Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1892-06-29
SUICIDE OR MURDER?.
Sensation in a New
Hampshire Town.
A PLUCKY WOMAN'S FIGHT.
Dishgures the Face of an Italian who
Attempted to Assault Her.

CHESTER, N. H., June 29-The Rock
ingham county officials have another
mystery to look into which bids fair 20
prove one of the mcst sensational murders
that blacken the record OF that county.
Jonathan Glass, "A farmer, aged Ga years,
residing In the eastern part OF the town,
on "A farm with his two daughters, disap.
peared last Wednesday, and on Friday
forenoon his body was found standing
against tree in thicket not quarter
of mile from his house, with a nooa of
rope about his neck.
At first il was generally thought to be
case Of suicide and the coroner's jury re-
fused to return such verdict, ordered an
autopsy.nnd will not report till Saturday.
The suicide theory Is thus officially
doubted, and the townspeople are rapidly
forming u well outlined theory Of foul
play.
No alarm at the old mans disappear
ance was given in the town until Thurs
day, when sume of the nearest neighbors
were notified. Among these was George
Dolber, who had considerable faith In DIR.
Elisha Richardson of ampstead, who has
n county reputation rs seer and an adept
at second sight
On Thursday Dolber visited DR.. Richard
son, and was told by him that Glass was
still alive and would be found In the
woods northwest from the house, standing
under n pine tree; that near the place
were two small ponds and a big pile OF
sawlust This general description fitted
the lorality known as Pollard's mill.
Friday morning the selectmen OF the
town organized searching party and
conreu ed securing the woods Shortly
after ~ o'clock Austin j. Lane came upon
the bod IL was in the center of "a thicket,
about g.ar,er of mile from the house,
ana was standing with the feet on the
gro luh rn the body resting against a
sapliug ,n"e.
Auu,.d the neck was moose, and the
other eni of the rope was tied about the
tree fully three feet above the head. There
were two small ponds near the spot, and a
pile of sawGust, while the place was
directly northwest from the house, all as
DR.. Richardson had described. These
fats comprise no small part of the mys-
terry surrounding the case.
The body was taken down, and DIR.
Gould of Raymond, the coroner, was sum-
moned, and Warren i. Paige, James w.
Towle and Charles Stevens impanelled as
coroners jury. The inquest was held
Saturday, and the jury refused to declare
the cause OF death hanging, but stated
that the body had been dead only about
twenty-four hours
Dr. Gould stated yesterday that there
were strong indications Of foul play, but
just what report the jury would make he
did not care to say at present.
There were few bruises on the dead
mans person. These would not have
caused death, but might have been made
by the man being dragged through the
thicket TO be placed where he was found
A relative of the deceased from Green
land has authorized the selectmen to use
every means for discovering the truth of
the affair and they have already gone to
work on the case.
There are several things which the
townspeople mention as against the idea
of suicide. The victim Of the tragedy had
had many family troubles, and 1t is be-
lieved by many that these may be found
to have n bearing on the case. He lived on
the farm with his two daughters, one of
whom is married to Henry Hoyt, who has
just finished term OF imprisonment.
When IIoyt was arrested his father-in-law
refused to furnish bail. and since then
there has been trouble in the family the
old man saying that Hoyt should never
come to the farm again and the daughters
siding with Hoyt.
Hoyt states that the girls daughters of
GLASS; had sent letter to brother In
Portsmouth that may perhaps give a
clew to the case, but the letter was never
received. The farm had been sold by
Glass few days before the tragedy, for
$780, and the money was to have been
paid and the bargain closed In few days.
This fact is said to have been mentioned
in the letter of the daughters to their
brother, and the destination of this letter,
II il was intercepted, may show great
deal about the case.