The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-12-25
NO DEVELOPMENTS
The State Detectives Have Made
No Advance Towards Finding
the Murderer of Asa Bennett
WILLIAM BENNETT WILL
LIKELY BE FREE SOON
Officers Generally Believe That
He Is Innocent But They Will
Hold Coat For a Time

The Bennett murder in Hubbardston
Thursday night still continues to phase
the state police inasmuch as they are
unable to get any evidence to show
that William Bennett, the second cous-
in of the murdered man, who has been
arrested for the crime, is guilty. He is
now in the Jail on Summer street await
ing trial at Gardner, Jan. 2, and until
that time the officers will put in every
effort to hunt down the perpetrator Of
the crime.
The coat worn by Bennett when he
was arrested is at station in the hands
of Inspectors Patrick O'Day and Will
lam ]. f. Stone and will not be sent
away just yet to an expert for examina-
ton until there are further develop
ments in the case. DIR. Frederick H.
Baker looked at the coat at station /,
but would give no opinion as to the
stains on the coat, and District Attor-
ney lockwood Hear will decide what
shall be done with it when the proper
time arrives
There are a number of stains on the
coat, as told exclusively in yesterday
mornings Spy, and they are of such a
nature as to cause suspicion. The Off
| GERS will hold the coat and if District
Attorney Hoar orders an examination
to be made 1t will be sent away. Bennett
who is in Summer street jail, spent
much of his time reading yesterday, and
says that there Is not the slightest rea-
son for his being locked up. He feels
that he
CAN ACCOUNT FOR EVERY
MINUTE
of his time during the evening on which
the murder was committed. He feels
badly that anything he might have done
! in the past should be raked up as he
says any man is apt to make mistake
in regard to some things and if he gets
into trouble 1t is magnified a thousand
times.
At one time Bennett worked in Wor-
! cester on the old Wetherell farm or
| Pleasant street for Albert E. Wood
ward He did his work faithfully while
there for a time and it is considered a
surprise by those who knew him that
he should be arrested charged with
such a crime.
| State Detective Peleg F. Murray, who
is handling the case, feels certain that
the murder was committed by some one
who knew the premises thoroughly. The
window near which Mr.. Bennett must
| have been sitting could not be seen
from the street and this practically does
away with the theory that a tramp
passing by might see the old man pom
| dering over his papers and walk in and
| strike him over the head.
T., = hn dor
strikes the police as one similar to the
Billiard murder in Shrewsbury in 1876
/ when a young man named Murphy
1 Stayed his employer. Old Mr.. Billiard
was killed in his home one night and
about $50 taken from his clothes. Muir
| ply, who worked for him, left the town
shortly after the murder and Inspector
| Patrick O'Dav worked on the case in
| Worcester. Murphy came To
! WORCESTER WITH HIS ILL
GOTTEN GAIN
and was later arrested at q sporting
house at that time kept by Jackson Nc
! Gee on May Ftreet He was tried and
! sentenced to state prison for life. He
was pardoned out and died short time
| al err.
| The Hubbardston murder in many
ways resembles this one, and the local
police think 1t would be a good idea for
the men who are looking after the Hub
! bardston murderer to see If there are
characters about town who are missing
or overwhelmed with money. State De
! tective Murray and his force are keep
ing at the case and expect to be re-
warded That the police will have hard
/ time proving any kind of case against
Bennett is not doubted even by them
selves, but they propose to satisfy them
selves as to his innocence before they
! give UP that clew His coat will I'M
| doubtedly be sent away for analysis of
the spots as it may prove to be good
clew and yet may amount to nothing.