Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-08-11
MUST HAVE BEEN ALMY,


 Believed to be Hiding in Litchfield
 County What a ''Democrat" Reporter
 Heard in Southford.
 A representative of the DEMOCRAT. to | learn the true circumstances of the visit of a man. believed to be Frank Almy. the murderer of Miss Christie c. Warden at Hanover, New Hampshire, July IT, went to Southford yesterday afternoon and spent all night working out the facts in the case. It is generally believed by residents of Southford who came in con tact with the man supposed to be Amy, that the description tallies exactly. The story is as follows:
 On Monday, August 3, shortly after | the 2:3O p. m, train that reached South ford, stranger approached the store opposite the hotel, now under the pro- prietorship of John H. Reynolds, for merly of this city. The man was dressed in neat but not costly suit and new pair of shoes. His hat was one of the style known as the ''Evening Sun" On his back rested bundle, supported by co1 running under the arms and over the shoulders. The bundle afterwards proved to contain, among other things, a lantern. E The stranger entered the store and purchased some crackers and cheese. He sat outside of the store and munched his lunch, in the meantime en- terlng into a conversation with Sheriff | Theodore F. Wheeler. He told the sher- if that his name was Edward Smith and that he had just come from Waterbury on the train and was looking for work This statement about the train was after wards found to be untrue, as he was seen walking on the track to Southford.
 Sheriff Wheeler directed Smith to James Roberts, who keeps a stock farm and many valuable horses. To MT Rob- erts the stranger stated that he had been recommended to apply to him for po- sition by Waterbury parties. He said that he had worked on ranches in the south and west. When asked lii name he hesitated moment, but finally said Frank White." He slipped up on sey- eral questions put to him and, although carrying shrewd looking face, he was nonplussed by the direct questions put to him by MT. Roberts, who is very shrewd man. When asked what he desired for pay, he gave that stereotyped expres- sion, used so often by Amy in New Hampshire, ''$15 month and board" He was engaged by MT Roberts because | of his neat appearance.
 Whit, as he was called, proved to be a good workman around the yard and barns. He would not associate with any of the help on the farm, but kept him. self secluded. He only visited the center occasionally, never entered saloon and was never seen 10 drink. Another trait of Almy's. w e at his work he watch eu with anxious eyes every visitor and wore a hunted expression.
 r The third day after his arrival Mrs Roberts discovered large revolver be- tween the mattresses in Whites room. This was returned to him and nothing more was thought of it. Later the re- volver was shown to one of the help who said that it was of A calibre, another link AI,o became attached to a little daughter of his employers and showed her a horn handled knife upon which the word ''Cattle' was engraved He denied to Mir Roberts that he carrid knife, although it was known that he carried both weapons daily. He was never found asleep, and indeed it was remarked that he never slept. One morning MT Roberts went to his door and calling him by name asked him to arise. No answer came back and the summons was repeated. No answer coming MT Roberts pushed open the door and found his man wide awake and watching the door like a hawk. He was confused for a moment but said he had forgotten to answer. There was similar occurrence on the follow ing night when.the hired man White called to attend sick horse He was found awake with his eyes riveted on the door.
 The papers were eagerly scanned each day by the mysterious man and after his departure clippings concerning the murder of Christie Warden were found in the room. His feet were continually , troubling him. He said that he had Z been accustomed to walking at night. His right shoulder also was lame which prevented him from harnessing horse. On Saturday MT Roberts had occasion r to visit Seymour. He left orders with the man to see that the horses were bedded down properly. White or Smith or Amy or whatever may be his name, This was about 6:30 in the evening. , He was seen again at 8 o'clock by Mrs Roberts. When MT Roberts returned home he found the barn door wide , open and the horses neglected. He searched in vain for his hired man. He had vanished and with him his lantern and part of the oil from the office lan- tern. On the back of calendar was ) written in scrawling hand the follow [ ing brief message:
 II have lost the keys in the barnyard; don't like to be jawed. I have left.'' There was no name signed to the note. : After the man had left it was remem- bered that he had scar around the thumb of his left hand, which Amy is blonde mustache and had just blocked out Burnside whiskers. Sheriff Wheeler says that he was a peculiar acting man and one who would deceive you easily. Mrs Wheeler met him the day he left and he asked her which was the shortest way to Naugatuck. The sheriff thinks he is still in the vicinity of Southford and if the description he is expecting from New Hampshire tallies with his 11ox oir 11or l0r1 1t