Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-03-25


The police department was accorded
a big surprise Thursday when they
secured confessions from Howard Lin
nell and Mrs. GOldie Cormick both Of
this city, for the clothesline robberies
which took place here Monday night,
when about q dozen different homes
were visited and clothes taken. The
confessions came about in most pc
culiar manner, as the police had ut
tie idea that the principals in the affair
were residents of this city. Nearly all
the clothes have been recovered and
the city building was busy place
Thursday afternoon with claimants TO
identify the lost belongings.
Thursday morning City Marshal
Richardson was called on the telephone
by the Linnell boy, who told the mar
shall that he knew where some of the
clothes had been hidden. The marshall
went to his home on Dunbar court to
see Linnell and was told Of where a.
portion of the missing goods were The
boy told the officer that they were in
the woods on the Ridge road. Iinnell
was dSHtu " tii' o''INtI "
that section and during the ride he was
piled with numerous questions and at
last broke down completely, telling
Marshal Richardson that he and the
Cormick woman Committed the acts on
Monday evening.
They went to the Ridge road and
with the help of Linnell found some of
the clothes without much trouble. They
were packed tightly away in sack.
The marshal placed Linnell under ar
rest and took him to the City building.
He then visited the Cormick woman at
her home on Western avenue. She was
taken to the City building. where she
also confessed to her part in the affair.
Her confession of her guilt complete
ly surprised the officers. She stated
tina; on last Monday evening. in COM
pany with Howard Linnell, she went
to ride, having secured a team from
Pillsbury's stable. They went down on
the Plains, where they secured a guam
tity of liquor. Both became intoxicated
and while driving up one of the streets
noticed line full of clothes and. as
she stated, more for amusement than
anything else, they took the clothes.
The mania for clothes grew upon them,
although she stated that she did not
exactly know just what she was doing.
To complete their evenings enjoyment
they tried to get as many clothes as
possible.
Mrs. Cormick went further in her
confession and related to the officers
just how she and Linnell disposed of
the articles, She was at loss on the
following day. after she had taken the
clothes to her home to know exactly
what to do with them. She stated that
she sold her rings to get money enough
to hire another team with which she
could take the clothes and hide them.
She and Linnell then went I'd various
parts of this section, throwing away
portions OF the stolen goods. Most of
tho clothes were stuffed into sacks.
The first place they went was to the
Ridge road. where they threw away a
quantity. They then went to the road
near the mountain. where they dis.
postd of more Taking another road
they started for Oakland, going away
down the Belgrade road past the cem-
ctery. they threw more clothes behind
fences and into the woods. Coming
back they left the balance on the sid
nev road. covering up their tracks in
an excellent manner.
She broke down after relating her
story to the officers but recovering
agreed to accompany the marshal to
the various places where they had left
the goods. The Linnell boy remained
rather quiet, refusing to impart very
little information and was kept in the
cell room. The marshal in company
with Mrs. Cormick left here about
noon. first going to the vicinity Of the
mountain, only short distance from
the place the Linnell boy had taken
him in the morning. They then made
the rounds, visiting every place where
goods had been left and returned to
this city about 6 o'clock. The goods
were placed in the detention room with
the rest.
Mrs. Cormick was admitted to bail.
her mother, Mrs. Haywood agreeing to
be responsible for her appearance in
the morning at the hearing. Linnell
was unable to get bail and was kept
in the station all the night.
The detention room resentbled a
laundry with the goods stacked high
on every table and chair When the
whole amount had been brought in it
was spread out as much as possible to
allow the claimants the chance for
identity. During the afternoon and
evening many of those whose lines had
been robbed came to the City build
ing and after looking over the various
piles. picked out just what they identi-
fled as their own and put them in
separate lots with their names on
them.
The affair, since the arrests, has
been the subject of great deal of
discussion. Both the parties are well
known here and just what they could
have wanted of these goods is I'M
known to the officers. 1t is geherally
believed that they were intoxicated
otherwise they would not have COM
mitted the acts. This is shown from
the fact that they had no use for the
clothes after taking them and tried to
hide them. 1t would have probably
remained mystery for long time,
perhaps forever. had not the Linnell
boy made certain talk and communi-
Gated with the marshal. 1t is stated
that in pool room he remarked that
he thought he knew where some of the
missing articles might be found but