The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1905-08-18
Maine Girl Killed While Cook
ing Supper For Them.
AN ATR0CI0US CRIME.
Murderers Are Supposed to Be Men Who
Were Released from Auburn
Prison Yesterday
Morning.

Kent's Hill, Me-, August is.-A bru-
tai and peculiarly atrocious murder was
committed here last night, the victim
being Matte Hackett, the 1syear
daughter Of Levi Hackett, well-known
farmer Of this community
The countryside is aroused over the
affair and officers and men are searching
the neighborhood for four tramps who
had applied at the house for food and
who are suspected OF having been the
perpetrators Of the horrible crime.
1t was shortly after supper that four
men, evidently tramps, called at the
Hackett homestead, told story OF hay-
ing travelled iong distance, of being
in need OF food and asked that they
might be given something to eat. Mr..
Hackett. who has a local reputation for
hospitality, instructed his daughter to
prepare meal for the four strangers.
While she was engaged in this service,
Mr. Haekett, accompanied by one OF his
guests, named Harry Jones, went to the
nearby stable to do some Of the evenings
chores
While Mr.. Hackett and the man Jones
were at the barn, a scream as Of one
in distress. was heard from the direc-
tion of the house. The two men hast
ened to the farmhouse, which they found
t0 be deserted Mr. Hackett had ex-
pected to find the three men in the
yard where he had left them, but sup
posed that the had gone into the house
to await supper.
just as he was about 10 enter the
house second time, another scream
was heard, this time as ii from the
highway toward Readfeid.
The farmer with Jones following. hlu-
ried down the road and at place about
thirty rods from the house, found ly-
ing by the wayside the body of his
daugater. He heard the sound Of rum
ming men, making away across the fields,
AS soon as Mr.. Hackett recovered from
momentary shock, he summoned a
neighbef to his assistance.
When Mr.. Hackett and the neighbor
returned to the place. where the girl
Law. they found a small cord drawn
tightly about her neck, by which she
had evidently been strangled, although
there was fearful cash in her head
When found the girl was unconscious and
bleeding; she died shortly after being
carried to the house. The meal which
the young woman had been preparing
for the men who accomplished her death
was on the table. Word of the crime
was sent by telephone to police officials
at Readfeld, who Immediately came To
| the scene, accompanied By DR. j. al
Alilliken. Searching parties were at once
formed and the police. Of surrounding
/ towns informed of the murder and in
strueted to look for the three missing
men.
| Harry Jones, who made no attempt
| to get away, was, however, placed under
arrest. He Is about rs years Of age II
response to police inquiries. Jones said
! that BE and the three men had beer
released from Auburn jail this morning
| and walked to Kent's Hill. a distance
of about twenty-five miles. He SAID
the name of one of his companions was
! James Brennan. The other two he DIG
not know.
sheriff Cummings of Auburn, who was
asked concerning the story Of Jones, sait
that five tramps had been released from
Auburn Jail yesterday morning. They
Ind all been committed from the Auburr
municipal court. Their names are p. H
/ Gibbons. James Brennan, john McEaeh
ern. Richard Love and Harry Jones.
| While the motive for the horrible crime
is not clear as yet, the police are in
clined to believe that the murderer
had attempt to assault the young WON
an.
| The wound on the girls head was eyi
IDENTIFY caused by blow from a ston,
on club. It is believed that the blow
was struck to silence the outery Of thl
victim.