The Portland daily press., 1897-03-29


Something of the Crime and Is Under
Arrest-No Known Motive For the
Deed-Rumors of Lovers Qusrrel.
Medford, Mass, March 28.-Walter ID.
Dsbbins, aged 20, the son Of an ice con-
tractor of this city, was cowardly
murdered in the woods near Highland
street yesterday afternoon BY an un-
known person. Debbins was shot twice
in the back and he must have died In
stantly. His chum, franklin W. woods,
90 years old, Of Stoneham, whose home
is quarter of mile from where the
body was found and who was on his way
to meet young Debbins at the time Of the
murder. Is under arrest upon suspicion
Of knowing something of the tragedy.
The murder Is one of the most peculiar
and mysterious that has occurred in
Middlesex county for long time. The
police are unable to discover motive for
the crime. Young Debbins is not known
to have had an enemy in the world. He
lives with his father, William 8.
Debbins, aud his mother and sister, at ~
Forest street, and up to short time ago
drove an Ice wagon tor his father. His
ohum, who is hostler by occupation,
was also out of work, and the two young
men have been in tho habit lately of
spending their afternoons roaming about
in the woods of Middlessx Fells. They
had AN appointments together yesterday
afternoon at the Melrose pumping
station. Two thirteen year old boys who
live in Melrose and were riding their
bicycles through the woods, discovered
the body and were the first to notify the
police. While the patrol wagon was be-
ing rapidly driven to the scene. young
Woods was met walking hurriedly to-
ward Debbins' home. He told the officers
he was going TO notify Mr.. Debbins of
his sons death, say ing that he had come
upon his ohum's dead body which was
still warm lying In the woods Woods
was without any avercoat, and it was
afterwards found by the officers near the
body. He claimed to have thrown 1t
aside SO as to run faster. The ground
where. the murdered boys body was
found showed no signs of scnffle, and it
is thought the person who committed the
deed must have planned his work well.
for he must have sorept up behind
Dsbbios and fred athestwe shots without
any warning. Woods tells a good
stra ightforwald story and the police are
OF the opinion that as far a. the case has
been Investigated his story Is all right
The autopsy by medical examiner
Durrell showed: that one bullet had
entered under the left shoulder and passed
into tine heart. The second bullet entered
four inches to the right and In diagonal
line SO that it struck the first bullet In
the heart. The murder was hardly for
robbery although his watch and ring
have disappeared, yet his pipe lay where
it had dropped from between his teeth
when he fell.
It was talked about that Debbins had
lad love quarrel with aJyoung woman
with whom he kept company, but if
there is any sentimental attachments
mixed up in the tragedy it'd more likely
I hat another suitor Of thef4 womans. if
there was one. may explain It, There arc
no known witnesses Of the shooting, but
several men driving teams passed that
way, saw the body and took it for that
of drunken man sleeping off the potions.
After an entire day spent in investiga-
tion the Medford police tonight, aud the
state officers detailed on the case, are all
at sea. The AUTOPSY WINS held this aftsr-
noon, and it is determined that the
weapon wss 3S oalibre one, probably a:
revolver. The shot was probably fred
from a distance of several feet and pre-
sumably the murderer stood in gully
across the road from where the body was
found.
The funeral Of young Debbins will
OCCUR on Tuesday. His family are grief
stricken over the suddenness Of the blow.
rHE WEATHER. ~.