The Portland daily press., 1885-12-24
MYSTERIOUS MURDER.
New Bedford, Mass, Excited over
Recent Developments.

NEW BEDFORD, Mass, Dec 23.-Just af-
ter sunrise this morning Obed R. Mosher
was driving from PlainYille to Acushnet
When about three miles from his destination
he saw in the road ahead a wagon and a
slight, dark-complexioned man, apparently
going towards the bushes on the side of the
road, who appeared to be drunk. When he
saw Mosher he turned back to the wagon
and threw something on it, and then got on
himself and drove away. As Mosher passed
him he saw part of the legs and feet of a
man sticking out from under some boxes of
eggs and saw blood on the wagon. Mosher
gave no alarm, although the incident excited
his curiosity, but he drove to Aeushnet,
transacted his business, and then in about
an hour, started back home. On getting
wagon which he had noticed when going the
other way, standing in the middle of the
road, but the man whom he had seen driving
it had disappeared. The mans legs were
still protrudfng from the wagon, and Mr..
M0Sher summoned help, and on going to the
wagon found the dead body of man there.
Word was at once telephoned to the police,
and Lieut.. Butler and DR.. W. FL. Taylor, the
medical examiner, went to the spot and made
an examination. 1t was discovered that the
body was that Of Richard Nelson Lawton,
about 81 years old, residing near the head OF
Westport Village. He had undoubtedly
been murdered, as there were several marks
of what appeared to be shot wounds on the
left side of his head, and the skull was frac-
tured on the right side by blow from some
heavy instrument. There was also much
blood on the front of the wagon and shafts.
He had apparently been struck down
while driving, and then the body put in the
wagon and covered, all but the lower part of
the legs. by empty boxes. There was a rope
around his neck, as if the murderer had put
it there with the intention of dragging the
body to the woods and hanging it up. His
pocketbook was gone, but his memorandum
book was left. The murder had evidently
been committed six or eight hours before the
body was discovered, as it was cold. The
horse was all broken down, and apparently
had been driven all night. Mr. Lawton left
home last Monday. morning, for Cape Cod, to
purchase eggs, which he was in the habit of
doing and taking them home and selling by
wholesale in this city and Fall River. He
was seen in Fair Haven on Monday. He
was expected home last evening at o'clock,
but as he did not arrive at midnight he was
given up. AS there were but three boxes OF
eggs in the wagon the murdered man must
have had considerable money with him. The
body was brought to this city and placed in
the morgue, and DR. Taylor will make an au-
topsy. The police are actively engaged in
searching for the man whom Mr.. Mosher
saw on the wagon this morning, and have
arrested man on suspicion, who answers
somewhat to the description He was found
on the road not far from the place where the
body was found, but was afterward dis
| charged
LATER
| A tramp, giving the name of John Bren-
nan, was arrested tonight on suspicion.
| Medical Examiner Taylor says Lawson was
| shot from the side of the road with shot
| gun loaded with buck and bird shot. The
charge struck the left side of his face, went
through and came out behind the right ear,
| shatterin0 the skull: that he was not hit af-
| ter the shooting and the rope was merely
used to assist in moving the body; that but
one person did the deed, and he was under
the influence of liquor, otherwise he would
not have driven through ;Acushnet village
with his victims feet sticking out in plain
view Those who saw him supposed it was
a huge Joke, and that they both were drunk
! that The driver was the more sober, and was
taking his friend home. No effort will be
| spared to bring the guilty person to justice