The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1862-12-15
MATTERS ABOUT TOWN.
Supreme Judicial Court.

vi Nlnullain, On the Hlgnb Oh Oepieihoet ou
was resumed. Several more witnesses were
examined on the part of the prosecution.
Nehemiah Varney arrested Lamb, who said
he had started for Camp Meeting about three
O'Clock, and knew nothing of the fire until he
met the men at the crotch of the road. He
did not say how far he had been.
John Webb testified as to distances.
Mrs. Sarah Baker, lady " years of age,
testified as to the fire; and Joseph Mansfield,
Frederick Legrow, and William Knights, as to
the tracks.
Some of the witnesses examined on Friday
were recalled for the purpose of making cor
rections in explanation of their evidence, and
the County Attorney announced that the Gov
eminent stopped here.
Mr.. Strout opened the case on the part of
the defendant. 1t was the duty Of the Gov
erhment to prove, beyond reasonable doubt,
the guilt of the accused. He commented up
on crcumstantial evidence, its nature, and the
amount Of such evidence necessary for con-
viction. In this case the whole testimony of
the Government, unexplained, only shows that
Lamb was riding early in the evening, and
might have gone down by the barn. This was
all, and it was hardly necessary to call wit
ness for the defence. But the accused was a
young man, sustaining good character, and
therefore, they should show that he could not
have committed the crime alleged against him.
Mr.. Strout then stated the relation. which Mr..
Lamb held toward the child of Isaiah Baker.
who owned one half of the property in the
barn. and which was not insured on the part
of the child. The evidence to be offered to
the jury, he thought would satisfy them that
Lamb was in the house until three O'Clock in
the morning, when he got up and started for
Camp Meeting in Poland, and stayed there
till he was arrested. If Lamb could be put up
on the stand, the prosecution would wilt at
once. But this could not be done; neverthe-
less, he thought, they had sufficient evidence
to show, in the most conclusive manner, his
entire innocence of the transaction.
Miss Olive A. Doley testified that Lamb
boarded with her at the time of the fire, and
had the Baker child with him. He shew great
regard for the child; il slept with him. On
the night of the fire Lamb went to bed about
eight o'clock. Witnes and Mrs. Bowers slept
together in a room adjoining that of Lamb
Lamb made some preparation the day before
the fire to go to camp meeting the next morn
ing. He exchanged the wagon for the gig of
his uncle. Heard him when he got up in the
morning and dressed himself Heard the car
rage start; it went towards Gray Corner
The baby began to cry and witness went in
and attended to it. Looked out of the win
dog, it was not light; went back to bed aud
did not 60 to sleep again; after being in bed
half or three quarters of an hour heard the
clock strike four. Do not think Lamb could
have got up aud left the room without hearing
him. Lamb was gone half or three quarters
of an hour when he returned to the house and
said he had forgot his wallet. He said Bakers
barn was burned; said he had just come from
there.
Mrs. Bowers, sister of Miss Dolley, heard
Lamb 60 to bed about eight o'clock in the
evening before the fire. Did not hear him when
he got up but did hear him when he returned
to the house after his wallet. She confirmed
the statements of Miss Dolley about his going
away the second time
VIM. III. Lamb is an uncle of prisoner ex-
changed wagon for gig with him on the day
before the fire. There are other gigs like that
in Windham-t was an ordinary trotting gig.
Miss Olive A Lamb, sister of prisoner, was
at Duck Pond at party on the night of the
IRE. On returning home, stopped at the fire
abont twenty minutes, the frame had fallen,
then left and went directly home. In going
home passed Miss Dolley's house, it was half
past one o'clock when she arrived home. Saw
Asa Legrow and Pnrington and his boy going
towards the fire.
Mrs. Babb resides in the Dolley house. On
the night of the fire slept there; knew that
Lamb contemplated going to camp meeting,
and saw him make arrangements; he went to
bed early; knew nothing Of the fire until she
rose In the morning, when she saw the light of
the fire. Saw carriage tracks leading from the
house up the road TO Gray. Purington and
Others came to the house and told where
the fire was and told of the tracks, and that
induced witness to look for them.
VIM. Allen, resides in Saccarappa and is
blacksmith; knew Lamb and shod his colt from
two to four weeks before the camp meeting at
Poland; set his forward shoes. Lamb and
John Dolley brought the colt; there was no
peculiarly about the shoes-they were the old
shoes reset.
John Dolley confirmed Aliens testimony
about shoeing the horse; he thought it was
about the first of August.
Siias Lamb, Jr., a lad. was in the small barn
on the afternoon before the fire, and was in
sight of the other barn; saw John Kemp come
from the barn that was afterwards burned; he
was smoking pipe; this was about o'clock
This closed the testimony for the defence
In rebuttal Mr.. Butler called
Richard Purington, who said he called at
the Dolley house after the fire, and asked Miss
Dolley, Mrs. Bowers and Mrs. Babb what time
IN the night Lamb went away, and they replied
they could not tell; think it was Miss Doey
that made the answer; they were all there
together; Mrs. Bowers and Mrs. Babb said
nothing.
Ebenezer Legrow confirmed the statement
of Purington.
5. III. Baker tcalled by defence) testified
that the barn was an old one,; he thought it
worth $500. He had an insurance of $50 on
it,
The Court here took a recess until quarter
past O'Clock. AT that time the Court came
in and the case proceeded.
Charles Varney and Frederick Legrow.
called by the County Attorney, testified that
the women told them that Lamb left some
time during the night
Miss Dolley and Mrs Bowers, called By coun-
sci for defence, denied having made any such
statement either to Varney or Legrow.
This closed the evidence Judge Howard
then made an able and eloquent argument for
the accused, contending that nothing had been
shown that could in the slightest degree i'm
plicate Lamb in the burning of the barn. He
assumed several hypothesis by which the barn
could be set on fire without any evil design.
His argument occupied one hour and a quar-
ter.
Mr.. Butler, County Attorney, made an able
argument for the Government. He combat