The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-10-08
HWhen did you last see herr"
"It was about ten days age" :"

1T was about ten days ago"
Young Savage made no evasiye
answers. He loo ked straight into tine
face of his interviewer, and showed no
evidence of excitement His gun was
loaded with small shot for partridge,
shout No 8. he said. He did not use
any duck shot that day, and had none
with him in the woods.
Frank Palmer, Savage's associate on
Mondays cunning trip, lives on the
Maine side of the border line, about two
miles from the Hobbs place. His account
of their movements that day correspond
with that of Savage.
The reporter next sought an interview
with George Taylor, who was reported to
have seen pair of gunners in the edge
of the woods on the morning of the fire.
Mr.. Taylor is prosperous farmer and
influential citizen whose home is on the
top of the hill overlooking the little viii
lage Of "Taylor City," He displayed ex-
ceeding caution In answering the ques-
tions addressed to him; it was evident
that he preferred to wait further develop
ments before allowing himself to be
forced into the investigation Of the
murder.
eyes, did meet two boys in the road,
about eight O'Clock Monday morning, as
has been reported in the papers, said he.
81 saw them not more than twenty rods
ahead of me. My attention was attracted
by the haste Of their turning from the
road into the woods The boy in the lead
had suspected of having stolen grapes
from my promises, and l thought the
object Of his turning into the woods was
to avoid meeting me. J"
Are you willing to say who those
boys were?' was asked.
Mr.. Taylor hesitatingly replied that at
present he did not care to give direct
answer to that question.
"Can you say that you positively
identified them?''
1T seems to me-" Mr.. Taylor replied,
"that I practically answered that ques-
tion when spoke about the stolen
grapes.
Mr.. Taylor expressed the opinion that
murder was not included in theHoriginal
intention Of whomever caused Mrs.
Hobbs death, but that it was committed
on the impulse of the moment, and the
use of fire resorted to in the hope of
evading detection.
There were but few visitors about the
village today. 1t was raining hard
during the greater part of the day. Thers
was an overwhelming desire on the part
of the villagers to read the newspaper
accounts Of the towns sensation, and
when the stage from East Wakefield ar
rived, about three O'Clock, the veteran
driver was kept busy selling papers till
his pile was exhausted.
After the post norton, DR.. J. ".
Dearborn wrote letter to Governor
Cleaves, req Nesting the appointment of q
coroner in this section of York county,
and recommending a prominent citizen
of one of the Ossipee towns for the place.
DR.. Dearborn spent many weary hours
in trying to raise coroner to take
charge of this case, Monday, and he
means to do what he can to place north
western Maine in quicker communion
tion with such an official in case of any
future happening requiring an investiga-
tion by ooroner's jury.
1t seemed to be the opinion of those
most prominently identified with the in
vestigation that the shooting was done
at as close range as across room of the
Hobbs domioile. One of the doctors said,
before the inquest began, that in his
opinion the muzzle of the gun was not
more than twenty or twenty-five feet
from the victim when the weapon was
discharged.
But authorities on the use of firearms
declare that charge of duck shot, such
as oaus ed the death of Mrs. Hobbs,
would at twenty feet bore a hole through
an inch board. and would not scatter
more than the width of hand. Accord
ing to the opinion of one man well versed
In the use of shot guns, the murderer
must have been about twenty rods away,
in order to scatter his charge as the shot
wers scattered upon her head, neck and
back. There are thick woods within that
distance of the Hobbs house, on every
side. II this theory is correct the shot
that caused the death of Widow Hobbs
must have been fired from under the
cover of the tlees.