The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-12-25

conversation with, the PRESS correspon-
dent, states that he had no suspicion
that his passengers were not man and
wife their conduct on the trip up being
irreproachable. Arriving in Rockport,
they had no place to stay, and Captain
Heald invited them to his home over
night. They made themselves very
agreeab BILE, for both were good converse
tionalists. Among other things with
which they regaled their host and host
ess-was description of their marriage
in Springfield. Captain Heald started on
another southern trip at the expiration
of two weeks, and the same day, after
bidding him an affectionate goodbye,
Lee and his supposed wife left Tor Mass
achusetts.
1t was not until they had been gone
some time that Mrs. Heald discovered
that the room which they had occupied
had been rifled of number of valuable
articles, including feminine wearing ap-
parel, rings and the like.
TheiHeald house hadsonce before been
broken into and a valuable violin stol-
en-. This wasssyears ago, and Rockport
party was arrested, but managed to
evade justice, and this time Mrs. Heald
resolved to keep her own counsel. Nine
days later, however, the house was again
broken into while she was away at pray
dress were taken. Morally certain that
her late guests were response ble, she
wrote her husband full accountEof the
robberies. Captain Heald at the same
time rsceivedsa letter from Lee, in which
the latter could not say enough to thank
the captain and his wife for their recent
kindness.
When Captain Heald read his wife's
letter, he made closer examination OF
Lees, and found that the date and post
mark varied in suchsa manner that Lee
might easily have come down from
Massachusetts and committed the second
rob- cry, Lee was aware that there was
considerable money in the house, but IN
his hasty search was unable to find
where Mrs. Heald had secreted 1t. He was
armed that night, and the neigh bors
hudder when they think how there
might have been a tragedy had Mrs.
Heald returned and encountered Lee,
the burglar.
Captain Healdswrote Lee. telling about
the robbery, but very shrewdly led him
tosbelleve that local parties did it. Lees
fears were quite allayed when Captain
Heald ended by saying, "They dIdn'tt
stated that he would be pleased to meet
Lee in Boston, and the latter feeling
perfectly safe agreed. They met several
times and Lee and Mrs. Koch were fin
ally very cleverly trapped by Captain
Head, swho had telegraphed his wife
to come on previously. Lee put on
bold front, but fnally admitted that
his name was Otis, but stated that his
wife, (Lena Koch) had committed the
robberies. Afterwards, when both were
in custody, he admitted that he was the
guilty party. Their boarding place was
searched, and the missiong articles were
found, together with some costly dresses
which hadkbeen taken from trunk stol-
en- a few days before from the Union
station. Other small articles gave evil
dence of shoplifting.. Miss Koch, when
arrested, wore two of Mrs. Heald's rings,
which she calmly returned.
Otis and Miss Koch were brought to
Rockport for their preliminary trial,
and there an attempt was made to
smirch Captain Heald's character by
stating that he had been unduly famil-
lar with her on thestr1p from Charleston,
Sc. Both parties are now about to
sign written statement to the effect
that this was blackmail scheme p'lt up
at the instigation of Rockport enemies
of Captain Heald. When this is done,
sensational developments are expected.
Otissis serving a hard labor sentence,
pounding rocks in Knox county's fam
Gus stonevard, while Miss Koch assists
Sheriff Gray's wife in the kitchen. She
retains her love for Otis, and will not
agree to leave him when the terms OF
both expire. The casesis one of the most
interesting Knox county has known in
years, and is about TO gain additional
attention from the fact that Rev. Mrs.
Taylor, who is making it SO hot for
Rockland liquor dealers, is to have a
hearing before Judge Emery tomorrow
for the purpose of having Miss Koch's
sentence shortened.