Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-08-10
BRUTAL MURDER
Of Two Methuen Officers
By Unknown Party
Sent 10 Locate Hen Yard
And Vegetable Thieves.
Do Not Return...Battered and Dead
Bodies Later Found.

Methuen, Mass. Aug. 9.-Brutally
beaten to death in the performance of
their duty. the bodies of Charles III.
Emerson and Frank McDermOtt, men,
bcrs of the Methucn police department,
were found in a peat meadow on the
outskirts of this town after search
of several hours today. The two Of
ficcrs were sent out last night In an
effort to catch petty marauders, who
for some time past had been causing
great annoyance and loss to the farm
ers of the vicinity by numerous rob-
cries of hen yards and vegetable gar
dens. The officers failed to report for
duty this morning and fearing some
mishap, Chief of Police Amos G.
Jones at once organized searching par
ties. The countryside was thoroughly
gone over but it was not until late
in the afternoon that one of the posse
stumbled across the bodies of the two
officers half concealed in the bushes
of dcsOlate peat meadow.
Nearby the two borpses We're two
large blood stained stones. McDer-
motifs head was crushed and there
wore ugly bruises about his body as
if he had been beaten to death by some
blunt implements, presumably the
lood-stained rocks. Close beside him
was Emerson's body. This too was
covered with bruises.
The bushes about the spot were spat-
tered with blood and tram olcd, evil
IDENTIFY by 4 struggle, but from the ma
ture of the spot and the position in
h A, hn nod
thought that while the two officers
were following the man or men they
suspected of thieving, they We're at
tackled viciously from the bushes
AS soon as the discovery of the crime
was made known to Chief Jones, he com
municated with the state police, who sent
State Officer Fred F. Flynn upon the case.
There were clues to work upon. Tracks
were sen leading from the place. but the
immediate vicinity was so thoroughly
tracked over by the searching parties be-
fore the bodies were discovered that it
was impossible to trace the steps.
The most intense excitement has been
caused in the neighboring countryside for
thieves. as they at first supposed, the
CltlacIlS iliu OlIlCtIS iOW llllu lIl:-llScINcS
confronted with the task of capturing
desperate criminals, and with the memory
of the pistol fight between BOs-
ton officers and yeggmen in Jamaica
Plain a few weeks before there
is great anxiety on all sides
the state police announced tonight
that they had taken possession of the
field where the bodies were found and
until they had made a thorough search
of the place no one would be permit
ted to enter the meadow without au-
thorty.
The only clew found tonight was d
loaf of Syrian bread which was picked
up short distance from where the
bodies were found Numbers of Syrians
and other foreigners from the mills OF
the NEARBY city of Lawrence within the
past few years have been taking VI
wild land in the vicinity OF Mcthuen
where they have tried farming on q
small scale. Since these farms have
been established there have been
numerous cases of petty thieving re
ported, hens. eggs and vegetables from
the more prosperous farms nearby be-
ing taken from time to time.
That the assault upon the officers was
not for robbery was apparent for q
considerable sum of money on thei1
persons and their watches were not
disturbed. Their revolvers, however
were missing. One was picked UP sew
cral yards from the scene and the
other has not been located
A brief examination disclosed that
NOT II bs,I -,
ed by something heavy and blunt
The autopsy will be performed tomor-
row morning at 10 o'clock.
The scene of the crime was about
a mile and a half from the center OF
the town. off the Lowell road.
Merson was So years old. He was 4
native of Manchester. N. H., but had
been connected with the Methuen po-
lice force for some time. A widow and
two sons survive. McDemott was &c
years old and one daughter survives
He formerly lived in Lowell.