Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-09-14

A possible case Of foul play was
uncovered Monday afternoon when |
the body of Luke Dostie, a war vet
eran residing part of the time at the |
home OF his sister, Mrs. G. Broder-
lex OF. 1S4 Water street, and part at |
the National Soldiers Home at To- |
gus, was discovered floating in the |
kennebec river near the upper end |
of the wharf Of the Augusta Coal |
and Ice Co. Dostie had been miss |
Ing since Saturday, being last seen |
on upper Water street about noon
on that day. An autopsy performed |
by DR.. c. W. Dyer, the city physi- |
clan, and DR.. George Coombs re-
vealed the fact that Dostie met his |
death before hitting the water, no |
water being fou4-d in the lungs.
Four decorations of the back of |
the head were the outward indica-
lions Of the probable cause of his |
death, although the doctors were not !
prepared to say whether he had died
as the result of some accident or as |
the result of foul play. The autopsy
showed that there was no fracture
or the skull although one of the
wounds penetrated the skin clear to |
the bone. 1t was apparently caused by
some sharp instrument, but the doc
tors could not say whether 1t was
caused by fall on to sharp rocks
or not. There was a concuSion of
the brain as was shown by a hem
orrhage which the autopsy revealed.
The vital organs will be sent to
Bowdoin College for a further ex-
animation to assist in determining
the actual cause of death.
The body was discovered by Hen
Gerry store of Merrill Brothers, who
was in the top floor of the Merrill
Brothers building when he noticed
something in the water which he
took to be the body of a man. He
called the attention of others in the
store to the object but they did not
think 1t possible although it did re-
semble man. Not satisfied, Pat
terson went to the river bank with
others and even then they We're not
sure until the sun which had been
behind cloud, came out and light
ed up the body.
The Augusta police department
was quickly notified and officers Le-
tendre and Wentworth went to the
river. There with the aid of boat
which was maored to the wharf they
secured the body and held it until
DR.. Dyer arrived. It was then taken
from the water and carried to the
Plunmer undertaking rooms where
the autopsy was performed.
An examination Of his clothes
showed no papers and but one nick
ell in money. There was no watch.
His sister declared that he carried
little if any money and no papers.
Mrs. Broderick was called to iden-
tify the body when Marshal Skehan
noted the resemblance to Dostie,
and she easily identified it, as it was
not decomposed. AS an additional
Identification there was found den
tai work which had been done in
the army and which tailed with
that known to have been in the
mouth of Dostie.
Mrs. Broderick declared that her
brother had worked in the woods
in the winter as a saw filler and that
on Saturday, man from the Au-
looking for him to have him go into
the woods again. She had looked
for Dostie whom she had last seen
at supper on Friday night, but had
not located him. She learned late
last night that he had been seen by
a man who boards at her house,
about Saturday noon on upper Wa
ter street. 1t was determined by the
condition of the stomach that he
had met death about two hours after
eating, and it is probable from these
facts that he died early Saturday
afternoon.
Dostie was 4S years of age, and
served during the World War in
France with a heavy artillery outfit.
He has been married but the where
Go ~ hi &c nt In a
is survived by his father, Gus Dos
tie of this city, three sisters, Mrs. G.
Broderick, Mrs. Georgianna LeClair,
both of Augusta, and Mrs. Dora Roy
of West Gardiner. and four brothers.
Alec, Arthur and Albert Dostie, all
Of Augusta, and Edward Dostie of
lewiston