Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1923-05-02
Greenville, May 3.

Inc DOQy OF Game warren MerCley
E. Johnson of Patten. missing since
last November and who, with Game
Warden David F. Brown of Greenville.
is alleged to have been murdered by
Canadian poachers, was found Tues
day, Me- 1 by Game Wardens Alex
ander Mullen, commonly called Sandy
Mullen, and Bert Duty of Greenvllle.
who are members Of the force of war
dens who have maintained winters
vigil in the country in which the miss
ing wardens are supposed to have met
death from rifle bullets from the
hands of poachers from the Province
of Quebec.
The body of Johnson. identified by
his clothing and size, was found float
ing in the water on the west side of
Big Bog Dam, near Rainy brook. The
two wardens who have continually
searched the woods during the long
period that they have been stationed
at a warden's camp, were scrutinizing
the surface of the river Tuesday fore
noon when the floating body was
sighted. 1t was beyond their reach,
but obtaining a boat they secured
hold upon the body and drew it to-
ward shore where it was secured by
means of rope, while one of the
wardens remained on guard the other
hurried many miles to the nearest tel
ephone and communicated the news OF
the find to Game Commissioner Willis
E. Parsons in Dover FoXcroft.
1t was reported to Commissioner
Parsons that the cause of death was
not ascertained by Wardens Mullen
and Duty as they did not touch the
body except to tow it toward the
shore and secure it firmly. The body
is also understood to be in bad shape
from it's long period in the water of
the bog. They were, however, able to
identify it as that of Johnson, who
was much larger man than Game
Warden Dave Brown.
Rogers to Scene
Commissioner Parsons Immediately
acquainted Deputy Sheriff Adelbert
G. Rogers of Greenville, who is also d
deputy warden. having been commits
stoned by Com'r Parsons to take
charge of the hunt for the bodies,
with the fact and that officer imme-
diately started for the scene of the
finding of the body. On Tuesday even
ing he was at the Plttston Farm
which is one of the nearest inhabited
spots to the Big Bog country. Com
missioner Parsons also went upriver
Wednesday and will get, as soon as
possible, to the scene.
Com'r. Parsons also furnished the
facts regarding the finding Of john
sons body TO Sheriff John A. Mooers of
Skowhegan, as the crime, if crime was
committed, occurred within the con-
fines Of Somerset county. 1t was ex-
pected that Sheriff Mooers and several
deputies will get to the scene as rapid
ly as possible. Owing to the swollen
streams and the fact that the snow is
not entirely gone from the woods trav-
ell is necessarily slow north Of Green
vile.
Arrest May Follow
1t is anticipated by those acquainted
with some of the facts concerning the
Investigations that has been going on
regarding the disappearance of War
dens Johnson and Brown that an ar
rest will quickly follow the recovery of
the bodies. 1t is we'll understood that
strong suspicion centers upon young
man who is a resident of a Canadian
town, not far from the Maine bound
airy. This young man is himself we'll
aware Of the suspicion and has vehe-
mently denied all knowledge of the dis
appearance of the wardens. The au-
thoritieS, however, are understood
where they have strong evidence
against him and it is understood that
he has been under the watchful eyes of
detectives for many weeks.
The future developments in the case,
however, depend entirely on what is
shown by the body Of Johnson as to
the manner in which he met death
Should there be no bullet wounds in
the body it would be conclusive evil
dence that death was caused by drown
ing, theory advanced to some persons
acquainted with the north country and
the habits OF trappers, guides and war
dens. Others well acquainted with the
skilled Workmanship of Dave Brown
scout the theory that Brown and John
son would have ventured on thin ice
an argue that little if any ice existed
on the Big Bog or adjacent streams at
the time the wardens dropped from
sight. These friends of the missing
Wardens assert most strenuously that
the officers are victims Of bullets from
the rife in the hands Of an ambushed
Quebec poacher
Was in Maine Woods
The young French-Canadian under
suspicion was in the vicinity of Big
Bog Dam on the day that Brown and
johnson mysteriously disappeared
On that day or the day before he
the small Canadian town for the pur-
pose OF hunting and trapping in the
Maine woods. He was armed with a
repeating rifle. On his journey to the
country in which the wardens met
their fate this Canadian stopped for
dinner at certain place. He had
no money to pay for this meal. The
day following the disappearance of the
wardens, it is reported, he returned
and exhibited an abundance of cash.
He returned at once to his home in the
small Quebec village and never since
has he set foot on Maine soil though
many of his fellow townsmen have en-
tered the Maine woods for work in the
lumber camps. This young man, it
is said, had intended to work in the
woods following the trapping season.
He Is also said to have told conflict
ing stories regarding his brief trip in
to Maine and his apparently hurried
return across the boundary. In these
stories there figures a rifle, said to be
the property of Warden David F.
Brown, and this rifle, it Is understood,
lies buried somewhere in the woods in
the Big Bog region. The rifle is
wrapped in burlap bag, it is said.