Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-09-28
I'd EDITION.
w As HAvILAND KILLED.
A Clue That May Clear Up an Old
Mystery.

A Clue That May Clear Up an Old
Mystery.
4 WOMAN PUTS A DETECTIVE ON A NEW TRACK
HAvrLAND SAID TO HAVE BEEN MURDERED AND
Hrs BODY BURIED IN fHE wooDs-A POSSIBLE
CLUE Yu1NIsHKD n A NEGRO PnfsoNER.
The disappearance Of Philip b. Haviland Of
Montgomery county, Nd, nearly four years
ago, has remained mystery up to this time.
but Detective Raj has received information
that leads him TO the belief that the mystery
will now soon be cleared away. From woman
living near Rockville he obtained the name Of
. man who claims, 20 the oficer's informant
says, to know the circumstances Of Haviland's
sudden disappearance.
SAID TO HAVE BEEN MURDERED.
This information IL to the effect that the
missing man was murdered and his body buried
in the woods The man who the woman claims
can give the information has since been
arrested and 10 serving q term in the "Bride-
we'll" prison, not far from Jessups Cut, ON the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad. The circum-
stances connected with Haviland's disappear
ance were fully set forth in The STAR at the
time.
TIE STORY OF HAvrLANp.
Haviland lived at Muncaster's mills, about
six miles north Of Wheaton, Montgomery county
Md. He settled there in January, 1884, having
previously lived near Bryantown, Charles
county, where he owned a farm and mill.
Haviland, who was ffty-five years DID, came
from Quaker family in Connecticut and had q
wife and four daughters. He was an honest,
sober and industrious man. but was always re-
garded as being unsociable. Haviland left his
home at Muncaster's mills on Wednesday, De-
cember 16, and started with his team for Wash
fngton. In his wagon was a heavy piece Of
mill shafting which he intended to have re-
paired, and he had with him about $50 in
money which had been paid him by neighbor
and which he wanted to change for paper
money. He came to this city and Thursday
night about 9 o'clock he passed through the
Sligo toll gate on his way home.
WHEN HAvILAND WAS LAST SEEN.
He stopped at the store Of Mr.. A. L. Graves,
which is short distance beyond the toll gate
1t was bright moonlight night. After spend
ing half an hour in the warm store room he
started toward home.
About an hour or an hour and half later
young ladies living in the house of the post
master, Mr.. Plyer, heard what they supposed
we're cries Of "help," but as it was not an I'M
usual thing for the colored people to shout and
carry on along the road no attention was paid
to the supposed cries.
HIS WAGON AND COAT FOUND.
About midnight John Bowman, who lives
about mile from Wheaton, found horse and
wagon without driver on the road and put it
in his stable The next day blood stains were
found on the wagon A coat, identified as the
one worn by the missing miller. was found in
the woods some feet from the road.
These discoveries greatly excited the COM
munity.
FOLLOWING FOOT TRACTS.
Then the tracks OF two men were found
which led to a swampy piece Of woods and on
path leading to the woods was found stone
on which were blood stains. The tracks were
followed some hundred yards but were finally
lost in the swamp. These evidences of foul
play convinced Havilands friends and neigh
bors that he had been murdered and the
search was prosecuted in earnest Large parties
were formed on the main roads and
secured the woods east OF Rockville and
explored every foot of the grounds and every
possible spot that might be used as hiding
place. The footprints, already mentioned,
were traced from the road through to Hard
ing's woods The tracks Of the two men ap-
peared to be about the distance apart that two
men carrying something between them would
walk. Another circumstance in addition to
finding the stone was the finding of piece of
rag on the line OF the trail, which it was sup
posed had been snagged from some ones gar
ments. That was nearly two miles from Sligo.
THEORIES ADVANCED.
After the Investigation had been conducted
several days with no success and number OF
theories had been advanced the idea was sug-
gesteo that Haviland had not been murdered,
but that be ran away or was spirited away by
some unknown persons. This suggestion,
however, met with no favor among his friends
The tracks through the woods the finding of
the coat and the blood stains on the wagon
and stone had to be explained in some way,
and to believe that he had loft the country Of
his own accord or that he had been spirited
away, did not in their minds throw any light
on the mysterious discoveries.
The members of his family would believe
nothing but that the missing man had fallen
the victim of foot pads who knew he had
money or who supposed he was returning from
market with the proceeds Of load of farm
products.
THE wyFE's PREsENrIMfNT.
His wife even went 30 far as to say that when
her husband did not return home Thursday
night she had o presentiment that some I'll
had befallen him.
The sheriff Of Montgomery county. Mr.. Mil
Ter, had charge OF the searching parties and
was assisted by police officers from Washing
ton. Several times the officers came across
parties whom they suspected of being able to
throw some light on the subject, and several
persons were arrested but subsequently re-
leased
Officer Block, who was at that time a de-
tective, was detailed to investigate the matter
and render what assistance he could to Sheriff
Miller.
Since Haviland's disappearance the story has
been revived from time to time by the finding
Of human bones or the suspicious action OF
some one in the adjacent country.
THE PRISONER SAID HE KNEW ALL ABOUT 1T.
Detective Raft started this investigation be-
cause Of the information he received con-
corning statements alleged to have been
Maryland house Of Correction which
is also known as the "Bridewell prison." The
officers informant was Mr.. Albert Selby, q re-
putable citizen of Montgomery county, living
near Rockville. Sunday, August 4th'
Mr.. Selby was at camp meeting
on Mineral road, where Deputy Sheriff stallings,
in attempting to quell a disturbance among
party Of negroes, was struck on the
head with blackjack. Mr.. Selby
was deputized to take the prisoner
to the Jail at Rockville, and while on his way
there the prisoner, he says, told him that he
knew all about Haviland's disappearance and
could tell it il he would.
INTERVIEWING THE PRISONER.
Upon receiving this information Detective
Raft decided to follow up the clue and
this morning, accompanied by STAR
reporter, he went to the Maryland
prison and was met by Detective
Grannon Of the Baltimore ar6 Ohio railroad
and Assistant Supt ]. J. Mayfield of the prison.
The prisoner was brought down from
his cell and when the officers
questioned him he showed signs Of nervous