Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-05-02

November air In the little Now
England village OF Hooksett
New Hampshire. few miles from
Concord. They came from the house
where lived Mr.. and Mrs. John otter.
son. their sons. Maurice and How
ard, and the latter's wife. long we'll.
TODD and respected residents OF the
village
The Ottersons nearest neighbor.
Mrs. e. L. Stewart heard those
screams with alarm. and dropping her
knitting she hurried out into the night to
see what had happened. AS she started
toward the Otterson home she saw Mrs.
Howard Otterson como bounding out OF
the house.
They have killed Mauricel" cried Mrs.
O,tcrson. II want to use your telephone
TO call doctor"
Behind those screams and the young
womans excited words lies tragedy OF
the New England countryside which has
elements OF drama and OF mystery as sur.
pr!sinG. as perple1ins> as any OF the myth.
teal crime problems Sherlock Holmes un-
inrtoOk 10 solve.
There seems to be only about one vital
TACT in the matter which everybody Ia
agreed Is beyond dispute-that Maurice
O.erson. twenty-five years old, unmarried
and recently returned from army service.
died Of pistol wounds on the night of No.
vember 9 last
After this brief statement has been made
II Is impossible to proceed with the details
o. the tragedy without encountering at
every turn denials and contradictions and
disputed testimony.
Whose hand held the pistol that fred
the fatal bullet into young Maurice Otter
sons head?
And what pistol was It that the murderer
used? Was It one the bandits brought with
them or was II the one that was found
after the murder hidden in bureau up
stairs and with one OF It's bullets appar.
entity fred quite recently?
Mrs. Howard Otterson sister-in.lay of
the murdered man. tells quite remark.
able but very circumstantial story OF an
attack upon the little household by two
masked bandits. one OF whom overpowered
her and choked her screams by winding a
sTeater about her head, while the other
walked into the next room and shot Maui
rice down in cold blood
But the prosecuting attorney declares
Chat Mrs. Otterson herself murdered her
young brotherin-law and that the weird
story OF the masked men Is Only fan
tazttc invention. He Is preparing to 80 TO
trial and hopes TO convict Mrs. Otterson
OF the murder.
According to the story the accused
woman tells she and Maurice we're alone
IN the house the night OF the tragedy. the
others OF the family having gone to Man
chester soon after supper to visit a motion
picture theatre
Shortly before 9 O'Clock Maurice left the
living room where they were sitting to go
upstairs and she went into the adjoining
kitchen to let the dog out. As she opened
the door q masked man stepped out OF the
darkness and seized her by the throat
Say a single word and I'll kill you!"
he muttered In her ear as he threw her to
the floor. Another masked man entered
and walked on into the living room. At
a ha lpct mt he
descending the stairs.
When Mrs. Otterson tried to scream the
man who held her wrapped a sweater
about her head with suffocating tightness
She heard the noise OF scufle and the
sharp crack OF q pistol. After a moment
OF silence the tread of heavy feet climbing
the stairs reached her ears,
Then she thinks she must have tainted.
The next thing she remembers is grur
voice saying:
Hold onto the skirt while start the
machine!"
She heard some ono walk ont into the
yard, and n few seconds later tho noise
OF an automobile engine. At that the man
who was holding her by the throat and
pressing his knee on her chest Jumped up
and ran away.
As soon as she felt sure the bandits
were really gone she pulled the sweater
from her head and staggered to her feet.
IN the living room shn> found the body OF
Maurice Otterson crumpled up on the
floor beside the stove
He was dead-killed almost instantly,
the doctors later said. by the bullet. that
was found imbedded in his brain. The
shot had been fired from behind and the
pistol had been held so close to his head
'hat the hair was burned His throat was
scratched ms il by finger nails.
Screaming for help Mrs Otterson ran
out OF the house.
That Is the explanation OF the tragedy
rs given by Mrs, Oterson. The Two
masked men who overpowered her and
shot Maurice Otterson dead made their
escape In an automobile. she declares.
carving with them the diamond engage
ment ring she had been wearing and tho