The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-10-11
BY TELEGRAPH.
MATTERS IN MAINE.
THE MINK TRIAL.
Filth Day,
Closing of the Govcrnment-Openin of
the Defence-The Accused Testifies.
Especial to the Press,1


Especial to the Press.l
RoCKLAND, Oct. 1O.-At the opening of the
defence in the murder case this afternoon, a
| good deal of interest was manifested and a
large number of ladies were present, doubtless
in expectation of hearing the accused give her
testimony. The defence claim that the muir
was done by some person to the prisoner I'M
known, and that she went to sleep with Dr.
Baker by her side and was awakened by the
shots, and fled in terror without seeing any per-
son. Miss Mink was put in the witness stand
at half past three, and her examination was
continued for two hours when it was suspended
till tomorrow morning. The prisoner seemed
much affected during tho opening by her coun-
sci, and shed tears frequently. When called to
testify she had regained her composure and
gave her evidence with self -possession, though
sometimes hesitating for some moments when
asked to detail circumstances of her interviews
with the murdered man. She gave her testI-
mony in pleasant and womanly voice, much
in contrast with her reputed character She
admitted the authorship of the threatening let
tiers, and spoke of them as calmly as though
they were elegant specimens of polite litera-
ture.
1t came out in her testimony that she had
instituted legal proceedings against him for
breach of promise soon after their intercourse
began, but the matter was settled between them
without coming to trial. In April and May
last DIR. Baker was in the habit of coming to
the Mink house in the night and throwing
something against the window as signal
when she would open the window and answer
him and come down and let him in. He came
in this way the Saturday preceding the murder,
but learning that her brother Roscoe was in the
house went away without coming in.
ITO the Associated Press.l
The articles of clothing which have been the
subject of previous testimony, were put into the
case
Sheriff Hobbs was called and identified alet-
ter taken from the Mink house.
The threa tening letters, six in number were
then put into the case and read by the County
Attorney These letters are admitted to have
been written by the prisoner. The letters are
highly threatening in character. Among the
expressions used are, ''You have ruined me,
soul, body, reputation and mind, and will put
ball through your heart;' ''you had better
get your coffin ready, for you will need it very
soon;'' "You will need your money. and your
life insurance too, before year" Vengeance
is mine which words were used many times.
She said she had pistol which was given her
in Boston. The letters abound in direct threats
and some of them are grossly obscene in char
acter. Most of them are without date or sig
nature but two are signed ''L. A. Mink
This closed the government testimony, and
the Court adjourned till afternoon.
The defence opened this afternoon. L. M.
Staples, esq.,, made the opening argument for
the respondent. He called attention to the I'M
Ger ain nature of circumstantial evidence claim
ing that every link in its chain must be estab-
lished beyond doubt, aud cited various cases
where wrongful conviction had been obtained
upon evidence of this character. He detailed
with DR.. Baker, claiming that she had beer
seduced by him seven years ago under promise
of marriage at time when her reputation was
untarnished, and that he had kept up his Illicit
connection with her under the repetition of
this promise. He claimed that there was
reconciliation between prisoner and deceased
after the threatening letters were sent, and that
they had met frequently on intimate terms.
after the date of the last letter March 6th) up
to the night of the murder. On that night the
deceased came to Warren Mink's house, re-
ceived an affectionate welcome from the prison.
er and occupied her bed. Both had been asleep
and Miss Mink was aroused by the sound of the
pistol shots, and in terror fled from the house
and do hor 10 Pc So, Tho
ner described. This was the simple story she
had always told. What passed between them
before the murder was related.
At the conclusion of the opening argument
Miss Mink was put upon the stand. She de-
tailed the particulars of her acquaintance and
intercourse with DR.. Baker, giving the general
facts as stated above. The Illicit connection
between them began seven years ago. at which
time he promised her marriage He procured
an abortion upon her person some time later
and sent her to Bottom for like purpose last
fall. She had also given birth to a child, of
which he was the father, three years ago.
On the 29th of Oct. last he had renewed his
engagement to marry her. From that time till
February he continued to visit her. When he
ceased his visits and in that month the threat
ening letters were written. In March he re-
newed his visits and continued his visits and in
tercourse with her up to the time of the MUIR
der. The prisoner had testified to the circum-
stances of her intimacy with DR.. Baker up to
the Saturday preceding the tragedy, when the
hour of adiourgment having arrived, her exam
nation was suspended.
Drowned
na@ D1Az.
years old, was drowned this afternoon in a pond
| about six miles east of this city. He was out
fishing in boat and probably had fit as he
was found with his head hanging over into the
water, his body in the boat.
ITO the Associated Press.l
The Turf.
RoCKLAND, Oct. 10.-The trotting matches in
/ connection with the County Fair took place at
| the Knox Trotting Park this afternoon. In
| the race for horses that never beat minutes.
were Leeds, Stonewall jackson, Lady Lenox
and King; mile heats, best 3 in 5. Leeds won
the first heat in ESQ, and the third in 252a
Stonewall jackson won the second in 2515 and
King the fourth in $50. The fifth was dead
heat between King and Leeds, in 2.45a.
| For the sweepstakes the entries were Light
foot, Red Jacket, Honest Quaker and King
William. The first three heats were won by
Lightfoot in 2.39, 2.39, 2.37 1t being quite
dark the unfinished race was postponed till to.
morrow at 10 o'clock a. m.
Aid for Bates College.
| LEWISTON, Oct. 10.-=The Free Baptist Edu.
cation Society at its session at Pennington, N
H., subscribed $4,000 to Bates College. Only
$4,000 now remains to be raised to secure $780,.
600 from Boston, $4,000 of which is from Mr
Bates,