The Portland daily press., 1870-12-23

MAINE MAN ON TRIAL FOR THEFT,-The
case of Sam'l s. Stevens, indicted for robbery,
Was resumed in the General Sessions to-day
George w. Bickmore, formerly in the lumber
Ellsworth Me-, swore he came here in October,
1859, to negotiate $1,000, bonds of the city Of
Belfast, intrusted to him by the Mayor. He
was to get three per cent commission; prisoner
and he were stopping at the Astor House, and
prisoner changed six thousand dollars for him
into currency. Subsequently Stevens proposed
to purchase U. S. bonds, about which there was
something wrong, and witness declined. Dur
ing the interview, witness stepped out of the
room, and when he returned Stevens left. I'm
mediately after, witness missed $6OOO and
$1,000 of bis own property, in five $500 bonds,
Stevens never returned, and was some time af-
ter arrested in Illinois. Witness identified the
bonds handed to him as his property. Witness
was subjected to lengthy cross examination
by Mr.. Sedgwick, as to his arrangements with
Stevens, ack nowledged he had not paid Stew
ems for his services, and acknowledged he took
memorandum OF prisoners offer to purchase
counterfeit currency, and considered it over
night but next morning he declined. He had
no idea Stevens would rob him.
Monroe Young, of Ellsworth Me-. son.in-law
OF the complainant, testified that he arrested
the prisoner at Quincy ILL.,, on mandate from
Gov. Hoffman last January. Stevens denied
the charge, but on his trunks being searched
i've bonds were found in them.
The counsel for the prisoner stated their case
to be that Stevens was used by number of
persons, including Bickmore, Mr. Hayford,
stolen United States bonds, and that the OBJ
ject of this action was to get back the money
they gave him in payment, to incarcerate him
and to deal with his property. The following
witnesses were then called:
James Henry Symington, a police officer.
remarked when Buckmore called at headquar-
ters on the night of the 21st of October, 1862
He complained that man to whom he had
intrusted bonds that morning had not return
ed, but said nothing abont the six thousand
dollars in cash.
Alexander Stetson, one of the propretors of
the Aston House, testified that he never heard
anything of the alleged robbery until March
last, when Stevens wrote to him from the
Tombs
Samuel Sheppard Stevens, the accused, stat
ed that he has a saloon in Chicago. Got tele-
gram from Mr.. Hayford, the Mayor of Belfast,
Me-, where he was born. He called on the
Mayor, who said he was told witness knew of
United States bonds to be had cheap. This
evidence was objected to, and the objection
was sustained. Witness went on to say he
met Buckmore by appointment in Boston,
when they came here to carry out the arrnge-
ment with Mr.. Hayford to purchase United
States stolen bonds. he got over eleven
thousand dollars from Buckm0r at the Astor
House, to purchase the bonds. Same was part
ly in cash and partly in bonds. He did not
carry out his agreement to print the United
States bonds or return the money, but he was
always open 10 an arrangement. On cross-ex-
animation witness declined to answer the ques-
ton whether he ever had left Belfast
secretly to avoid the avoid the officers of the
law. This closed the case on both sides, and
the court adjourned to Thursday-N. Y,paper,
Thursday
Stevens was convicted of the crime on Thurs.
day, and motion in arrest of judgment was
filed and will be argued next Wednesday.