The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-08-25
No Trace Yet of Miss
May Baldwin's Mys-
ferrous Assailant.
THE MAN WITH THE BLACK MASK
Belief Prevails That He Is
Not a Stranger to
Sterling.

Sterling, Aug. 24.-There is little pros
poet that the person who committed
the assault upon May Baldwin will ever
be arrested. Constable f. r. Towle be-
lleves that there are only a few chances
IN million that the scoundrel will be
apprehended.
MI Towle, although only an officer
for the purpose of protecting property
of the New York, New Haven & Hart
ford railroad company at Pratt's juno
ton, took an interest in the pursuit of
Miss Baldwins assailant. because the
crime was so enormous. He thinks
that the man may be arrested acciden-
tally, for the commission of some other
CRIME, or that ne may attempt another
crime of the same nature.
Some things have been discovered
which tend to show that a professional
crook is operating here. bicycle
was found on the state road, as told
exclusively in The Spy this morning,
which must have been stolen and aban-
doned by the person who took it.
The bicycle was found on Monday.
Monday night the house of a citizen
taken. 1t is assumed that the man
would be likely to be equipped with a
mask
An astonishing number of people be-
live that Miss Baldwin's assailant is
a resident of the town. They think that
some man knew that she was in the
habit of going to her aunt's house early
in the morning. and lay in wait for her.
This theory is not Inconsistent with
thnnry IUln ct
the bicycle, and who employs himself
as a burglar, need not, as a matter of
| theory, belong in any other town.
If the crime was committed by wan
dering person, a man of the tramp
Species the authorities assent, he would
probably not have been well dressed.
One of the most distinct recollections
that Miss Baldwin has of the ruffian
who sprang upon her, is that he was
| well clothed.
1t is believed that the selectmen lean
to the view that the criminal is some
person living quietly in the own, some
person at present, if the a1@lorities are
to be believed, altogether unsupported.
The selectmen are former Represent
alive Frederick Bates, J. Samuel Bur-
pee and Jonathan Davis. They met
with Constable Charles E. Phelps last
night, and discussed the measures to
be taken to vindicate justice and secure
the punishment of the guilty man.
| They told Constable Phelps to spare
no efforts and to spend all the money
necessary. They decided not to offer
a reward.
| There Is a strong sentiment here in
favor of Offering a reward, but Con-
lstable Phelps does not think it best
that this course should be taken. Many
people think that this is because the
constable has an idea that the man
so badly wanted lives somewhere in
\ this vicinity.
| Constable Phelps told the represen-
ltative of The Spy this afternoon that
there is no person in the whole town
whom he would suspect of such a crime.
There used to be those here whom
he would have suspected, but they
have removed themselves to more con-
genial localities.
| Constable Phelps said he did not be-
Elieve in a reward, because the offer of
bonus for the capture of the criminal
would tend to set tongues a-wagging
| and put the criminal on his guard.
The selectmen have ordered postal
cards to be prepared. A description of
the criminal given by Miss Baldwin
will be printed upon the cards. They
will be sent to every police department
in Massachusetts and to most of the
departments in the country.
| A point that seems mysterious has
to do with three hairpins. The young
woman discovered, at the house Of her
aunt, Mrs. Stewart, that three of her
hairpins were missing. They We're
made of yellow horn, much handsomer
| than the ordinary hairpin and were
highly priced by her. Sheriff Bartlett
and Constable Phelps expected that
they would be discovered at the scene
of the assault. They were not there.
he off P0,-
along the road which the girl Travelled
to the home Of her aunt. The search
was fruitless.
They think her assailant may have
picked them up before he ran away
If he did, he may have thrown them
into bushes or he may have put them
into his pocket.
If the police anywhere in the state
arrest a man who has a yellow hair
pin, made Of horn, about him, 1t will
be safe to inform the authorities Of
this town.
| OF course, everybody here is much
excited, especially the farmers outside
the village. Every woman who has
to go far from home does so in fear
and trembling.
| There is feeling entertained by some
that not enough is being done to cap
ture the criminal. If a reward should
be offered for his arrest, the townspeo-
pie would be better satisfied Those
who read the newspapers were COM
planning today that any crime except
the crime Of drunkenness may be com
mitted in Worcester county and the
criminals go free. The swamp mys-
terry which is peculiar to the town, the
Fitchburg murders and other grave
crimes were referred to.
This morning Mrs. Edward Burpee,
who lives in a house on the road to
Pratt's Junction, where the road turns
to go to the railroad station, saw
suspicious docking man. He was tall,
wore SLOUGH hat and dark clothes.
She reported the matter to officer
Towle. The man was heading for
Leominster and was a stranger.
Otis Nixon also observed a Suspicious
looking man. The fellow was making
| for the railroad.
This morning the Sterling school com
mittee met the school committee of
Westminster and that Of Princeton in
Fitchburg. The joint body elected e.
H. Grout of North Brookfield superin-
ltendent of the schools Of the three
towns. Mr.. Grout fills the vacancy
made by the resignation of Albert l..
Barber who has gone to fill the posi-
ton of superintendent of schools in
South Hadley.