Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-07-30
May Lead to Solution Of
Drew Murder Mystery.
Dead Girls Chum May Hell
Clear Up the Case.
Information as to Dead Girls
Friends Likely to Help Police.

Troy. n. Y, July 29.-After a day Of
hard search in the Taborton Noun
tain, Detectives Powers and Unser Of
the district attorneys Office, returned
here late with the announcement that
they had come across what is likely to
be most promising clue in the Hazel
Drew murder mystery.
The detectives went out to see il
they could find any trace of Hazel
Drew having gone along Bears Head
read toward the farmhouse of Mrs.
Libbie Sowalsky on the night of the
murder. They first talked with Willie
Drew, Hazcl's brother, who said he
had expected Hazel to see him at
Mrs. Sowalskys farm. where he was
stopping for a week, before she met
her death.
The two detectives are said to have
found two witnesses who will say they
saw Hazel start in the direction of
Bears Head road shortly after she
was seen near Tears pond. They are
secretive about the result of their in
vestigation. but hint that within the
next "a hours there may be most i'm
portant developments.
District Attorney O'Brien. after talk
ing with the detectives. said: There
will be two new witnesses at Thurs
days inquest. 1 cannot at this time
say what they will testify. but it
may, from what I have been told.
have much to do toward accounting
for Hazel Drew's movements after
she was seen picking berries near
Tears pond. I shall follow out the clue
afforded by these two witnesses, and
it looks to me as though we have
come across a line of investigation
that will lead to the discovery or
HazeIs murderer"
From the way the district attorney
spoke the inference was taken that
his detectives had found positive evil
dencc that Hazel Drew was Intercepted
while on her way to Mrs. Sewalsky's
house and taken to the pond where the
murder was accomplished.
Asked about this. Mr. O'Brien re-
piled: II do not feel like going into
any discussion at this time. All 1 can
say is that our clue is one of the most
promising We have yet found"
Besides these two new witnesses the
district attorney expects to have
Miss Carrie Weaver. HazeIs chum, at
the inquest. Miss Weaver, who was
employed as a domestic in Troy. went
on a vacation three weeks ago at the
home Of relatives near Springfield, ..
More than anyone else Miss Weaver
knew Hazel's habits and associations,
and the district attorney has been try
ing to find her and insure her appear
ance at the inquest Through the
Springfield authorities word was COM
municated to her yesterday. and the
girl said she would leave for Troy i'm
me.liatcly and tell all she knows OF
Hazel. Mr.. O'Brien hopes she will be
able to furnish the names of some one
of Hazels acquaintances who possibly
through motive of jealousy might
have committed the murder.
The Springfield authorities procured
statement from Miss Weaver in which
she declared she had no idea who
might have killed her chum, hut Mr..
O'Brien believes she can tell more than
she would admit.
Hazel was a remarkable girl said
Miss Weaver. II never could manage
to buy the fine hats and swell cos
tunes that she wore, although our
wages were the same. / never quite I'M
derstood how Hazel managed. Not only
did she wear expensive clothes, but she
had elaborate luncheons at fashionable
restaurants, besides making many
trips out of town. From what Hazel
told me she must have went away from
home. She said she had dandy dinners
and that she was always treated fine.
really cont believe that Hazel went
with any men, for she never told me.
still it was always puZzling to me"
Mrs. John Drew, Hazel's mother,
made the assertion that she believed
Hazel must have been hypnotized and
then murdered. Hazel did not commit
suicide, insisted Mrs. Drew. "She had
everything she wanted, and was entire
ly happy. If anything had been wrong
she would have come to me. She al
ways did. and / gave her everything
she asked whether it was money or
anything else. She would not have gone
out to Uncle Will for money, as has
been said. That never made her go out
to Averill park on that Tuesday night.