Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1893-11-28
!. Atwood and Mr.. Garland cams 3

my room.
In. the scufie at Hutchinson q
store ! lost dark lantern that
I had under my left arm, my hat and
false whiskers and q satchel or bas.
All destroyed Saturday was the pa
per that had the account OF the money
on it-not the value but the number OF
pieces. Think they have found every.
thing, because that was all the place I
kept any money. i could not tell how
much money I had. I think perhaps
about three hundred dollars with that
In tho bank. took It all from Hutchin-
son q Newell's store and Atwood's office.
I found that bag In basket OF old
boots and shoes In Rlpley's back cham
Der. The Iron catch was on it. IL V
Just a. found it. Used to keep the bag
In the place where the money was day
times. Kept the bag, dark lantern,
whiskers and everything In there. Be
fore fixed the place where they found
tho money | kept the things under the
floor out In the back chamber.
NO ACcoMPLicE.
In answer to questions Thorne stated:
I have never had any one associated with
me In going Into the store or Office. l
have always done the work alone. Have
never entered any building anywhere
else than on Paris Hill. l don't know
what first led me to do this.
I bought the revolver that used Sat-
urday at Gerry's drug store at South
Paris about year ago. II was before
snow come, because I went down In the
woods and fired ut tree. Paid i've dol
lars for this revolver. My other revolv-
er traded violin outdt for with Sam
whitman recently.
A CHANGED STATEMENT.
On Saturday morning after the above
confession Of Friday evening, Thorne
told TALLER Garland that he would like
to have him send for County Attorney
Smith and Mr.. Atwood, and that he
would like to change his statement OF
last evening In one or two things.
Upon entering the cell we were cor
daily met and found him looking more
cheerful and evidently feeling In better
spirits than on the previous evening.
After exchanging the usual greetings we
asked;
q. Abner. do you wish to change
your statement Of last evening In any
respectS
A. Yes, about the shooting. ! want
to saw that when I came out Of the store
door l saw some one just ne was going
to fall out of the door but did not know
who It was. think pulled the trigger
on the moment when was right In the
door to brighten him away. didn't
know that my shot took effect, anyway.
lie went on to say: ! did not hear
grosnlng. l heard something kind OF
REGULAR, but I thought twas to brighten
me more than anything else. l heard
Newell call for help, can't say just what
he said. Don't know how long we
sauabbled, only minute should think.
When Newell called for help l heard
some one from north OF the store say {:
"Is that you, Ed?" don't think there
was any reply to that. think 1 hit
Newell then and got away.
I said last evening ! did not 90 Into the
post office. now wish to change It and
say I've been In there three or four times.
I have taken nothing out OF the post
Office that did not belong to me except
the gold dollar. went In through the
doors. I had key that / fixed so
'twould fit the inside door.
q. How did you open the outside
doOr-the door leading Into the waiting
room!
A. Have you examined Il?
Upon being Informed that we had not
made the examination he explained:
bored hole through the door frame
near the lock and put the wire that was
found Saturday morning through the
hole and pushed the bolt back with the
wire.
went In to look for the package that
came by express-the one that i got ut
Perkins.
Upon being asked he said:
got the glass cutting diamond from
Hutchinson & Newelrs store some time
the last summer think. Got II from
the north side Of the store; don't know
whether twas In the drawer or near 1t.
have whistle. Have never used II
round here nights. know nothing
about the attempt to get prisoners out
Of the jail except what read In the
papers.
lie stated to the writer that he did not
know what led him to take up this
course. Admitted that he had read some
dime novels. Said he did not Intend to
follow the profession Of burglary and
had often thought he would leave 1t Of
lie was asked II he had any personal
statement that he would like to make to
his friends through the Democrat regard
Ing the case, and thought he had not
now, but II he did have later would LEI
US know.
STORY or THE CLEw.
II IL needless to explain that Thorne
was arrested aud bound over on charge
of larceny In order to hold him until y
thorough Investigation into the awful
deed Of the previous Saturday morning
could be made. That investigation went
constantly on and new evidence and new
sensations were as constantly brought
to light. That investigation tended to
demonstrate that this community have
all upconsciously had In their very midst
one Of the most expert and accomplished
boy burglars that the vast accumulation
of yellow covered literature which
floods this great country has yet pro-
duced.
We said last week that the history Of
this series Of burglaries, the methods
employed and the gradual discovery OF
evidence pointing to Abner Thorne was
long and interesting story. We can
now tell you that story brlefy:
To the public eye so exemplary has
the life of Abner ID. Thorne appeared
that In this community, where every
body knew the boy, the news imme-
dlstely following the shooting OF Harry
Whitman that officer Garland had gone
after this boy on suspicion Of his being
the guilty party, was almost ~ much ola
shock to the majority Of our citizens as
was the news of the tragedy itself. Citi-
zens who supposed they knew Thorne
well said eniphatically: "It's absurd
It can't be AbnerF'
About year and half ago Hutchln-
son q Newell's store was entered by
cutting out pane OF glass. Among
other articles stolen was some thirty dol
lars 10 nickels, about fifteen dollars In
stamps, n glass diamond, ratchet bit
stock, etc. There has been reason for
suspectlng that the store has been enter
ed since that time at frequent Intervals,
although no signs Of = break could be
detected, but articles would be missed, a
little cash would disappear and once
dog that had been locked 10 the store,
escaped during the night In some mys-
terious manner.
One day last summer Miss JEANNE
Hubbard, postmistress at Paris, found a
letter In the Office addressed but neither
sealed nor stamped. IL was her duty In
case like this to ascertain whether the
contents of the envelope was written or