Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-12-15
NO. 2se

twisted to one side, and a red scar over
the left eye. marked it instantly as the
face of rascal. How could do that,
can't explain; our business learns us to
read faces as most men read books, and
the glance that | had at that face told me
that the man was lawless fellow. His
actions confirmed the opinion. Sleepy as
he looked and acted, no sooner did he see
me passing than he dove back through the
door and slammedit to.
| instantly understood him. "A scamp,
on some lay or other, and don't want to be
seen," was my thought. And walkedon
with his photograph in my mind, but
ceased to think anything of him or Of the
circumstances before / reached the hotel.
| The day passed; and bright and early
Monday morning took my satchef and
went down to the depot. But it was to
no purpose; the office was closed, and
placard on the wall informed the public
that the road would not be opened before
Tuesday.
went back to the hotel, too much. out
of sorts to enjoy my breakfast. / did not
understand, till the day was some hours
older, that | was needed more here at
Carlisle than anywhere else, just then.
went from the breakfast table into the
reading-room, and after | had read an
hour, | heard one man say to another:
Lets go over to the court house
they're trying Joe Silfer" They went out
and remembering my little talk with the
district-attorney, my curiosity was excl
ted, and followed them.
When l entered the court room, the
victim of the robbery was on the stand.
He was plain simple old man, and gave
his evidence with apparant truthfulness.
He testified he was stopped about sunset.
some months before, while passing from
Carlisle to his home with one thousand
dollars that he had drawn that afternoon
! from the bank. 1t was lonely spot, and
there was no house within half mile Of
it. He was jogging leisurely along, when
a light wagon drawn by two horses dashed
up beside his buggy, and three OF the
four men in it jumped out, while the fourth
held the reins. They were all masked.
One of them seized his horse by the bit
and stopped him, the second snatched the
lines from his hands, and the third climb
ing half into the buggy, and taking him
by the arms, demanded his money. He
said that he instantly shouted as loud as
he could when the ruffian dealt him a s.y-
age blow with slung shot which knocked
him senseless; and when he came to HIM
self again, both robbers and money were
gone.
He recognized only one of the four; !;
the man that struck him. AS he drew
back to give the blow his mask dropped,
and reveald the face of Joe Silfer, the
prisoner at the bar He knew it-he was
positive of fit-and all the ingenuity of the
cross-examination could not weaken or
shake his evidence upon this important
point.
No other witness was called for the pros
ecution; none seemed necessary The
prisoners lawyer got up and made a
/ plausible statement to the jury that the
complainant was mistaken about recog-
nizing Joe Silfer on the occasion referred
to; that Silfer was not there at all, but
that he was at Norcott, fifty miles north OF
Carlisle, at the very hour of thas robbery,
and that he should prove it by at least two
good witnesses. He sat down and called
out Caleb Wye,' and everybody leaned
forward eXpectantly.
The witness came toward with q slow,
limping gait, leaning on cane. He was
apparently man of middle age. and was
dressed in suit of sober black, with a
white checker about his neck His hair
was silver gray and as he mounted the
eyes placidly to the prisoners counsel, he
presented an appearance which would
attract attention and respect anywhere.
] saw him; and though did not betray
any surprise, l know that my heart gave q
tremendous thump. For saw the bilious
thin face, the crooked nose, and the scar
red forehead of the dodger whom / had
seen twenty-four hours before in the door
way of the saloon. With this difference,
however, the hair of that man was almost
black, while this mans was silver gray.
edged my chair quietly up beside that
of the district-attOrney, and while the man
was testifying managed to whisper in the
officers ear without attracting the atten-
ton of the witness. The latter testified that
he was a dealer in ready made clothing at
Norcott, and one of the firm of Wye &
Peasants. That on the day testified to as
the day of the robbery, both he and his
partner were at their store at Norcott, and
: there was an unusual call for goods. Joe
Silfer was then in town; they knew him
| WELL and had often employed him to help
in the store. On this particular day they
, sent for him; he came Immediately; and
he remained ut the store, waiting on Css-
somers, from two o'clock to eight, with
out once leaving it. Mr. Peasants was
in court, and he could testify to the same
: facts.
The first question of the district-attorney
} made the fellow start and shiver.
''Are you in disguise, sir ?"
''Wh-whatp" stammered the man.
'Have you silver-gray wig over your
dark hair ?"
The man looked amazed and then fright
encd, but said nothing; and before he
could recover his self-possession. the dis
trict-attorney had stepped forward and re-
moved the wig, revealing smoothly
brushed head of dark brown hair.
"What does this mean ?" he asked stern
: ly.
"Only fancy." was the sulky answer
"Ive worn that wig for years"
'Have you, indeed? Did YOU wear il
: all day yesterday?"
Yes, SIR" was the confident response
"Where ?"
, "At Norcott, to be sure"
''All day?n
7 "Certsinly. was there the whole day.
when did you arrive here at Carlisle p