New-York tribune., 1912-04-07
CHARGES WOMAN KILLED
GIRL SEVEN YEARS AGO
Maine Grand Jury Accuses Her Of
StrangIing Victim Found Dead
by the Roadside.
HUSBAND HEARS VERDICT
Child Bids Mother Goodby as
She Leaves Courtroom for a
Cell New Witness
Leads to Arrest.

Augusta, Me-. April Ga murder mys.
terry seven years old was revived to-day.
when Mrs. Elsie Hobbs Raymond os
Mechanic Falls, was arrested on the
charge of killing Miss Matte Hackett
of Readfield. On the evening Of August
II. 1905, Miss Hackett, eighteen years
old, was found strangled in the road a
short distance from the yard OF her
home. tramp was arrested on sus-
picion, but was soon released, and the
identity Of the murderer and the motive
of the crime remained unsolved.
Since last Tuesday the grand jury OF
the Superior Court has been hearing new
evidence presented by County Attorney
Joseph Williamson, and the indictmen.
of Mrs. Raymond was the result. The
woman and her husband, Bert Ray
mond. were among the witnesses, AMI
they were in the courthouse when the
jury reported. She took her arrest
calmly and merely expressed wish 10
secure some clothing.
After packing her belongings and bid
old, she was taken before the Superior
Court, which ordered her committed
without bail TO await trial.
In the investigation Immediately after
the death OF Miss Hackett the names Of
Mr.. and Mrs. Raymond were brought
into the case. Mrs. Raymond was en-
ployed at a Readfeld hotel as a wait
ress and her husband was a hostler
there. Both had frequently met Miss
Hackett, and It was claimed that Miss
Hackett and Raymond had often gone
driving together. Mrs. Raymond at the
time OF the murder was in delicate
health. Later the Raymonds moved to
Turner, and since then have been living
in a camp at Mechanic Falls.
On the night of the murder the Hack.
EFT girl had been left alone at her home
to wash the supper dishes. while her
mother and younger sister went to call
on a neighbor. Her father was in tho
harm doing the chores, when suddenly
he was startled by his daughters
screams for help. He rushed from the
barn in an effort to locate her. but by
the time he reached the dooryard the
screams had died away. He could hear
a gurgling sound, family, as though
some one were being choked, but as II
was lust dusk, several minutes elapsed
before Hackett found his daughter.
She was beside the main road, forty
eight rods from the house, and was un-
conscious but still breathing when
picked up by her father who carried
her home in his arms. At first she wa,
thought TO have been the victim OF
tramps, and in the excitement ana
search for the assailant a small cord
which was drawn tightly around the
girls neck and had cut deeply into the
flesh was overlooked. When the cord
was found the girl was dead from
strangulation.
After the tramp theory was disposed of
the authorities worked on the supposi-
tion that she was killed by a Jealous
woman. The grand jury Of the Superio:
Court in the following May examined
twelve persons, but failed to find an in
dictment. A second grand jury investi'
cation was equally fruitless. Now, 1t IS
that among the new W.T.
nesses who have testified before the
present grand jury is one who saw
strange woman walking up the back
road toward the Hackett house. THIS
1t is stated, believes he recos'
nized the woman.