The Portland daily press., 1874-01-26
AuneriOr Court.

JANUARY CRIMINAL TERM, 1874, SYMONDS, J.,PRE-
SIDING.
THIRD DAY.
SAruRpAy-State VS.. Mary j. Stafford and An
thony Brown.
The direct examination of Anthony Brown was
continued This forenoon in substance as follows:
Wednesday morning Brannigan said he would tell
Mrs. Stafford that he did it and ask her for money!
when he came back he said he had told her; Friday
evening after the fire Brannigan told me to go up
and tell Mrs. Stafford he wanted to see her; did so;
when Mrs Stafford came in Brannigan had some
talk about the rent; cannot say what it was; Pike
and Scotty in the shop with U.S. then Pike, said,
Mrs Stafford, you always accused of setting fire
to the fhlbrook house, and know who it was, and
you are concerned in it, but if you will give me $500
1t will be all right; if not will make it go hard with
you;' she said, 81 will have you arrested and make
YOU proveit then she went out and sent for the po
aice after she went out, Branngan said, there now
you have got me into scrape;' Pike said, Never
fear; if you arrested and Scotty will do what
we were talking about yesterday"
Cross-examined. 1 learned to bottom chairs in
the Reform School; was there for truancy and stad
three years and eight months.
Patrick Doyle testified that in the evening, three
or four days before the fire, he gong through an
alley near Stafford block and saw man and woman
standing there talking he stepped fifteen or twenty
feet off and heard the woman say, "Brannigan are
YOU going to do it or not?" Goes said he, elf you
will pay me-" she said, 81 will pay YOU" she said
s'There is the key for you to burn the house, she
said it was the key to the door on Middle street, and
told him to go and do the work and, said she There
is ten dollars for you, and when come back from
Rockland will give you $40 more,'' then she said,
"Good night. Brannigan;" didn't know the woman
but it was not Mrs. Stafford.
MIR. Webb then put in record of conviction of
Mrs. Phibrook in the United States District Court
for opening letter upon which she was sentenced
to twenty days in Jail.
The defence then rested.
George B. Brown called by the State, testified that
he has been in Jail four and half months for COM
pound larceny; After Anthony Brown was brought
into Jail he told me he set the fire, and afterwards
told me that he going to lay it on to Brannigan
he said he set the fire in the morning while Branni
gan was abed; he said he was going to testify that
Brannigan set it and then came back to bed, and
that he BROWN got up and happening to look out Of
the window, saw it burning and told Brannigan to
get M and see the old thing go; and he sad "That
will tally with what Brannigan will testify to-
Ida Aver, called by the State, testified that she
wrote letter in Jail for Mrs. Stafford to Scotty the
letter was then produced by Mrs. Stafford and read
as follows:
Scotty-Philbrook gave the key to Brannigan and
Mrs Stafford had hand in it at all she gets
ont she will bail you ont; she says she will start you
in che best shop She has got you know it is true that
she never had nothing to do with it; If you won
tell a wrong story she will do anything for you.
This letter was afterwards passed to Scotty and BY
him handed back to witness, who passed it to Mrs
Stafford again.
BENJAMIN Gribben testified to finding the door o
the Philbrook house open Sunday previous to thu
fire and closing ii up ard fastening 1t.
Scott and Brrnnigan denied the conversation thai
Brown said took place in the back shop on Friday.
Anthony Brown denied that he made any sucl
statement to George W. Brown in Jail, he testified
to, and said he had a quarrel with George after
which George said he would swear false oatf
against him in court
The testimony was closed at IL o'clock, at which
time Mr. Cleaves commenced his closing argument
on the part of Brown.
AFTERNOON.
s,ourt came in at three O'CLOCK. Mr. Cleaves closed
his argument at ten minutes Of o'clock
Mr.. Webb then commenced his argument on the
mari of Mrs. Stafford and closed at half past six
Court adjourned to ten O'Clock Monday morning
~ which time Mr. Libby commences the closing ar
gpment
The next case to be tried is State VS.. Littlefed
chs rged with adultery.
Catbarine Waite was arraigned this morning on al
indictment for polygamy. She appeared paie W
collected and in a firm voice pleaded not guilty. he
case has been assigned for trial early next week.