Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-09-15
|Coroner's JuIy's Verdict
In West Seboeis. Case.
Remains Of Unknown Man
Found in Deserted Camp.
Jury Believes 1t Suicide, But Rem.
ders Above Verdict.

bdISOI, ME-, Sept 'hQoS'oI
was held at Millinocket Monday fore
noon to determine, if possible, how the
unknown man, found in deserted
logging camp about mile and a half
west of West Schools last week, came
to his death. The inquiry, which was
presided over by Coroner Bragdon of
Millinocket and attended by County
Attorney Thompson of Orono, was
convened in the office of Trial Justice
Stearns in Millinocket. After examin-
ing the probable scene of the mans
death and hearing the evidence, the
jury brought in a verdict that the I'M
known man came to his death by fell
ony, that a rope was employed to car
ry it out and that the deed was ac-
complisned by person or persons I'M
known to the jury.
Last Tuesday afternoon, while ex-
ploring in the vicinity of West Schools
for the coming winters operations by
the Milo Lumber Co., Frank Atwood
came across an old log cabin that he
had used some time before. Thinking
that it might serve him in a similar
way this fall, he started to examine
it and on entering the door was hor-
rified to see the body of a man lying
almost across the threshold. 1t was i'll
very advanced state of decomposi-
ton and it was impossible to identify
the body in any way. Without making
more than preliminary examination
of the scene and fearing that the man
t<rhf ,s~ts,
play, Mr.. Atwood hurried and reported
the case to the authorities upriver, who
in turn turned the case over to Sher-
if White, as the man was found in
his territory.
Mr.. Atwood at the hearing held Mon
day testified substantially as above re-
lated. Other witnesses were the Hall
brothers of Milo Mr.. Rich of Charles
ton, a Mr.. Bonsey of West Seboeis, and
Fred Terrio of Seboeis. The Messrs
Hall and Ric! testified that they to-
gether with another man who could not
attend the inquest, had spent the night
of March Is in the cabin in which the
body had been found. They had seen
nothing out of the way at the time they
were there.
Fred Terrio of Schools testified that
he had passed the cabin about a week
ago and had noticed the object lying
in the doorway, but had thought moth
ing of it until the discovery last Tues
day, when he recollected having noticed
the object in the cabin.
After hearing the evidence, the jury,
which was composed of r. D. Jones,
foreman; L. L. Bracey, Joe Couture,
Ancii Bragg, Bert Coe and Jacob Hol-
lis, brought in the following verdict:
1.-THE person unknown came to his
death by the hands of person or per-
sons unknown to the jury by felony:
instrument employed. rope.
(Signed) "R. d. JONES, Foreman,
Il. L. BRACEY,
JOE COUTURE,
"ANCIL BRAGG,
BERT COE,
JACOB HOLLIS
The scene at the deserted cabin was
gruesome one. Near the door lay the
body Of the man which was practical
ly reduced to a skeleton. 1t was clothed
in a union suit of overalls and jumper
and under this was another pair of
The man must have been about 5
feet. or inches in height. The hair
was black with no tinge of gray Four
teeth were gone in the front of the
lower jaw and one from the side of the
upper jaw. The remaining teeth were
in good condition. No clues to the
identity of the man could be obtained
in any way from the clothing.
When the body was examined, a
piece of window cord was found about
the neck, which was broken at the base
OF the skull, and still another piece of
the same cord was found hanging from
beam almost over the body. From the
position of the body and the finding of
the pieces of rope, the authorities firm
ly believe that the man committed SUI
eide by hanging. A low stool, not far
from where the body was lying. which
might have been used in a hanging
lent color to this belief.