Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-09-08
LODGED IN JAIL.
Red Faced Man Locked Up
in Saco.
Has Changed His Story in a Few In
portant Parts.
Now Says He Saw No Man Follow
Woman Into Woods.

Saco. Me-, Sept. deputy Sheriff
Miles. last night, brought to this CITY
and lodged in Jail Isaac F. Douglass.
the tramp who is suspected of being
the murderer of Miss Olive Broad in
Cornish. Douglass was arraigned in
Cornish. Saturday afternoon, before
Trial Justice Randall. and on q charge
of vagrancy was committed to the
county Jail for 80 days, which sentence
VIII Keep him safely until after the sit
ting of the September term of the su-
preme court. Meanwhile. the inves.;-
cation of the murder case will be con-
tinued. with special reference to the
clews against Douglass The object of
bringing him here instead of taking
him to the county Jail in Alfred, was
partly to save long drive across coun-
try. but chiefly to give Deputy Miles
an opportunity to get better acquaint-
ed with and. if possible, into the conf
dence of the prisoner.
Yesterday. the Buxton man who was
thought to have been described by
Douglass as the man whom he SAID he
W
short distance behind Miss Broad. gave
d satisfactory account of his move
ments on the afternoon of the murder
and was released.
Douglass, in the presence of County
Attorney Matthews, State Officer Hart
nett, Sheriff Fogg. Deputy Miles and
Constable Favour on Saturday admit
ted that the story he told about seeing
a man follow Miss Broad into the
woods road was not true. He said ne
got only passing glance at her as she
walked past him. when he was sitting
beside the road but he was able TO
give the officers a remarkably accurate
description of her appearance AMI her
clothing He said he saw her turn into
the woods road. and no one else was in
sight A few minutes later he heard
two shots fired He didn't think any
thing was wrong, but he got up ana
continued his journey toward the sta
ton. Several persons saw him sitting
on the grass, but no one has yet beea
found who passed him on the roa 1 be-
tween the station and the woods road.
Douglass admits that he slept IN
Charles E. Storey's barn the night be-
fore the day of the murder. Storey
buildings were broken into. and some
crackers and two cans of hogsh"ad
cheese were stolen. One OF the empty
cans was found beside the road Wltn'h
100 yards of where the murdered Wo-
mans body lay. Douglass denies that
he took any provisions from Storey
During the interview. yesterday, the
prisoner remarked that there is no
hanging in this State. and If ne dlh
commit the crime when he was out OF
his mind. the worst that could be dohe
with him would be to send him to State
prison His memory. the officers say,
is good concerning everything eXchpt
his movements Immediately preceding
and following the time when he saw
Miss Broad pass him on the CORNISH
road. He says he had been in Hiram.
| looking for work, and passed through
Cornish without going near the fair
| grounds. He has been tiampinS ever
| since. covering about $50 miles. and the
| officers say his routeindicates studied
| avoiding of cities and villages.
| The officers frankly admit that they
have nothing but circumstantial evil
| aence against him. and hardly enough
of that to warrant prosecution hht
| they hope to he able before the grant
fury sits to get hold of something more
| tangible.