The Washington times., 1912-04-14

~ Soil b
young girl. and begged the detectives 70
do something. @se-y = ~
Levi Hacisesfs farm Of $50 acres stood
on the crest Of a great hill about three
miles from Readfieid Station. on the
Maine Central railroad It was within
mile or the picturesque location of
Kent's Hill Seminary, a college prepar-
atory school. under charge of the Maine
Methodist Conference.
He had q large family, but on the
night of the tragedy everyone was at a
neighbours. with the exception of the
rugged old farmer and his eighteen
year-old daughter Matte. She was pre-
pairing the evening meal when some
one, standing in the dusk. called her
from the Kitchen. She started out the
back gate. Hackett was in the barn at
tending to such chores as New Eng
land farmer must do before turning
in" for the night.
Tramp Arrives.
About this time a tramp came to the
barn, the tramps arrival being stimuli
taneous with the girls short journey to
the back gate of the Hackett yard.
The tramp wanted a nights lodging.
Raising his lantern the farmer looked
into the fellows eyes. decided that he
was honest and deserving, and put him
to assisting with the chores.
A few minutes later the two men
turned their steps toward the farm
house.
AS the tramp and / started toward
the house." said the farmer, 1--WE heard
something like a scream down the road
The tramp, Afford Johnson, halted and
called my attention to the sound. Not
anticipating trouble. remarked that II
probably was some of the children play
ing.
Just then we heard voice say in
the distance:
There. You nasty. dirty thing
The tramp said he guessed some one
was having trouble down the road I
merely thought.so of the children had
Jumped out OF the bushes to frighten
one another.
I'VE looked into the kitchen and about
the house. Matte wasn't there. 1
called her; there was no answer. I
started down the road, leaving the
tramp In the house.
Il found her about forty rods away
lying upon her back. / held my lantern
to her face; she seemed to be dead.
There was blood coming from her nose.
thought she had been struck by a
bludgeon, and I yelled and started for
the homo Of neighbor Cole When we
returned we carried her into the house.
The tramp was still there
THE front OF Matte 8 waist was torn
open, and II Was not,until we were re-
arranging her clothes that we found the
cord around her neck. We might have
saved her II we had known sooner.
"A piece of cord was wound around
the neck three times. There was a big
knot at the throat and two square knots
at the back OF the neck The flesh had
we did not see it-at first Had I seen
1t when found her on the roadside she
might have been living today. The girl
just strangled to death while We were
trying to ascertain what was wrong"
The "weaver's knot" had wrought its
deadly work again. The knot could not
by the father, but breath had left the
body Of Matte Hackett. sf'
Turned on Tramp. ago.
In his frenzy the father seized the
tramp tnd threw him to the floor.
You are responsible for this" he
shouted. Take him away before I
kill him!'
Neighborss who were more calm re-
memberedE the abb OF the tramp who
had been with the father when the
screams were heard johnson. however
said he had been one Of four wander
ing ones who had been released that
day from the Auburn Jail. after serving
short sentences for vagrancy, and a
search through the countryside began
for the other three. III.
The widest excitement prevailed
about Kent's Hill and Readheld. Matte
Hackett was popular. No one had ever
had aught to say against her. She had
completed two years. course at the
seminary, and had planned to learn ste
biography. At odd times she had
worked as a waitress in a hotel at
Hallowell. She was pretty, and a IA
vorite with country beaux. So far as
anyone knew. she had, no enemy, and
yet she had been victim of dea n
as cruel as ever meted out by the
Apachss of Paris, -~ -s.
Noses were counted about Kent's IIill.
Who was away from home that night
about o'clock-the night that Matte
----------