The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-08-30
Lewiston Journal)
Remarkable Developments in the
Lowell Murder Case"
THE LATEST RESULTS OF A THREE
MONTHS INVESTIGATION BY CITY
MARSHAL SMITH.
Is It Case of Mistaken Identity?

1t is five years since James Lowell of Lewis
ton was convicted of the murder OF his wlle'
Lizzie Lowell Our readers will remember
the circumstances attending the discovery OF
her su pposed remains near the Switzerland
road in this city, the remarkable cham u
circumstances which seemed to fasten her
murder on Lowell, and the story OF Loweh
that his wife came to her death by falling from
wagon.
The matter is brought again to the attention
of the public at this time by the remarkable
developments which have followed the nves-
legations of City Marshal Smith, who has CIV
en- it some attention during the past three
months Our readers will remember that last
June an affidavit was made by David 5. SteV-
ems, a convict in the State Prison, in relation
to the Lowell mystery. The substance OF the
affidavit was published by the Associated
Press and caused much comment at the time.
That statement was made by Stevens to City
Marshal Smith in person, and was procured
through his efforts, although this fact has not
been previously stated.
Stevens statement was lengthy, covering
four foolscap pages. The original is now in
City Marshal Smiths possession and was read
by a Journal reporter, yesterday Stevens
states in substance that a few years ago, he
lived in East Saginaw, Michigan. He board
ed at the house OF one Scanlon in that place.
In company with man named A. d. SUN
erland, he visited house of ill-fame in East
Saginaw, which was said to be kept by wo-
man from Maine. He saw and conversed
with that woman. She was living with a man
named Spaulding and claimed to be his wife.
In the course of conversation with the woman,
she spoke of several people in Maine, with
whom he (Stevens) was acquainted. He heard
Spaulding call her ''Liz LOWELL. and heard
him speak of her husband in the Maine State
Prison. Marshal Smith showed Stevens a
photograph of Mrs. Lowell and Stevens recoog-
nized it as the face of the woman whom he
had heard called Liz Lowell in East Sag-
nav. Stevens statement was very full and he
gave the most minute particulars in regard to
what occurred at East Saginaw at the time he
saw the woman referred to-
Soon after this statement appeared in the
newspaper, woman came into City Marshal
Smiths Office one day and gave her name as
Mrs Eben l.. Austin, formerly of Michigan,
then Of Livermore. She had read Stevens
statement and said to Marshal Smith, 81
know that woman. | have seen her in Mich
igan, / have heard her called Liz Lowell
Mrs. Austin continued, and made a full state
ment to the City Marshal, giving all particu-
lars in regard to when and where she had seen
the woman. She said that she was the second
wife of Mr.. Eben L Austin of Livermore, and
that Mr.. Austin had also seen the woman.
Marshal Smith went to Livermore soon after
to see Mr.. Austin, and found a respectable
looking, oldish gentleman, about fifty years OF
age, who willingly made the following state
ment to Capt. Smith:
81 left Maine in the spring of 1871 and went
to Michigan. | owned a small piece of land
within half mile of the great Tittabawassa
Boom. [ knewsthe man Spaulding, OF whom
Stevens speaks in his statement. He was a
large man, about forty years of age. He had
charge of the Tittabawassa Boom about five
with each other. i heard them spat number
OF times l recollect that | was at their place
once She got mad and said something to
him that made him mad. He snapped out to
her, You had better go down to the State of
Maine and get your man out OF State Prison.
never knew man in Michigan by the name
of David Stevens. L never heard of him.
Spaulding and his wife had boy six OF seven
years of age. L never saw anything in the
papers about Lowell being in the state prison.
have heard my first wife say repeatedly that
she has heard Spaulding accuse his wife OF
having husband in state prison in Maine,
and have heard the name of Lowell men,
toned. I am ready to make oath to this state
ment at any time. EBEN l.. AUSTIN.
Witness, HI. SMITH
City Marshal Smith addressed letter, Civ
ing the particulars of the investigation, and
enclosing the statements of Stevens and Aus
tin, and photograph of Mrs Lowell, to HI.
Ostrander, a detective, having headquarters at
East Saginaw. Detective Ostrander looked up
the case and has had considerable correspond
ence with the Marshal. Mr.. Ostrander writes
to the Marshal that the man Scanlon is well
known in East Saginaw, and that the place in
which Stevens says he saw Liz Lowell is a
we'll known place in East Saginaw. The man,
n of ole
speaks, is known to have been in the
city The photograph of Mrs Lowell Detec-
tive Ostrander has shown to. numerous
parties Several think they have recognized
it as woman who has frequented the streets
of East Saginaw. The detective says that he
can take oath that he has seen the woman
there himself The detective proves that many
of the details of Stevens statement are correct
beyond shadow of doubt.
The most surprising thing that has happened
in the course of the investigation was the re-
ceipt by Marshal Smith of a letter from Mr..
VIM. H. Bradbury, deputy warden of the Mis-
souri, State prison. two or three days age. The
letter requests Capt. Smith to forward all the
information possible in regard to a murder sup
posed to have been committed in Lewiston in
the year 1872 Why the warden of Missouri
prison should want to know the details of a
murder committed in Maine seven years ago,
is question that Capt. Smith cannot yet an
swer. He has despatched information, giving
all the circumstances of the case to Warden
Bradbury and hopes in q few days to receive q
reply which win shed more light on the mys-
terry. Some prisoner who knows something
about the case has evidently fallen into War
den Bradbury's keeping
Warden Tolman, of the Maine State prison,
had no faith in the truthfulness of Stevens
affidavit, at the time it was made, but the re-
cent developments have caused him to take a
lively interest in the investigation. On We'd
nesday, Marshal Smith received a letter from
Mr.. Tolman, asking Marshal Smith to send
him photograph Of Mrs. Lowell
The Marshal has receiveda second statement
from David S. Stevens, confirming his first affi-
davit, and other letters, whose contents we are
not at liberty to divulge.
The probabilities are the event will prove
that the Michigan man saw a woman Of the
same name, resembling Lowell S wife-in other
words, that it is, on his part, case of mistaken
identity. 1t is well, however, that the matter
should be probed to the bottom, and thorough
ly cleared up.
OLD ORCHARD