The Portland daily press., 1901-01-14

OF Mrs. Moshier as nhe sat In her cnhir
by the side OF this stand was the stove,
a common. old fashioned, wood burning
cooking range. From II long smoke
pire stretched away across the room into
the old fashioned chimney, and from this
pips hung a pair OF felt boots belonging
Clifford, hung up there by him to
DRY when he returned home from the
village on Saturday night
Near the end OF this Kitchen nearest
the door opening on to the porch was the
dining table, with the dishes which had
been placed there after the evening meal
was eaten and covered with a red table
cloth. The covering Of the table was an
oil cloth, one end OF which Is now stained
with blood. 1t was at the foot of this
table that Clifford Moshier was given the
first blow from the sled stake by the
white man and the pool Of blood on the
floor near the Table and the blood
splashes ON the table End the wall near
by show how
TERRIFIC WAS THIS BLOW.
So much for a description OF the
kitchen, whese The opening scene Of this
tragedy was played and q glance at tine
accompanying diagram OF the ground
ficor Of the house and OF the picture OF
the interior OF the kitchen taken from the
window through which the men jumped
viii make this explanation more clear.
Now tor the story of what happened In
this room at about seven o'clock Satur
day night.
Clifford Mosher had been into Gorham
for the mail and had brought back with
him a letter to his mother and some
newspapers for himself. They had eaten
simmer and Clifford had aided his, mother
In preparing the evening meal and In al
forwards clearing IL away from the table.
Mrs. Mosher is seventy-two years old
and recently injured her knee so badly
that she Is quite lame and can only move
about with the utmost difficulty. Then
Clifford attended to his evening duties
about the stable and shortly before seven
O'Clock came in to sit down by the stand
before referred TO. He pulled of his long
felt boots and hung them by a string
from the stove pipe over the stove, and
taking up a paper began to read. Mrs.
Mosher and her son were quietly reading
before going to bed, when there came a
knock at the back door or the door open
ing on TO the porch. Had they but known
1t, without this door stood man with the
sled STAKE ready to
SMASH OUT THE BRAINS
OF Clifford or his mother or whoever
should answer the summons. The night
was then dark, the moon in ia last quar-
ter not having yet arisen. The negro,
Bill Hands probably stood behind his
white companion. also armed and ready
for the assault, but 1t was not made in
this way.
1t Is a most uncommon thing even at
seven O'Clock at night for anyone to
knock at the door of farm house.
Neighb0rs do not dolmuoh:calling ouHlhls
way after nightfall and especially on
stormy nights, for at this time the snow
was falling quite rapidly and the indica-
tions were that the night would be an
UNPLEASANT one. Only bewildered and
weary travellers knock at farm house
doors after nightfalI, as a rule. At any
rate, the summons at this time of night
in the Mosher household was unusual
Now when this summons came Mrs.
Moshier naturally said she wondered who
IL could be.
ut is that John McLain, l feel sure,
said Clifford John MoLsin had caused
some trouble at 1.-THE Mosher house few
years before this. He was described as
being a very large man and good natured,
apparently, hut he had a fondness for
liquor which made people about the local.
ity view him with distrust He did not
hail from anywhere in Gorham's vicinity
hut came from some place down east, 3"
where he had a wife and family so it was
said. Four years ago he was hired to work
on this farm during having time by Mrs
Moshier. He did his work we'll enough
but got 10 the habit Of going across ths
fields to a near by house and nlliug up
worthless and
AS HE GOT DRUNK
as often as he got the chance the Moshiers
soon discovered that he was not very
mum BOOI al any JliH6. OHc udy nEbs
Mosher's family went away TO a wedding
or some similar gathering in the neigh
Dorhood. They had told Nolan and an.
other hired man that II they wanted cider
at any time they could have little, but
that they must not abuss the privilege.
when the Moshier family departed on
this day MoLain got French boy who
was about the place to break into the
cider cellar and steal for himself and the
other hired man some of the cider stored
there This ths boy did and when she
Moshiers came back home they found
Nolan and the other man stretched out
beside fence dead drunk instead OF be-
Ing at work In the fields where they
should have been,
Mrs Mosher prom PITY discharged Nc
Lain He took his discharge with good
nature and parted with friendly feelings
towards the family is was supposed. He
rever had cross wor d with Clifford or
any of the others in the household. In fact
Mira Mosher said Sunday that Mel AIMS