Morning journal and courier., 1888-05-14
THE MURDER OF LILA HoxLE.
Her Sisters Revelations Believed Tt
 Be The Creation of a Diseased Brain

Her Sisters Revelations Believed To
 Be The Creation of a Diseased Brain.
 WORCESTER, May 13.-Down in Webster there is general belief, now that the story of Alice Hoyle is known, that her mind has given way under the terrible pressure to which she has been subjected during the last six months, and that her story is the creation of diseased brain. The people of the town do not believe it any more than they believe any one of the other half dozen stories she Said one man, who has known as much about the case as any other person outside the prin- cipals: "The opinion here is that certain parties have so worked on Alice that she is a mental wreck, and tells just what they want her to-" Mrs. Taylor, for whom Lillie Heyle worked, has positively refused to tell what she knows about the case until now. When she read Alice's story, Mrs. Taylor ex- claimed: s'May God pity Alice Hoylel Dix on R. Cowie could not have done the deed at that hour, as given in the alleged confession, and the beer drinking and chloroform are all imagination. If chloroform had been used would have discovered it, for I was only one room apart from that occupied by the girls. " To fully understand and apply Mrs. Taylor story it should be remembered that she, the Hoyle girls, and the Cowies lived in the same house, which is two and one-half stOr> les, and that the restaurant was in the same building. The restaurant and kitchen were on the lower floor. Mrs. Taylor had room and it was on the same floor as the main room of the Cowie tenement The Hoyle girls slept in roof chamber. Mrs. Taylor says:
 s'On the afternoon of Thursday, Septem- Der l, party of four from Thompson, Conn. called at about four o'clock and partook of lunch. Lillie, in her usual spirits, assisted me in the preparation of the table. At o'clock, as the boarders were all absent, be- ing out of town. Lillie, Alice and I sat down to supper in the sitting room. A little while afterward the table was cleared away. went out and bought delineator, and Lillie, who was mending her stockings, came up and sat beside me, looking over and com menting on the fashions. Alice had gone to her room, for Alice never remained in the saloon after supper, but always went to her chamber or out on the street, either calling or for walk. The o'clock bell on Stevens factory had just rung the hour, when I said, sLillie, we will close up.' I passed into the front store and looked out on Main street. The stores were closed and but few people could be seen. looked the door, Lillie assisting in putting out the lights. Between 914 and 915 we went up stairs together to our chambers, I entering my room and Lillie passing on to hers. At about five minutes besore 10 heard Lillie open her chamber door and, as she al- ways had done, run down stairs, open the side door and step out doors. I did not hear her return Five steps in the stairway squeak so badly that if a person is even walking OF tiptoe it would cause noise that could be heard by anyone awake in the room occupied by me. heard no more noise on the stairs after Lillie had gone out. Alice in going down stairs always walked, and that very slowly, even her general department in every. day life being like one in dreamy state. heard no noise outside of the house. lay awake, and not far from 101a o'clock I heard Dixon R. Cowie put the key into the front door, unlock it, replace the key on the inside and lock the door. With Dixon Cowie was 6 young fellow, one Grimley. They came up stairs, went into the kitchen, struck light, sat down, and Cowie began reading a book aloud. After the reading had continued some twenty or thirty minutes gave an au- dible sigh, as one naturally would who was passing sleepless night, when I distinctly heard Cowie say: T am disturbing Mrs. Tay- Tor and we will go to bed.' They passed out of the kitchen into the hallway, closed the door and opened the window of Cowie's chamber on the north end of the house, the room being over the main stairway. Then l heard the clock strike II or 12. cannot tel WHICH, anu never Hedfu duy uOlSo dlLoE Iudt hour. On Friday morning I rose al 5 o'clock, came down stairs and pre- pared breakfast. At 6 o'clock Alice came down. The reporters last fall made out that neither I nor Alice missed Lillie until noon and that no questions were asked about it. This is false and unjust The truth of it is that as soor as Alice came into the kitchen, she, not see- ing her sister, earnestly inquired, Where is LillieP I said, Did she not sleep with you last nightT 'No,' answered Alice, she Jeff her room about 10 o'clock to go to the out house. I went to sleep, and she did no come back I asked Alice if the light burned all night or whether she put it out. Alice said she did not know. sent Alice out tc see if Lillie had not had fit and possibly was lying on the outhouse floor. Alice came back and reported that she could find nc trace of Lillie, and went to work. At noon, when she came to dinner and Lillie had not returned, Itold her to go right up to her aunt's They visited all places that afternoon where it was thought Lillie would naturally go, and as night came on and no trace of the lost girl could be found the fact was telegraphed to friends in Worcester"
 McQuaid's counsel believes that he can break down the government case unless they produce something to corroborate the story of Alice Hoyle, which they are trying