Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-11-21


4 friends about O'Clock on the even
ing of the crime. In approaching the
house it was necessary to walk up a
flight of steps from the main road
While walking up the steps saw a wo
man going toward ReadfieId village.
| She was quite tall, walking fast and
swinging her arms. She was dressed
| in dark clothes Couldn't tell whether
she had on an outside cloak or not.
Witness only knew Mrs. Raymond
lby sight at that time. There was
nothing to obscure her vision of the
woman she saw on the night of the
tragedy.
What was your impression, IL any,
at the time as to whom the person was
and who did YOU think it VASE asked
1.-THE attorney general
Thought It Was Mrs. Raymond.
AS | looked UP | thought it was
Mrs, Raymond" the witness replied
Witness on cross-examination said
she was as far as the length of the
courtroom from the woman when she
saw her. Glanced over her shoulder
to see her as she passed up the steps
| That was all the view she had Of her
| Couldn't say What the woman had on
her head. Her outer garments were
dark. Only saw the side of her face.
Whom did you tell of this first AT
ter the murder of Matte Haekett?"
asked Atty. McGillcuddy.
My father"
How soon after p
I don't remembcf."
Witness did not tell anyone besides
her father for a long time. then told
!. it TO Deputy Sheriff Brown. Testified
! to the grand jury the following April
and then again at the last inxestiga-
| ton by the grand jury, telling the
same story. The reason she did not
tell anyone at the time she saw the
woman except her father was because
| her father told her not to.
| Levi Hackett's Story. =
| Levi L. Haekett, the father of the
slain girl. was called. Seven years ago
the members of the family at home
were Nettie. Winnie, Emery Earle.
| Matte and Mrs. Hackett. Matte was
! at the time in her 18th year Had been
working at Readfield Depot. Started
for home about els p. NJ. Stopped at
! F. T. Browns store and at the grist
mill Took him about % minutes to get
| home from the grist mill.
Only Matte was in the house when
| he got home. Earle and Emery We're
| milking Matte was sitting on the
door step when he got home Earle and.
Emery, after they got home. went to
MIR. Coles to help him do the chores.
| Mr.. Hackett then went on to relate the
| incidents of the fatal evening
las drove into the yard Matte was
reafinp bpoE- esfln had f0rppttap tn.
put IN my dinner in the morning and
asked me how l got along without my
/ dinder. Matte got my supper onto the
| table and I went into the Ginning room
| where the table is now. l asked ner.
where Nettie and Winnie We're and she
said they We're at the post office. l
went out to the barn to finish the
/ chores and left her washing the dishes.
Was pushing up a forbful of hay to
the hill and saw someone coming to-
| ward the barn. young man. Mr..
| Johnson. came in and asked me to
| give him something to eat. He told me
| he came from Auburn Jail he called it
| Adjourn" He said he was from
| Aroostook county and told of a num-
| Der of numbering concerns he had
| worked for.
Il told him il he came from Aroos-
| took county | guessed | could give
| him something to eat and let him stay
| Over night, for that was where came
| from and he told about people that
| knew. | went TO the kitchen window
and told Matte to get him something
| to cat. Johnson and I went into the
| barn ard we grained the horses and
cleaned them. said: Matte must
| have your supper ready and we start
| ed Into the house.
Then we heard that screech and
| the words You dirty nasty thing in
q wemans voice. not my daughters
voice. | thought it was the children at
play pIt johnson said: I tell YOU
| there's trouble down there We could
bear femaiq voice from the steps,
but couldn't hear what was said. We
went into the house and did not find
Matte.
When came out and started out
| OF the yard / heard a gurgling sound
and ran down the road I heard the
sonnd again and ran at least two feet.
below Matte where I heard the CUR.
Cling sound again and heard some ono
running across the Nickerson field
Matte was lying on her back. when
/ found her, her feet were nearest the
house. Her face was dark, black like,
and blood was running down her cheek
| picked her up and she doubled up
in My arms, then I ran up to Mrs.
Coles and got her mother Winnie.
Mrs. Cole and Emery came also.
II saw Johnson setting in the kitch-
en- eating and | said to my wife: This
is tramp's work and we've got him
and / shan't let him 60 We luggedl
Matte up TO the house and partly I'M
dressed her. My wife heard another
sound. and she said: She is coming outi|
Of it,
When we tried to put her night
dress on we discovered that knot and
l said: Oh. my God >"
Mr.. HaelSett was quite overcome with
emotion as he described the finding OF
the Knot and his frantic efforts in un-
tying it.
Did you notice any signs of a strug-
gle where the body was found?" asked
the county attorney.
Il did not"
Attorney McGillicuddy conducted the
cross-examination of Mr.. Hackett.