The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-07-16
THE ROCKPORT MURDER.
Two Specimens of Total Depravity.

The Rockland Opinion contains the particu-
lars of the recent murder of the boy Willie
Cain of Rockport by the two boys Gross and
Richards. 1t appears that the affair is still
involved in mystery, and that the manner OF
Gains death is still undetermined.
When Gross and Richards were first ques-
toned they said they had not seen the Cain
boy. But when asked where they had been,
they told conflicting stories and their manner
showed that they were not telling the truth.
On being closely pressed they admitted that
they had been out in the boat with Willie and
that he was drowned. The story they then
told was that they were going across the pond
to get bueberries and that Willie came down
to the shore and asked to go with them; that
they took him ON board, and when partly across
he attempted to change his seat for one in the
bow of the boat and had fallen overheard.
They claimed that they had tried to rescue him
but were not able to do So
This story, when taken in connection with
their course in not giving the alarm, their
falsehoods when questioned, and their failure
to account for the upsetting of the boat, was
SO very improbable that few believed it. Dep
uty-Sheriff Shepherd took the boys in custody
and telegraphed for County Attorney Robin
son. The boys were taken to the pond and
asked to point out the place where the drown
ing occurred. They did not agree at all about
this. The places designated by both were care
fully dragged, as was the whole pond, over and
again, but without any result. The masses Of
v,O1fv, do
very difficult. A great many people talked
with the boys, who were charged with murder
and urged to confess, and on Wednesday after
noon Richard admitted that he had not told
tine truth. He then said that when Willie got
into the boat he showed them twenty cents,
which he said he earned selling lilies 1t was
found that he did have that sum of money,
and had actually earned it in the way men,
toned, which seems to corroborate this part of
the story. Richards said that Gross asked
throw him overheard if he did not: that he
did give them each ten cents, but cried and
said he would tell his folks, whereat Gross
pushed him overheard; that they tried to save
him when he was in the water, but failing
went ashore and tipped over the boat with the
intention of telling that they were upset and
Willie drowned in that way. He went home
and got the ten cents which he says he took
from Willie. Gross on being asked if this
story was true, said that it was except that it
Was IGlCQdruS WHO u6u puSn6u tuo Joy over
board and not himself. He also denied having
taken ten cents from the victim as alleged.
Thursday morning Gross came out with
another yarn. He said that Willie was not
thrown overheard at all; that they had crossed
called; that then he Gross went some little
distance from the others and went to digging
gum; that while he was doing this Richards
asked Willie for his money. and on his refusal
struck him on the back of the head with a
ol,r lad La
and went home Richards, when confronted
with this story, admitted that it was true, but
said that he afterward took the body and
threw it into muck-hole on the shore of the
pond Both were perfectly willing to show
the place where they left the body. Gross was
first taken to the Pigeon Woods. He marched
ahead as if he knew exactly where he was go
ing. Mr.. 81. L.. Shepherd accompanied him.
He went straight to a rocky hollow near the
pond and pointed it ont with decision as the
spot where the murder was committed. There
was no sign of the place having been disturbed.
Asked to show the tree where he was digging
for gum, he pointed without hesitation to
a small hackmetack. And when the club with
which the deed was committed was inquired
for he looked around till he saw large birch
limb, which he said was the one. When
picked up it proved ito be SO rotten that it
dropped to pieces, and had evidently lain
where it was found for months. The internal
liar then pointed out otheriplaces as being the
oC0u0 VI buo tIdS0uy. LILO WOOuS WGr6 tuOI-
oughly searched, but nothing found. The
Richards boy was also accompanied to the
place where he said he put the body, and his
story clearly disproved. Gross afterward said
that Willie was murdered on shore and then
thrown into the pond. But the boys have
proved to be such liars that all idea of getting
at the truth through them has been aban-
doned
At present the lads disappearance is
wrapped in deep mystery. There can be no
hnvN hat Exrr,r~ klAwD
that he came to his death at the hands of the
young devils who are now exercising their
devitry in inventing lies about the matter.
The general opinion is that he was drowned
in somewhat the manner stated by the boys on
Wednesday, and that his body is still in the
pond. 1t seems singular, however, that if
this is the case the very thorough search that
has been made has not resulted in finding the
body.
BY Telegraph
RocKLAND, July 15.-Ralph B. Richards,
fourteen, and Edward F. Gross, eleven, boys,
under arrest for supposed murder of Willie
Cain, at Rockport, have been confined in the
courthouse cells in this city since yesterday
afternoon. Both boys have been closely ques-
toned separately by County Attorney Robinson
and other officials at different times to-day
Richards persists in saying he knows nothing
about the Cain boy, and did not see him Tues
day afternoon. Gross told substantially the
same story as yesterday, adhering to it with
some variations. His uncle visited him this
forenoon and urged him to tell the truth, and
his father, county attorney and Deputy Sheriff
Shepherd were closeted with him an hour OF
two sthis afternoon. He sa-s that Richards
Willie Cain and himself went across the pond
for berries After LANDING Richards wantad
his money, and Willie gave him ten cents, but
did not want to give up the remainder, and
Richards struck him on the head with a birch
stick, knocking him down, and then they led
him along to the bank and Richards, holding
him with one hand, struck him again with a
club in the other hand, and then pushed him
into the pond when he sunk at once. Search
for the body has continued vigorously, but with
out success up to this evening.