The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-06-25

os Q Maine village 50 she could de- vote more time Go research,
 Fer physiclan.husband, Merrill .IoAs, Si, handsome and popular D. monR the townsfolk, had just re- turned home, Now he sat reading m tho bOok-llned living room, filled, 5lke those In many of the historic homes nearby, with trinketS and hElc-a-brac brought back by sea captains who sailed from this re. Rlon during the heyday Of wooden ships.
 About Q o'clock the telephone rang in deputy sheriff Lloyd Umberhind's afome. Tn response to his gruff hello iae heard Q voice say:
 ssrhls is Dr. Joss, Can you come right over Something terrible mas happened"
 Five minutes later Sheriff umber- hind was admitted to the Joss home by the asher. faced husband or the research specialist,
 Victim Tn Basement
 pr, Joss led the way quickly through the surgery where crimson Aplotches stained the white metal furniture under the glaring lights. Together they stepped down the cellar stairs.
 x At their feet stretched a green blanket on which a woman lay, her body shuddering at each gasp ot breath.
 Sheriff Umberhind noted the stained and rumpled dress, the red hair matted with crimson that formed Q tiny pool near her recS' Though her head and face were crushed with what he later learned were % wounds, tho sheriff recog- ulscd her as Dr. LuVerne Joss.
 The sheriff turned wordleSSly 10 the shaken physician and testified later that Joss moLstened his lips and said: , rive tried to Inject something in her arm to stop the bleeding"
 pr, Joss remained at his wite's aide while Sheriff Umberhind tele- phoned for an ambulance, At ;he hospital, Mrs. Joss failed to regain eonsciousness during the few hours she lived.
 Physician offered Alibi
 Meanwhile the sheriff summoned his deputies and state police chiet Henry P, Weaver and questioned pr, Joss concerning events prior to tho fatal bludgeoning, At sunse, auent hearing, Sheriff UmDerhino said he was told by the physician that he left the house about B'5o P.M, to 20 to e nearby drug store
 The doctor reputedly said he was accosAed in the hall Of his home py a "dr,ip addict" whom he described ag n slight, heavily -bearded man who had tried to purchase narcot- ics from his q few hours earlier, , Immediately, Sheriff Umberhind instituted Q hunt for the slayer ana intimately Q posse of townsfolk ana iaw enforcement officers numbering nearly POO searched nearby woods There were seemingly few clews to aid in the manhunt. Authorities could only place the time or the etI tack at about 8;l8 - the hour at which the woman'S smashea "r's' watch had stepped Tan. An autopsy revealed that pr JoSs liad been bashed with q sharp n. strurnent so that every bone in her hnad was broken, Authorities begun search for the missing weapon
 ThN yictlm's funeral was held the third day after the staying. Towhs- folk Aaw pr, Joss, pale and near collapse, supported on the arms oi hiS parents, pr. and Mrs. Mefrill C' .Toes. who had come on from theH sSR. .A. Ia. ntasa n ~ home,
 surprise Arrest Made
 Fifteen minutes after the sefvlces, tho young physician and his parentts were descending the steps or ms homo, They planned to drive to Auaustn airport and fly to Birming- ham where pr. Joss wife was to pc buried, As the party reached 'he sidewalk, Chief Weaver stepped up 10 Dr. Jess and said' ,. "You arc under arrest, doctor, have a warrant charging you with first .degree murder"
 pr, Joss face paled, his head gagged and police had to assist nm 10 on auto In which he was wlasKee to Augusta jail ma, that "a strong chain of cifcumStah tlal evidence had been welded Ht added that the "manhunt' nae been instituted merely fS q fuSe ih' tended to convince pr. Joss Una credence had been given to hls story of the "bearded stranger
 The following day, his eomposur' somewhat iegained, pr. Joss plead or innocent t0 a murder charge eht ygas held without ball for hearing
 At the outset of the hearing th' state produced attractive Mrs. Ellza beth Chapman Mayo, 32-year.ol' proprietor Of the Triple Spa at oar diner, as the "other woman ID th case.
 She testified she had received "sweethoart" note from the doeto three hours before his wife's mur der, She said ghe had discussed divorce with her husband and Una pr, Joss had preached the subjec t0 his slain wife. She said c frater nlty pin was one Of the gifts she ha' received from the doctor. She Sai' their illicit romance had spanned year.
 At conclusion Of the day lon hearing, pr. Joss was ordered hel' without bail for the sagadaho county grand jury which indicated him for murder on June II. Tfia was set for June g at Bath, wit Superior Judge Raymond Fellows 0 Bangor presiding.
 On the morning Of June il, be Scre the grand jury acted, pr. Jos attempted suicide in his cell. II severed an artery in his arm with pair Of fingernall shippers Whel told of the accused doctors attemp to kill himself. Mrs. Mayo brok down and Bobbed. She was callcI