Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-02-19

1t is believed that the finding of the
body of Mrs. Maude Woodbury., wife
Of one of the prominent residents of
this town, shortly after o'clock this
evening. hanging in an unused room
at the top of the Exchange hotel has
brought to light one of the most re-
voting and cold-blooded murders ever
committed in this section of the State.
Immediately after the discovery of
the body Herbert Woodbury., husband
of the dead woman. was placed under
arrest and is held pending an investi-
cation Of the case. An inquest will be
held tomorrow by Coroner H. A. Holt
of Dover. The dead woman had been
missing since Nov 4, 1907.
There has been considerable specula-
ton as to the whereabouts Of Mrs.
Woodbury.. who had not been seen or
heard from since early last Novemer
Shortly after the disappearance Mr..
Woodbury. went to live with relatives
on River street. He is said to have
been under the care of a physician.
who administered treatment for heart
trouble.
Previous to the disappearance of Mrs.
Woodbury. she had lived with her hus.
band on the second floor of the build
ing on the upper floor OF which her
body was found. a part of the remaind-
er Of the building being used for the
accommodation of dodgers. 1t is said
that Mr.. and Mrs. Woodbury. did not
live happily together.
Woodbury. has for a long time SUI
fered from heart trouble and after go
ing 70 live with relatives, following
the disappearance OF his wife this be-
came more serious. He sometimes
went driving with his daughter and
on such occasion as they passed by
the hotel he was invariably seized
with an attack.
The discovery of the body resulted
from the suspicious of Mrs. Wood
bury's relatives at Milo that there had
been foul play. After waiting for a long
time and receiving no news to indi-
cate that Mrs. Woodbury. was still
alive her people decided to start an
investigation and today her brother,
Edward Henderson, came to Foxcroft
to start an investigation. He secured
the assistance of Sheriff James M.
Knowles and together the two men
went to the Exchange hotel and
searched the premises.
Finding nothing in the lower part of
the house they went through the upper
rooms and on the upper floor, in a
,t-t,i ho1 60
long time, they found the remains Of
the missing woman. The body was
frozen solid About the neck was a
small cord and the other END OF it was
fastened to the door knob in such a
manner that the head was raised about
two inches from the floor.
Besides the body there was nothing
in the room except pile of old mat
tresSes. A curSory examination of the
remains failed to reveal any evidence
of struggle, although from their ap-
pearance it was manifest that the wo-
man had been dead for many weeks.
The body was fully dressed and there
was no disarrangement of the cloth
ing. The hair was loosened and hung
down over the shoulders.
unused was evidenced by a thick coat
ing of dust on the floor In this there
was trail showing that the body had
been dragged to the room. Whether
or not the woman was dead when TAX
en- to the room is a matter of conjec-
ture, but the fact that there was no
evidence of struggle lends strength
to this theory. as it is not likely that
the woman would have permitted her
self to have been dragged to the room
without struggle if she had been
alive. unless she was under the infiu-
ence of drug. The trail through the
dust was lost as it came into the other
parts Of the house, which were more
frequently used.
Mrs. Woodbury. vas well known in
this section of the State and had
many friends. The fact that she had
not been seen in a long time had caus-
ed much comment, but there was no
suspicion that she had met with foul
play except on the part of her relatives.
who became greatly alarmed as week