that be
might have free access to the postoffl,e Mr..
Frank Emery was, last Thursday, sworn as a
special clerk. On account of letter received
the first of last week by D. G. Emery, stating
that "Wide Awake" which was one of the
many signatures attached to the letters, would
soon leave town, but that some oEe would be
left to attend to him, Frank conceived a plan
by which he might detect the ink singer,
which proved successful Ga Friday evening
Mr.. d. G. Emery remained in his office a short
time and while there two ladies of the village,
by preconcerted arrangement, one after the
other entered the Office and Mr.. Emery DOL
lowed each of them home. Frank supposed
that Mrs. Strout had been a witness to this
performance and expected that the ink.sling-
ing would again occur in short time, aud his
expectations were realized. Ga the next night
he placed himself 10 the postofice and patient
ly waited. He did not have to wait long, for
about eight O'Clock the object of his suspicion
emerged from her house on the opposite side
of the street, enveloped in large, black water
proof cloak, ard crossing the street to the front
of Emery's Office, after looking hurriedly
around to see that she was not observed, dash
ed dipper of ink upon the small building,
turned and hurried back whence she came.
Thus having obtained positive proof as to who
had been throwing away 60 much ink, the
special detective next turned his attention to
the letters.
On Sunday evening, taking up position in
his store where he commanded full view of
the postofice, the diligebt Frank waited pa
tiently for further developments. After wait
ing short time Mrs. Strout appeared again on
the scene, went directly to the postefice and
dropped into the box some letters. When she
left the Office her watcher left the store and
both arriving at the gate at the same time,
Frank obtained full view of the Woman's
face After obtaining the postmisress, three
letters and postal card were found in the box
addressed to well known persons in the village,
which, after being delivered to their respective
addresses, were opened and found to be ia the
same strain as letters she had previously writ
ten. Thus she was positively known to be the
person who had been causing go much excite
ment and indignation in the quiet town of
Gorham. Monday afternoon U. s. Deputy
Marshal Smith went to Gorham, arrested the
woman and brought her to this city, where she
appeared before Commissioner Rand 10 the
evening and was held in $4,000 bonds to ap-
pear for examination yesterday. In default of
bail she was committed to the county Jail.
Yesterday afternoon she appeared for exam
inaton. The witnesses for the prosecution
were the only ones examined. Mr.. Waters
testified as to the taking of three letters and
postal card from the letter box Sunday night and
that they were mailed and delivered that night.
f. Fl. Emery testified that he saw Mrs. Strout
drop something into the box, and on opening
it the three letters and postal card were found,
which were produced and identified BY the
witness. Mrs. S. A. Snail test fed that she
saw Mrs. Strout cross the street aud deposit
something in the box
Without hearing the defence she was bound
over till today at ten o'clock.
District Attorney Lunt appeared fer the pros
ecution and Hon. Nathan Webb for the defence.
The penalty for the offence with which she
is charged, that of sending obscene, lewd and
lascivious matter through the mails, is fine of
not less than one hundred or more than five
thousand dollars, or Imprisonment at hard la
Dor not less than one uor more than ten years.
The most charitable explanation of Mrs.
StrO1t's conduct is tn NJ she Ia insana Soma
ten years ago she was Frustrated with small
pox and since then she has, it is said, been
troubled at times with species Of disease
which borders On insanity.
IHE Rose OF CASTLE. Tomorrow even
ing the Grand Army opens its fine course at