The Portland daily press., 1879-07-09
by TELEGRAPH.
THE TEMPLE MYSTERY.
The Coroner's Jury Sitting With
Closed Doors.
Public Opinion Inclining Strongly to the
Murder Theory.
Special Despatch to the Press.l

Especial Despatch to the Press
PENNINGTON, July S.-The coroners jury
holding the inquest over the body of Lewis NJ
Libbey, are sitting with closed doors and refuse
to divulge any of the testimony which has been
presented to them. Even the result of the
post mortem examination is kept a secret. The
investigation is likely to be finished by tomor-
row noon and verdict reached by that time
The excitement over the affair is as intense as
ever, and both the murder and suicide theories
have strong advocates. The supporters of the
latter theory argue that Libbey might have
been seize with a sudden fit of insanity and
in moment of desperation plunged into the
hole in which he was found and, being in,
reason may have partially returned and
prompted him to struggle to get out, and that
his efforts to dc SO, made blindly may have only
imprisoned him more completely. In substan-
tiation of this theory they point to the fact that
he had shown signs of insanity before. They
allege that he had frequently stated that he
feared insanity and that his mind was so much
affected til at he brooded good deal over inn
aginary troubles. He was much troubled, it
is said, because he thought he was not compe-
tent to perform the duties of selectman, posi-
ton which he was holding, and had threatened
to resign ON this account. Of course many of
these stories rest on rather weak foundations,
but they are repeated and may prove true
The advocates of this theory say also that if
Libbey had been murdered for money the
murderer would not have left $50 in his pock-
et-book, nor the gold watch which was found
on the person of the deceased. On the other
hand the supporters of the murder theory
scout the idea of suicide. They say it is pre-
posterous that any man could push himself
unaided into the hole in which the body was
found. The space in which it was lying was
only six feet long by three wide, under the
roots of an upturned tree, and the aperture to
it was only two feet across. No man bent on
suicide would have selected such a spot for the
purpose. 1t is the fact that the majority of the
residents here hold to the murder theory. bThe
result of the post mortem examination will
probably settle the question. If it proves that
death was by drowning it will show pretty con-
clusively that it was a case of suicide; while ON
the other hand if it is shown that Libbey was
dead before he was placed in the hole, then
there will remain no doubt but that he was
murdered.
Mr.. Libbey's watch, which, as has already
been stated, was found on his person, stopped
at 430, which is soon after Howe, the hired
man, says he left the corn field The spot
where the body was found is about rs or 100
rods from the field. A number of men are
under suspicion, and if the jury bring in
verdict of murder an arrest will be made soon
after
Detective Head is in town but is not engag-
ed in this matter specially. He says it is his
opinion that it is very blind affair at present,
and it certainly is.
LATER.
Notwithstanding the secrecy enjoined upon
all connected with the investigation of the
Libbey affair some facts have leaked out. 1t
is learned from man who examined the body
after it was found and prepared it for the doc
tors, that there was apparently fracture of
the skull just behind the ear which might
have been caused by heavy blow from sand
bag. doctor who assisted in the autopsy was
asked about this point, but he refused to say
whether the fracture existed Or not. He said,
however, that no water was found in the
stomach or lungs, but added that this was not
drowned. He refused to express any opinion
as to the cause of death, giving as his reason
that secrecy had been enioined on all who
participated in the examination.
There are suspicious that two men were en-
gagged in the murder. 1t is not thought that
Howe the hired man, actively participated in
the crime, though it is believed he knows who
are the guilty parties He is a man of weak
intellect without the necessary force to accom-
plish such deed. The men suspected lived in
the neighborhood of Mr.. Libbey and were seen
the morning following his disappearance with
clothes wet through, as if they had been out in
the rain which fell that night. Since then
they have disappeared and their whereabouts
are not known. 1t is thought the money was
left in the pocket-book and the watch on the
body simply as blind and to strengthen the
impression of suicide. AS Libbey had about
$1,000 on his person they could afford to leave
the $50 behind Nothing is talked about in
town but the murder, and all sorts of stories,
many of them absurd and not worth repeating
are floating about.