The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-03-29
SHOT TWICE IN BACK.
Body Of Walter II. Debbins Found
In Wood Near Medford.
Authorities Completely Non
plussed at Mystery.
Murdered Youth Had No Known Enemies OF
Love Affairs.

Medford. Mass, March 2s.--Walter II.
Debbins. aged 20, son Of an ice contractor
Of this place, wa assassinated Saturday
in the woods near here by some unknown
person. The assassin fred two bullets
into the young mans back, killing hin
instantly. Young Debbins' chum, f. w.
Woods, is detained by the police. but he
apparently knows nothing of the crime.
Woods and Debbins had an appointment
to meet in the wood, and when the for
ner went to the appointed place he found
the dead body of his comrade.
The murder Is one of the most peculiar
and mysterious that has occurred In
Niddlesex county for a 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 lived with his father, Will
iam T. Debbins, and his mother and SIS
Ter at AZ Forrest street, and up to
short time ago drove an ice wagon 10
his father. His chum, Woods, hostler
by occupation, was also out of work. and
the two Young men have been In the
habit lately of spending their afternoons
roaming about In the woods Of Middle
sex Fells. They had an, appointment
together Saturday afternoon at the Mel
rose pumping station. Two 15-year-old
boys who live in Melrose, and were nd
ing their bicycle through the woods, dis
covered the body, and were the first to
notify the police. While the patrol
wagon was being rapidly driven to the
scene young Woods was met walking
hurriedly toward Debbins' home. He
told the officers he was going to notify
Mr.. Debbins of his sons death. saying
that he had come upon his chum's dead
body, which was still warm, lying In the
woods. Woods was without any over
coat, and II was afterwards found by the
officers near the body. He claimed TO
have thrown II aside so as to run faster
The ground where the murdered boys
body was found showed no signs OF
scuffie. and IL is thought the person who
committed the deed must have planned
his work well. for he must have crept up
behind Debbins and fired the two shots
without any warning. Woods tells a
good, straightforward story. and the po-
lice are of the opinion that as far as the
case has been investigated his story is al,
right.
The autopsy by Medical Examiner
Durrell show d that one bullet had en-
tered under ae left shoulder and passed
into the heat. The second bullet en-
tered four inches to the right. and in a
diagonal line. so that il struck the first
bullet I'm the heart. The murder was
hardly for robbery, although his watch
and ring have disappeared, yet his pipe
lay where 1t had dropped from between
his teeth when he fell. 1t was talked
about that Debbins had had q love
quarrel with a young woman with whom
he kept company. but II there were any
sentimental a'tachments mixed up in the
tragedy II 10 more likely that another
suitor OF the woman's. II there was one.
might explain 1t. There Are no known
witnesses of the shooting, but several
men driving teams who passed that way
saw the body and took II for that Of q
drunken man sleeping of his potions.
The Med 'ord police and the state on
GERS detailed on the case are all at sea.
On the supposition that the story told
by Woods was true, and thereby clear
ing himself. the police went to work on
another clew, which has failed to bring
out anything. The autopsy was held.
and II determined that the weapon was
a 3S-calibre one. probably 4 revolver.
The shot was probably fired from
distance Of several feet. and presumably
the murderer stood in q gully across the
road from where the body was found.