Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-02-22
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LOOKS DARK FOR MIN.
0 Neil Stands Alone as the Supposed Murder
er Of Annie McCIoud.

| of a continued inquest held in the office
| Of the Buckfield selectmen here, yester-
day, to secure information regarding
the manner and method in which Hat
| tie e. McCloud met her death Jan. s,
| the officials of the state came to the
conclusion that John O'Neal, Jr, alone
was responsible for the murder, and
the grand jurors. who meet in special
session week from Monday. will be
asked to indict him alone. and pay no
attention whatever to the theory that
one person or more was concerned in
the case with him.
The holding of the inquest, after all
that has been said and done in the
| matter whipped the village of Shell
burne and Buckland into a fever of ex
element, today. and for several hours
probably be arrested.
Rather, however. a cleaning process
was gone through with, the especial
idea being to try and find some one else
connected with the crime or to fasten
evidence on parties who have been sus-
pected. and whose names have. been
connected by rumor with the brutal as
sault and killing.
The result was that every man~whoSe
| name mas been mentioned as a posi-
BILE partner in crime with the guilty
person showed up complete and
thoroughly satisfactory abb.
None of ONeils companions could
be brought close to the murder. and
two persons who were not acquainted
with him. but who have been referred
to as wicked enough to take an active
part in so cruel an affair. and who
were reported to have been around
Shelburne on the night of the murder
proved that they We're miles away at
the time.
So, John O'Neil. Jr.. stands alone as
the supposed murderer of Mrs. McCloud.
and he will go to IL petit Jury in the
same position. if the grand jury indicts
him.
More than this. after chasing down 10
Or 100 clews looking to the possible con-
nection of other parties. and after inves-
tlgating dozens of reports which com
mingled other mems names with the af-
fair, only to find that they can all well
the state officials have got to the point
where no other person will be considered
as the murderer of Mrs. McCloud, unless
the information to implicate him comes
from the defendant himself or from his
counsel
The states officers. from the district
attorney and his assistant down to the
local Hawkshaws who have helped the
state detectives. believe firmly that Johr
O'Neil. Jr.. is guilty. and that his only
chance of safety comes in turning states
evidence If any one else is concerned.
IF John O'Nel makes "A confession, we
will hunt for the other man." said a rep
rcsentative of the prosecution today.
They have not assumed this position to
be unjust to O'Neil. or in the determine
ton to carry out their ideas conceived at
the time of the murder. but simply be-
cause every particle of evidence that
they have been able to secure after weeks
OF ceaseiess effort points solely and ex-
clusively to the guilt of Yankee Jack
The inquest determined also many
cution. but the most important was that
which established firmly the govern
ments theory that only one man COM
mitted the crime.
A number of convincing points against
the prisoner were. however. developed
and the government ascertained the
Identity of the woman seen by Maggie
o. Brien walking up the Crittenden road.
anead OF two men. at o'clock on the
night of the murder 1t has not been
round, however. who the two men We're.
Judge Lyman: who presided. came out
from Greenfield on morning train. in
company with District Attorney Ham
Greene of Greenfield, who was called into
the case as assistant counsel just before
SiSIk <AIen OIL the district court
me llrSt witnesses called were Mr.. and
MRS: Dennis q rien. father and mother
or Maggie OBrien. who was In company
with Annie Koch the night OF the muir
DER. ana saw two men go over the rocky
path from Green street leading to Glenn
ent street. They corroborated the testi
mony or their daughter as to the time
she arrived at the house after seeing the
men. They fixed the time at about $40.
The third witness called was Franz
Joyce. head hostler at Frost's livery sta.
bic. 1t was in the yard of this stable in
the rear of the Shelhurne Fails ho,,se
that O'Neil and other members of the
gang met on the night of the murder ~
take drink. The witness testified that
ne ne heard the conversation regarding the
SlO Dill which O'Neil had lost, and which
ne sald might go to hi, as there is
more where that came FROM
several witnesses testified to the noye
ments OF Mrs. McCloud on the night of
the murder. and from their statements
the prosecution expects to establish that
she left the corner OF Odd Fellows huiid
inE on Exchange street at practically =
O'Clock. and started for home,
II Is also expected that some Of tho
Witnesses will account for her where's
nouts curing the 45 minutes between the
time Miss Rose Young saw her look in
,ne door OF the banquet hall in Odd Eel
lows block at 6.15 and the time she was
seen ny Frank F. Tatreau and Edward
Schontag going up Clement street.
a recess was taken at 1890.
a. inc afternoon session William