The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-05-24
DIAB0LICAL CRIME.
COW C1aCUMsTANTIAL EVIDENCE
ALONE BANGED A VILLAIN.

r,a1 of Htdeous Poison-Entomoed
live in the Very Home of His Fiance.
rha chastity Secrets Which Demol-
tshed Building Disclosed.
From, the New York Dispatch.
ruorv now and then some old building
vbicb originally formed part of the resi-
s.nca norton of the city, is torn down to
80 room for more pretentious structures,
-siob the commercial growth of the city
donands. In very many instances remark
INV interesting "reminiscences of those old
,,ndmarks are told-in fact, the history Of
.basa landmarks to a great extent goes to
roske I'D the history Of the city.
pacantlv one of those old buildings was
..tan down in West Washington square,
5 in a room which, was not known to exist
o. the house, some bones, which evidently
IRE hose Of a human being long since dead,
,rore found While yet public excitement
r.n nigh in connection with the discoveries
NJ these remains, the writer learned from
Ul u records, as well as from one or two
iLIo5ividuals who remember the facts in the
.ass a remarkable story OF murder, kid
Usning and a hanging on purely clrcum-
stsutlal evidence r.
,,rsading structure, whose immensely thick
TslIs and small windows gave it rather
Gloomy appearance. AT one time vines
eanhered about it from basement TO roof,
cd il was empowered in dusky trees.
In 1929 Thomas Maitland, a very rich
csntleman. died, possessed of what, IN those
esys. was considered very large fortune,
w;ich he left to his only child, daughter.
onnointiue his brother William as her
Guardian ana executor of his will. Emma,
sbs daughter, was then about IS years old,
and If sue happened to die unmarried, or, If
married. without children, her fortune was
N 90 to her guardian or to his heirs. As
che interest Of the uncle was now incom-
ratible with the life Of the niece, several
ptbsr relatives limited that it would not be
rroper for them to live together.
Whether they were willing to prevent
any occasion for SANDER against the uncle
in case Of the young lady's death, whether
they had any apprehension Of being In dan
GER. or whether they were only oiscon-
fortune, and therefore propagated rumors
TO the prejudice of those who possessed it,
CANNOT BE KNOWN.
The uncle. however, decided to live in
the old house 80 long occupied by bis
brother, and soon afterward the niece dis
anpesred. This section of the city at the
time we write partook more Of the country
than of the city, and within a short dis
lance Of the Maitland house thick forest
was situated, in which considerable game
abounded. Emma frequently took long
strolls through this forest, and it was here
that she went with her uncle on the day Of
her sudden disappearance.
When a careful search failed to find her
and the fact was disclosed that the uncle
returned home without her, he was arrested.
Arragned before magistrate, he was put
through a very severe examination, during
which he acknowledged that he accompa-
MED his neice for a walk in the forest on
the day of her disappearance, but that for
some reason unknown to him. she insisted
upon lettering behind him as they were re-
turning home; that be anxiously sought for
her through the vast wooded Enclosure as
soon as he became conscious Of her disep-
pearauce; and that he was entirely ignor-
ant of her whereabouts, or what had become
of her. This statement was believed to be
untrue, and 1t Yves made apparect in direct
ways that he was only too anxious for the
death of his ward Besides, tile petulant
zeal of the relatives of the girl concurred to
strengthen the suspicion against him, and
he was accordingly remanded for further
hearing.
Emma Maitland was very fair, with
lovely blonde hair and beautiful blue-gray
eyes. She was a rather marvellous COM
pound of delicacy and strength, with the
gentlest manner imaginable, based on an
iron will and wonderful tenacity of pur-
pose
AS times sped new circumstances con-
tinually arose against William Maitland,
the uncle. 1t was we'll known that Emma
was engaged to be married to a very prom
ising young business man, who had, it was
understood the day before
SHE WAS MISSING,
Left the city on business trip, and that
the young lady had openly declared that
she would marry him Immediately upon his
return. 1t was equally well known that
her uncle had frequently and in very posi-
tive terms. declared his disapprobation of
the match, and that the meetings between
uncle and niece were very stormy, the lat
ter approaching her uncle with brutal I'M
kindness and an abuse of his power.
The most Important, and probably most
convincing evidence adduced at the trial,
was that of a woman named Laura Tit
comb, q servant in family residing close
by the Maitlands.
This woman positively swore that on the
day Emma Maitland was missed. about II
o'clock in the forenoon, she was on Ter way
through the forest to her home when she
heard woman's voice expostulating with
great eagerness. At first she stood still. but
her curiosity prompted her to draw near the
place from whence the sounds came Before
she saw any one she distinctly heard the
came voice she first detected say:
Don't kill me, uncle-don't kill me-"
Immediately following this supplication
she heard the report of some kind Of fire.
arm very near, and, being greatly fright
ened, she made all the speed she possibly
could from the spot aud FASTENED home 1t
was some time before she recovered from
her fright. Do what she might she could
not drive the incident from her mind, and
at last she had determined to make public
what had happened
With this evidence before them the jury
tetired and shortly afterward returned
with verdict of guilty. Sentence was
subsequently pronounced and William
maitland was executed. Up to the very
iast moment he proclaimed his innocence,
put very few believed him. He did say,
however. that while innocent of having
zone any harm whatever to his niece, he
nad made away with Ellis Waldron, the
young man who was engaged to marry
Lmma Maitland, and that some day when
Tue Maitland mansion was torn down the
rum OF his statement would be verified.
STRANGE STORY.
', short time after Maitland's execution
Emma Maitland, the missing woman sud-
G;onIy returned. The surprise can better be
Imagined than explained. The strangest
Sning OF all was that when she heard the
eHlaence that mainly went to convict her
uncle she admitted that it was substantially
rue .ue, and the fact was found to be thus