Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-10-10
Companions Story
(Continued from PAGE One)

f1lching Of the watch, of which he &C
crses Hayes.
1t has been established by a be-
was cut from car to ear, and her
head almost severed. Schneider
could not explain this.
Neither could he explain how the
bodies came to he laid our carefully,
side by side as if for burial.
He was equally unsatisfactory as to
how the love letters written by Mrs.
Mills to the minister came to be
scattered about the scene-or who
pfopped one of the ministers cards
against the sole of his shoe, as if to
make sure of identification.
His story docs tally rema rkably
however with the first statement at
tributed to Mrs. Hall, after the muir
ders were discovered--that her theory
Of the double staying was mistaken
identity" This statement later was
repudiated by Miss Sally Peters, con
tident Of Mrs. Hall, who said the rec
tors widow could ina CINE no motive
except possibly that of robbery, for
the murders.
Although they openly expressed
confidence that the case had been
practically solved the authorities
were still hard at work tonight try
ing to reconcile all the tangled skein
Of evidence with Schneiders story
or to batter him down to further ad-
missions which would make his tsory
more plausible, He was subjected to
repeated grillings throughout the day.
A part of SChneider's story-as
much as she could have been expect
ed 70 know-was corroborated by
Pearl BANNER.
On the night of September IA. she
said, she was out with Schneider. re-
naming until about nine O'Clock
When she returned home, she con-
tinued. she found her stepfather on
the porch intoxicated. and consented
to go with him while he attempted to
walk off" the effects of his drink
ing.
Ihey passed Schneider, Hayes and
Leo Kaufman on a street corner. she
said. and the three youths followed
them. After they had walked some
distance she said she became tired
and wanted to return home, but her
stepfather seized her by the arm and
insisted that she continue She be
gan to cry. she said. and the trio
rushed up Schneider doffing his coat
and expressing his determination to
beat BANNER.
The encounter ended without
blows, however, she said. and she
and her stepfather returned home.
Schneider's story tallies with hers
perfectly up to this point. except that
Schneider said that Pearl and BAH
nav walked on toward the Phillips
farm.
huffman left them then, he said
''"T hc and Hayes determined to fol-
low on. Hayes showing him a 30
ca!ibre pistol and assuring him there
was no danger.
Suddenly, he said. they saw
couple beneath the crab apple tree
and Hayes whipped out his pistol and
began to fire, excIaiming: There
they are-Ill fix them"
After the struggles OF the pair be-
meath the tree were stiIled. he said
he stole forward, struck a match and
cried to HAYES:
MY God, man you've made ter
ribe mistake"
Hayes then snatched the minister's
watch and they both fed, he de-
clared.
schneider was quoted as telling the
authorities he had taken Pearl to the
scene on Saturday--two days after
the shooting-partly out Of morbid
curiosity and partly because he want
ed to show her how nearly she had
come to being slain for her walk with
her stepfather. 1t was Schneider and
Pearl who first discovered" the bod
les and notified the police.
Pearls version to reporters today
was somewhat different.
Raymond saw me Saturday and
Insisted that we take a walk" she
said. He took me up De Russy
Lane. It was the first time we had
ever been up that way. We sat down
in the grass near the apple tree to
talk. I looked over and saw the