Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-10-17
ONIONS DID IT.!
Bad Gang Of Robbers at Last
Broken Up at Clinton.
Foster Nelson Arrested but Escapes
Ibis Wife and Partner Secured.
sheri't viles Does Good lob In Breaking Up
This lawIess Crowd.


bushels OF onions did it. The strength
o. ohlcns mas been standing joke for
rlany years but the onion never before
mas been credited with bringing to JUS
tice gang of desperadoes the like of
whom have been bagged today in this
usually quiet burgh. The reign of ter
ror in eastern Somerset is over and the
good country folk can retire to rest al
night feeling reasonably sure that they
VIII wake in the morning with their
full complement of live stock, produce
hens, bees and the family washing still
in their possession, For many weary
months the farmer resident of this sec
tion has attempted To keep the stable
door locked and the old musket loaded
for something beside bear In MANY
Instances such efforts have been in
VAN for the clothes-line has been
robbed. the chicken roost raided the
produce cellar pillaged and the sheep
have been led astray Although good
pork has been retailing at fair mar
ket price the frisky little porker has
been enticed from its comfortable 3ei;
ara retired to the barrel Of those who
foI long time were to the authorities
unknown. But now the curtain of mvs-
terry has been lifted and the whole bust
ness is explained away.
I he published stories of the Dol
theits, the destruction of properly and
the general pure cussedness of the dep
ledators has not half told the actual
STATE of things as hey have existed j..
the last six months West Pittslicl0.
Canaan and Clinton have been The FOR
aging grounds of the boldest gang Of
thugs and thieves that ever d.sgrace,i
an% community. Mysterious fires have
occurred. the midnight air has been
filled with terror laden shrieks that
have led the quiet and peace-loving
folk to believe that some one was be-
ing murdered by the wayside and. as
before stated, property of every de
scription that was portable has been
eoniiscated to an unlawful use.
1t became the proper thing for the
parent TO escort the child to school and
on the return home. Most people re-
tired when it got dark under the table
and took their shot guns along with
them. To those who were the loudest
in their complaint of the condition of
things there came some disaster or
other and finally it became evident that
it was not safe to find fault with any
thing that happened. A set of build
ines now and then contributed their
share to the wicked sport and this was
taken as conclusive evidence that it
was not 50 fp n whine at yba 70.
befell one. No one dared to take
chances in swearing out a warrant for
fear that the evidence might not he
sufficiently strong to hold the suspected
parties and additional trouble follow.
The advice of lawyers was asked by
some who had been driven to despera-
ton and the result would be that it is
a serious thing to charge a man with
crime unless you have evidence that
will convict him
Deputy Sheriff McNally of Clinton. in
kennebec county. went to work on the
case and to no little extent is RESPONSE
the part of the authorities. State De-
tective John II. Mitchell of Skow hogan.
was also at work on the problem of
how to rescue the terrified populace of
this section. But both officers for a
long time were prevented from doing
anything of Importance owing to the
reluctance of the people to tell all they
knew about the case. Last week the
Journal suggested that the sheriff of
somerset county take the matter into
his own hands. wait for nobody else
to move and go ahead and do some
hing. The absence of positive proof
hat certain ones were the guilty par
les made the work of the officers rath-
r difficult 1t was necessary for Sher-
fl Niles to have the cooperation of
Deputy Sheriff Mentally and so the two
'fficers have been hitching horses to-
,ether in the past few days
Lawyer Goodwin of Skowhegan. has
,eld receptions nearly every day of
people who cry out for succor but he
vas powerless to help them. Detec- |
i've Mitchelrs brother died and that
etired him from the field. The Jour |
ial has kept pounding away until the |
ountry around about here has got a |
title. more of the spirit of &c stirred up |
nd the ground work of lynching bee |
vas well planned and then it was that |!
ne two bushels of onions came into the |
ase
James Goodrich of Canaan, screwed
p sand enough to come forward and
firm that he had lost two bushels of
mons and that he knows well enough
Tho took them. James is boiling mad
bout it too, and well he might be for
he miscreants exercised their pure
ussedness to the limit with him. Sun
ay night, Oct. d. the thieves made a
all on Mr.. Goodrich and. after helping
themselves to the aforesaid two BUSH
Is of onions, they out of pure wan
oness tipped over IA hives of bees that
ct near the yard. young man over
card certain man say that he would
upset every id hive of bees on the
oad' if he took a notion to and he
would just like to have anyone hinder
le.' That man has been known to do
nings that would not be contemplated
y a Sunday school scholar and his
anne the young man says is Foster
'elson.
Mr. Goodrich went out to Skowhegan +
ne other day and. as Lawyer Goodwin
as away, he appealed to f. p. Coffin.
So. for warrant and he got it. The
Continued on page 50