The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-09-20
INQUEST PRACTICALLY OVER.
viii Be Held Open a Few Days for
Contingencies.
ESPECIAL 70 THE FRESH


Saco, September 19.-The coroner's in
quest on the North Saco murder case was
practically ended this afternoon, though
a verdict has not yet been drawn up,
Coroner Bradbury deeming it advisable
to hold the case open few days longer
IN the hope that the Investigating officers
may find some more tangible clue than
has yet been discovered.
Six witnesses were examined by the
coroner and his jury today. The only in
formation in the case in addition to that
already published came from John
Meserve Of Bar Mills. MIR. Meserve, who
is clerk in the store of J. W. Meserve at
Bar Mills, was in town this morning, ana
he told the officers story that resulted In
his being summoned before the inquest.
He testified that about $40 O'Clock last
Thursday morning, just after he mad
opened the store a rough looking man
entered, looked around q little and bought
five cents worth of cookies, paying for
them with twenty-five cent piece. he
was dusty and tired looking. He appeared
to be between 80 and 85 years Of age, WAS
dark oomplexioned. had black hair, wore
dark mixed suit, dark SLOUGH hat and
pointed toed Shoes He had picked chin
and very red lips. His coat, straight
cut garment, hung loosely on him and
looked to be several sizes too long.
He asked Mr.. Meserve to direct him to
the nearest way to Portland. Mr.. Meserve
pointed out the way, and the stranger
wanted to know II that road led to
square where there Is church and IN
front Of 1t a big guideboard pointing the
way to Portland and Gorham.
"No. that church is at Buxton lower
corner,'' replied Mr.. Meserve. "That Is
not tie nearest way to Portland, but you
can go that way if you prefer or when
you get there you can take direct road
to Saoo ii you want to-"
II don't won't to go to Saco; I have
enough of Saco,'' was the tramps re-
Spouse. Then he added that the night be-
fore he had started for Portland, and
when he reached the cross roads where the
church is he got on the wrong road and
came to the falls. (Salmon Falls) crossed
the bridge there and walked up along the
Hollis side of the river to the Portland
and Rochester railroad bridge near the
Saco river station.
Mr. Meserye said he observed the tramp
quite closely and could surely identify
him If he should ever see him again. His
description of the tramp tallies exactly
With Warren Nason's description Of the
tramp to whom he gave ride to Port
land, Thursday, and also corresponds
with the appearance of the man whom
Ernest Geary and the two Merrill children
met on the Watson Juill road the night of
the murder.
Late this afternoon, just after the four
O'Clock train for Boston had gone, word
was received by telephone from the
sheriff's office at Portland that the sus-
poet had been seen in that city today and
was believed to have taken the $3.50 train
for Boston. This information came too
late for the Saoo officers to look through
the train but a message was sent to City
Marshal Fogarty of Dover, requesting
him to intercept the train in that city and
arrest the suspect if he was aboard.
AL D. 0U COrOu6E DrauUuTy IcCClSou a
telephonic message from the Dover city
marshal, that he and four of his officers
were on hand when the train came in,
three Of the party remaining outside to
] watch the train while the other two went
through the cars looking for the much
wanted tramp. They found nobody
aboard whose appearance corresponded
with the description of the tramp.
City Marshal Burns and his Saco
officers searched every train from Port
land. They learned that man had been
put of the Portland train at Wells
station. A messenger was sent over there
on Conductor Gilman's train, and he re-
turned at 7.l5 with the information that
the man who was put off the train was
an Intoxicated Kennebunk passenger,
who had got the wrong train and was
without money to pay his fare.
City Marshal Burns Is in Portland TO-
night, in conference with the sheriffs.