Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-01-09
MAINE DISPATCHES.
The STACK MURDER.
Detectives Strongly Suspect Young Man
Of the Crime.
Important Particulars that were brought
Out by Saturdays Investigations.

} saturday afternoon a reporter HehL 10
Cumberland Mills and tried to get little
light on the subject of the Stack murder
mystery. Up 70 the present time no arrests
have been made, except that of Togus sol
dier. who was sent this morning to the Jail
for ten days He is a confirmed drunkard
/ but not a murderer While no one has been
arrested, the matter is being looked into in
the closest possible way. and it is expected
that after the holding of the inquest before
Coroner Gould, some very sensational deyel
opments will be made While il is not at
this time possible to give particulars, it may
be said that the murderer is now known to the
officers, and that were ne to attempt to es
cape he would be instantly arrested. Slowly.
| perhaps but surely, the officers are drawing
/ the net around the man who took the life of
/ Mrs. Stack, and when he is arrested the State
will have its case plain and beyond dispute.
! 4 rumor was circulated about town this
morning that a young man by the name of
George Herman, was suspected of being I'M
1 plcated in the affair. He was seen last night
| by Deputy Sheriff Chute and Detective Ira
NJ. True, and was closetcd with them for
long time The nature of the interview was
kept quiet, and the young man was cautioned
not to reveal the conversation that passed be-
tween him and the officers.
en- being questioned, however, Herman at
first refused to talk, but after while con-
am what they call a spare hand in the
mill and for the past two weeks have been
working great deal over time. went TO
work at midnight previous to the murder and
quit at little after five that night. Wash
ing up, went home and ate supper, and then
went to bed. My alarm clock sounded and
awoke | then heard voices up stairs. An
old Scotch lady lives up stairs by the name
of Jane Mcfarland, commonly known as
"Aunt Jane" | went up stairs and found
Mr. Stack, senior, talking with the old lady,
rchearsing the story Of the robbery and ask
ing her to 90 over to his house to look after
his wife. dressed myself and accompanied
the old gentleman home. | did all could
to help about the house and never left them
until { o'clock in the afternoon. The detec-
tive talked with me last night but told me to
keep things quiet. don't see how they can
suspect me for can account for my where
ahouts at the time of the deed.
Saturday afternoon there was very sensa-
tjonal scene at the home of Thomas Stack,
where the remains of the murdered woman
rest in the family sitting room. For some
reason, or rather combination of reasons the
Stack family suspected man 1t may be
said in passing that the officers do not share
this suspicion. Many little things went to
make up the sum total of what seemed to
them to be evidence against him, and so, in
the presence of his family, and by the side
of the dead, old Thomas Stack. this after !
noon. said to the man they suspected; We
think YOU killed her" The suspected man
was almost speechless with astonishment. /
For some time he was unable to reply, and
then he said God Almighty is my witness
that didn't do it. God knows wish she
wa. back to hear me say so. Slowly Thom-
as Stack shook his gray head and said II
hope YOU are telling the truth but doubt it.
The sensational scene was not prolonged and
the suspected man left the house of death
more crushed in appearance than the sorrow
ing group he left behind him.
Deputy Sheriff Chute is doing his best to
solve the mystery, and it may be predicted
that he will prove successful as a detective.
Sheriff Chute doesn't pretend that he hasn't
found almost If not quite conclusive evidence
connecting the man he believes to be the
murderer. with the crime, hut he isn't ready
To talk. Il do not expect" he said, that
another arrest will be made until after the
inquest
John F. Warren. who bought the land of
Mr. Stack in behalf of $. ID. Warren Il Co.,
saws that for long time Mr. Stack was talk
ing about making the sale, and that having
made it, he was just the man to talk about
the matter with every man he met While
he received $1,000 for his land very little of
ii was in money as he preferred to leave it
where he could draw it at his will. He had
some talk with Mr.. Warren in regard to the
final disposition of the money. Mr.. Warren
thinks it probable that Mr., Stack might have
told almost every man of his acquaintance of
the sale. lie might also have given them the
idea that he proposed TO keep the money in
the house In reality Mr. Stack meant that
he proposed 10 keep it where he could get it
at any time.
The fact that SO many knew of the fateful
Gland money widens the e;-cle within which
the mur derer will be found, but it is narrow
cd down when one comes to consider all of
the circumstances connected with the muir
der
! In the first place it may be stated that the
killing was done by some one who was per
fectly familiar with the house; not by one
somewhat familiar, but perfectly so. The
murderer manifested perfect acquaintance
with the house. and when he left it he took
his way over a path which was one full of
pitfalls to anyone who had never travelled it
before. He ran into the shadows. and SO
confused the aim of the old man.
| 1t may be considered as settled that the
murder was not committed by professional
burglar, but by some resident of Cumberland
Mills or of the immed;-,te vicinity.
The funeral of the murdered woman was
held at Cumberland Mills today. The Ar
! ~,,, b;ots that e Va, I'll rot ha naressary To 20