Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-01-15
Cold b|ooded Deed by a
Chicago Young Man.
Attempts to Assault Woman
Strang|es Her With Wire.
Crowd at Hearing Wild Over His H.
difference and Defiant Air.

/ OnlctSO, Jan. H. ne DotS vi -.
| BESSIE Hollister. wife of Franklin G..
| HOLSTER Il member of the printing
firm of Hollistcr Bros, of 25G Madison
| street, one of the largest of its kind in
| the city, was found Saturday morning
| lying on pile of stable refuse in the
rear of the residence of Edward Ivcns
at 36S Beldcn avenue.
| Around the neck of Mrs. HOLSTER
was twisted a fine copper wire and she
inquest ionably mad been murdered by
strangulation ana her body thrown up
IN the pile of refuse
Shortly before noon today Richard
Ivens, the young man who reported to
| the police that the body Of Mrs. Hollis
ter WAS lying in the stable yard. con-
feSsed to Assistant Chief of Police
Schuettler that he had killed the
woman.
He declared that Friday as he was
working i'm his carpenter shop, a short
distance from where the body was
found. Mrs. Hollister passed by. He at
| tackled her, he declares. ana attempt ed
| to assault her She resisted desperately
| ana he twisted the wire around her
| neck and killed her.
When II was dark he dragged the
body into the stable yard and threw il
| upon the pile of refuse He then en-
tered his fathers house, q few feet dis
t"nt remained there all the evening
and slept soundly through the night.
| Saturday morning he went out 10 IN.
| stable yard. and pretending to find the
body. rushed into the house and renorted
| the fact to his father lyons is "A wears
of -
| reputation.
| Mrs. Hollister left her home at l0S Full
| lerton avenue Friday afternoon to attend
| the funor of Il friend. Mrs. Emma Sem
pie, ut liz Seminary avenue. She ordered
| some supplies from a grocery then sic
went to Il florists to order some flower.
| for the funeral.
The flowers We're delivered at the house
where the funeral was held and the gro
ceries were delivered AZ the HoliSter res
| iderce. After leaving the florists Mrs.
| HOLSTER disappeared. That was the last
| seen OF her by anyone who knew her.
After waiting until Friday night fo.
her return, Mr.. HOLSTER Informed the
| police of her disappearance and an all
| night search was Instituted.
Mrs. Hollister was 80 years of age \
woman of great personal charm. For
wears she lad been noted as the possessor
of voice Of extraordinary beauty. Sha
| frequently appeared ut musical entertain
m"ntS here.
| Irens. in his confession. claimed tina;
| he was drunk at the time of the crime.
but this is denied by his mother, who
| says he entered the house and ate his SIM
| per perfectly sober
At the conclusion Of the coroner's in
quest. which was held laie in the day. 4
verdict was returned holding Ivens to the
criminal court without bail.
During the inquest 1vens remained
seated and apparently Shove no inter
est in the proceedings. When he was
called upon by the coroner to testify
lvens' unccncerned manner and defiant
tone caused great Indignation among iii \,
| men in the room. and after the inquest
was over W. c. HOLSTER brother in-,aw
of the murdered woman, made an effort
to shoot him.
HolliStcr was making his way toward
lvens. revolver in hand. when al officer
| caught sight of the weapon ana grabbed
him. Other policemen came to the Off
GERS aid and HOLSTER was compelled to
leave the place.
Ivens when detailing the crime spoke ir
the most Indifferent manner. lie said
well, | WAS standing in front Of the
carpenter snow when this-what's her
nance
You mean Mrs. lIollister. don't YOU"
asked the coroner.
Yes. that's her name. She came along
and ] grabbed her. We were standing ut
the gate in the alley for five minutes and
then l dragged her into the yard
Ivcns identified the wire which he
twisted around the neck of Mrs HOLSTER
saying calmly: Yes. that's it,