Norwich bulletin., 1916-09-09

On Christmas eve of 1915. the resi- l dence of Thomas Dorr Main, in the town of Hopkinton. was burned to the ground. The house Is situated in a lonely spot, far removed from the highway and a long distance from oth- CT houses. The f1re-iIluminated sky
 was noted, but the location of the fire was not positively known until last Christmas morning, when nothing of
 the house remained but the foundation. In the ruins was the charred remains or Thomas Dorr Main, and there was deep mystery surrounding the cause of the fire and the death of the aged MT. Main. The medical examiner and coroner made an investigation, but the mystery remained.
 John R. Wilcox sheriff for Wash
 ington county, and Deputy Sheriff Bennett, were satisfied that Mr. Main had been murdered. As no trace of gun he owned could be found in the
 ruins, Sheriff Wilcox was of the opinion that the missing gun accen- trated his belief that it was a clear l case of murder and robbery. and per haps arson.
 With practically no basis for de- tective work. Sheriff Wilcox. assisted by Deputy Bennett, decided to give the affair the closest possible attention and they did. After nearly nine months of persistent s1euthing, the ! mystery has been unravelled and the murdererSs arrest.
 Tuesday morning Sheriff Wilcox and Deputy Bennett arrested Welcome
 Main, a well digger by occupation, and John Barker, a mill operative. Both 1 were arrested in Hope Valley and brought to the police station in West erly. They were charged with the murder of Thomas Dorr Main, then both men were separated. Welcome Main denied any knowledge of the murder and at the outset he de%ared he could tell of his every move on the night of December 24, 1915. When questioned he could tell nothing of i his whereabouts on the night Of De- cenlbeT 23 or 24. The sheriff was sat isfied that Main knew much of the
 crime and had paved the way to ex-
 plain an alibi in the event of arrest John Barker was questioned by the sheriff and made a clear confession,
 which implicated Welcome Main. He
 said:
 "1Welcome Main planned to rob Thomas Dorr Main about three weeks
 before the night of the murder. On that night Main and I went to the house and made a call oN Thomas Dorr Main. After @ while we came out, and Welcome fired a couple of shots through the window at Thomas Main, but did not hit him. Then
 Thomas came to the door with a lamp in one hand and a gun in the other. ] He opened the door and shouted: For Gods sake; what's the matter?" Then Welcome fired again and Thomas Main fell, the lighted lantern setting the 1 house af1re. Then Welcome took Thomas money and the gun and we went off and left the house to burn and with it the body of Thomas Dorr l Main, who was killed by a bullet from l a revolver held by Welcome Main. | think Welcome was a distant relative | of Thomas and they seemed to be on | friendly terms. I did not receive but 1 very little of the money. and was warned to keep my mouth shut under l penalty of death."
 Since John Wilcox became sheriff l he has apprehended, the principals in 1 six murder cases, and in the five that preceded the present convictions re- | suited. In the present case the evil | dence at the start is even stronger | than in any other case.
 ] Main and Barker were arraigned on i Friday night in the Third District | court on the charge of murder. They
 pleaded not guilty and were held with | out bail for examination in the Third 1 District court, September 27