Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-06-01
Of the Late Joseph \.
Hooker Of Windsor.
The Man Had Been Missing
Since Last November. /
Wandered Away from Home--An Inquest
Will Be Held, Today.

South Windsor, Me-, May 81
(SpeciaD.-A mystery which has hover
cd over this town ever since the first
Of November, 1901, when Joseph Henry
Hooker an old and wcll-known resident
of the town, disappeared as complete
ly as If the earth had swallowed him.
was cleared up, Tuesday afternoon, by
the discovery of the lifeless body of the
old man. in 4 clump Of bushes in pas
ture owned by j. 3. .Albee.
The discovery WAS mad" by Walter
stevens of this town, station agent at
The COOEer's Mills station of the Wis
tasset, Watcrville 4; Pennington Rail-
road. al about O'Clock IN the after
noon. Mr.. Stevens was out walking
through the pasture at the time, and
upon coming in the vicinity of the
clump of bushes spoken Of his atten-
ton was arrested by horrible stencil.
Thinking that some dead animal must
be lying about somewhere, he began a
search. and came upon the remains of
a human being.
The remains We're those of a small
man, and were lying in little hollow.
around which the bushes grew thickly.
so that had it not been for the sicken-
ing odor which arose from the body.
one might have passed within a foot of
the bushes and not seen il.
Mr.. Stevens at once notified the all-
thOritics, and but little difficulty was
found in identifying the body as that
of the missing man. The body lay upon
the back, i'll an easy position. as one
might take when asleep, and although,
owing to the long months of exposure
TO the weather, decomposition was far
advanced, those who viewed the re-
mains had not doubt as 10 whose they
were.
Word was sent to Coroner II. T.
Morse Of Augusta, who arrived during
the evening. and after viewing the re-
mains, ordered them removed for burial.
Coroner Morse will hold an inquest on
the case, al IL o'clock, Thursday morn
ing, at the residence Of j. y. AIbac
upon whose land the body was found.
and with whom Hooker had boarded I'D
to the time of his disappearance.
Joseph Henry Hooker was man
about 81 years Of age, and veteran Of
the Civil War. His home was formerly
~ 'hN upI'Vi t'til III Liz lONIl Out lOr
the past eight years preceding his
death he had boarded in the family of
j. Il. Albee. He was in feeble condi-
ton. physically. and his mind was de-
ranged, SO that n careful watch was
Kept OVER his movements. He entertain
ed the relief that he WAS going to have
d fight with tn" Devil. and it is sad
hat he made frequent visits to The pas-
ture and wood lot. not lar from the
house presumably for that purpose.
ON Monday afternoon Nov I. he left
the mouse sometime between $50 and 6
O'Clock. and had not been gone more
thOn 10 minutes when a search for hir,
Wis commenced. He vas not found
however, ana though the search was r.
stunned ON the following day. and for
many days aft"rWard no trace of his
whereabouts lad been learned until tho
discovery of his body. Tuesday afte--
foon. SCH, Fred Hooker living at
jefferson survives him.
Nothing ab3It the body indicated
that the cause of death had been any,
thing of a vir'cnt nature. ana i. is the
belief in this vicinity that he had lost
his way after leaving the house. AMI
after wandering abou. in the darkness
Until cXnauste |, hal laid Gown in the
clump Of bushes whrr" lis BODY was
found. and where death had followed as
the result of exhaustion ana exposure