The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-09-29

A, the barn door; b, the stalls; C, where he was
found lying; d, space IN front OF the manSer'
where the murderer concealed himself
When Mr.. Ramsey got to the barn as the
moon was setting he could see nothing but the
wagon close by the open door. He went back
and told Mrs. Frank he feared something had
happened to Joseph, lighted a kerosene lamp
and returned. When he reached the barn he
saw Joseph's leg sticking out and looking
farther, saw the man was all bloody. He ran
to Cyrus Shaw's "a neighbor) in fright, and the
two returned together Entering the barn
Joseph was found lying slightly on one side,
the left arm extended, the right lying across
the body and presenting horrible sight. The
unfortunate man had evidently put up the
horse, and was coming from the stall, with a
portion of the harness on one arm and the
lantern in the other hand when the scoundrel,
who had been concealed in the passage mark
ed D in the diagram, had rushed out and,
with sharp axe struck Lowe on the right
temple following it up with blow from the
sharp blade which cut through the right side
of the neck, severing the head from the body
with the exception of thin flap OF flesh and
muscle The lantern was smashed in pieces,
and lay few feet distant. The axe, a COM
mon affair, was lying beside tie murdered
man, and his wallet containing the two half
dollars. The two men got the corpse into the
house and then raised the neighborhood. At
q. M they notified the Portland police and
Coroner Gould.
THE CORORERs INQUEST.
Coroner Gould arrived at the scene of the
ni,N1,, nIn1f f,
impanel jury. The following neighbors of
the deceased appeared and testified: David
Allen. Charles T. Moulton, Levi H. Morrill,,
C. w. Shaw and J. w. Morrill,. These gentle
men for the most part testified either to helpins
carry the body into the house or to being
present soon after death and seeing the re-
mains Almost all of them testified that they
had suspicious as to who committed the deed
but did not state what those suspicious were.
One of them said he did not know what he
might say if compelled to testify in a court of
justice.
The jury returned the following verdict:
The jury find that the deceased, Joseph A.
Lowe, came to his death by blows inflicted up
on him with an axe or some sharp instrument
to the jurors unknown, severing the head from
the body, causing instant death.
THE POST MORTEM.
Dr. Moulton of Cumberland who wos called,
made an examination of the deceased and
took notes of the wounds inflicted upon him.
HOW THE HOUSE WAS ENTERED.
AS has already been said the front door of
the house was left unlocked when Mr. Lowe
and his sister went to the ball. When they
returned they found this door in the same
condition rs they left it, but the back door
open. This back door is on the southerly side
of the porch near the end. 1t is made of
strips Of board and has no panels in it.
II was locked on the inside with hasp
Fastened to that hasp was a string which was
passed through small gimlet hole to the out
side of the door and knot tied in it to pre-
vent its slipping back This arrangement
had been made so that the members of the
family when out could come in by that door by
pulling this string and thus raising the hasp.
The hole was very small one near the top of
the door. Whoever entered the house that
night entered by pulling this string and lifting
the hasp in all probability. The mother of
the murdered man is sure she fastened that
door before retiring There is bare posi-
arrangement while searching for means of
entrance, but as tho front door was unlocked
it would seem as if the chances were ninety
nine cut Of hundred that he would have
discovered that fact sooner than the knotted
string. There is another fact mentioned by
some as tending. to show that the person who
entered the house was familiar with the
premises After passing through the outside
door to get into the main part Of the house it
is necessary 20 go through another door. 1t
was the invariable Gus ON of the family on
going to bed to close this door. Mr.. Lowe
and his sister found it open. \ peculiari-
ty of the door is that v lille it may be opened
without noise, it squeaks badly when being shut
1t is natural TO suppose that a man who had
entered the house for The purpose of murder
or robbery, and not finding his victim had de-
cided to lie in wait for him in the barn, would
leave the house as nearly as possible in the