The Portland daily press., 1878-09-10
THE DEERING MURDER.
Harry Williams Of Naples the
Victim,
The Author Of the Crime
Arrested.
A FULL CONFESSION.

NotWltnstaD0Dg the eXcitement OF el6ctiOu
day the murder discovered in Deering attracted
much attention, 10 that town as well as In this
city, all day yesterday. Early in the morning
a woman named Hayes called at the Office of
Mr. Rich, the undertaken, on Exchange street,
and said that the description given of the muir
dered man in the papers answered exactly the
description of her husband. Stephen Hayes
She said that her husband, boiler maker, left
home last Tuesday and had not been seen since.
A person who knew Hayes and had seen the
body found in Deering, said at once that it was
not the body of Hayes.
A story was then started that the murdered
man was Captain William P. Taylor, of the
schooner Daniel Simmons, of Harwich, Mass.
The vessel came in here with a good fare of
mackerel On Tuesday morning at half past
II o'clock, Capt Taylor left and has not been
seen since. Before leaving he drew $3.50 from
E 6. Willard which he estimated would be
the proportion of the crews interest in the YES
sels cargo which was valued at $500. Mr..
Cushing of the firm of Chase & Cushing, went
out and saw the body, and at once said it was
not that of Capt. Taylor.
In the afternoon County Attorney Libby,
Coroner Gould and Marshal Bridges drove out
to the Deering town farm to see If the body
would be recognized. When they arrived they
found a Mrs. Williams, of Naples. waiting to
see the remains, thinking they might be those
of her husband, who had been absent nearly
two weeks. The door of the clubhouse where
the body was kept was opened and the woman
admitted. The moment her eyes fell upon the
face she cried cit is my Harry" and went into
COMMISSIONS She was taken from the place
and after becoming calm was questioned as to
her husbands body. She told of irregularities
in his teeth, also of ink marks on his arms,
which upo close investigation were found just
as she had said. She was taken to where the
body lay a second time, and fully identified the
body as that of her husband, Harry Williams,
of Naples.
Williams was peddler and was In the habit
of coming to Portland quite frequently with
farm produce. To make it convenient in max
ing change his wife says that she made him
the money belt which was found on him. The
quilt was used to cover his load when travel
ling and Mrs. Williams recognized it as his
Size says that the description of this quilt in the
PRESS was what first attracted her attention.
AlO ici1 AoIiO yCeVoAuoy AAoAhihS uOsCAAAAhSN w
search for her husband. She came to town
and seeing an account of the murder at once
determined to see the body
Mrs. Williams says that her husband left
home some ten days ago with his team as
usual. Since that she has heard that he sold
out his team and it is supposed that he was
killed for the money he obtained for the prop
erty. There is not the slightest clew to who
the Murderer was.
Coroner Gould empanpelled jury composed
of the following gentlemen: J. N. Reed, fore
man, Geo. Libby, Jr., Chas. Stuart, Chas.
Goold, f. Burnell and T. F, Quimby. The
until Thursday morning. The body was
brought to this city by Undertaken Rich and
deposited in the dead house, Dr. Weeks, who
was present, is to examine the body today to
ascertain the nature of the bruises on it.
The Murderer Arrested and Makes n
Confession.
After the Coroner's inquest had adjourned,
Marshal Bridges received information which
lead him to think that man named Charles
Elias Prescott of Windham knew something
about the affair. He accordingly took team
and drove out to that town and aided by Deputy
Sheriff Hall arrested Prescott at bis home. He
was brought into town. aud after conversing
short time with the Marshal and County
Attorney, confessed that he killed Williams.
He said they left McGlincbys last Wednesday
night, where both had been drinking, and
drove out over Tukey's bridge. When near
the Marine Hospital he proposed to Williams
to 60 stealing hens, but he refusing, Prescott
struck him twice over the head with an oak
stick, killing him instantly. He then took the
body into barn and kept it until morning.
Thursday morning he put the body in the
wagon, and covering it with the quilt, drove
into the city. On Green street he stopped AMI
changed horses, and then drove out to Graves
Hill to bury the body. Failing to find suit.
able place, be drove to Aliens Corner, and
then to the place where the body was found