Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-04-20

MEYER ABRAMS STATEMENT

MEYER ABRAMS STATEMENT.
Mr.. Meyer Abrams. the pawnbroker, with
whom the watch and chain Of Mrs. Frieze
were lelt on the 9th Of June, 1874. made
the following statement to a reporter of
the Boston GlOJe. lie repealed the insinua-
ton that he had any pecuniary or other
purpose to gain or was influenced By any
thing bat desire to tell The truth. lie
received no part of the reward, end knew
nothing of it, when he first identified the
man. He paid his own expenses On his two
trips to Vermont and during the week of
the trial, besides sacrificing his time and
business, and received less than S25 from
the State, and nothing from any other
source. lie suffered loss of at least 800.
lie said he recalled the incidents Of the case
very distinctly. The man who came into
his shop on the afternoon of juno Q, 1874,
and left the watch and chain which alter
wards proved to be those of Mrs. Frieze,
talked with him some fifteen or twenty min
utes, and finally induced him to advance
fully as much as the articles were worth
by telling him that he had just come
from the West with his sister and
two children, was stopping at the
Adams House. had no money and was
anxious to reach his friends in Vermont.
lie finally gave the man S35 on the watch
and chain, though they were scarcely worth
that money. 1t was then $50 O'Clock. as
the entry in his books shows. 1t was the
hat ho Of, INA m bta
shop and inquired if a lady's small gold
enamelled watch and chain had been left
with him. lie answered that they had,
and showed them. lie was then asked to
describe the man who LETT them, and did 50
infinitely. That's the man." exclaimed
the officers. They did not then know the
number of the watch, but obtained it by
by telegraph, and came back. They
then asked him if he could identity the man
who left it. lie said he could. They urged
him to go to Rutland that very night for
the purpose. IIe was reluctant to do this.
but knowing that he could be compelled
to 90, and that it would he better for
him to 20 willingly, he consented.
No photograph OF Phair was shown
him. and no description given. lie
arrived in Rutland at = o'clock IN the morn
ing, was called up at Il. before the people
Of tho village were stirring, TO 20 TO the
Jail. Some fifteen prisoners, including
Phair, were in large room. and he was
put in with them. the officer OF the jail re-
marking as he entered, Here Is new |
prisoner for you" lie walked about among |
The prisoners few minutes. looked at |
Phair carefully. and positively identified |
him az the man who had given his name as
L. F. Smith at his shop. lie was then al
owed to return to Boston. Afterwards, at
he inquest, he recognized the mans voice
he moment he heard it, and then. and all
through the subsequent trial. he felt no I'M
certainty on sthe subject lie had no mo-
i've at any time except to give honest testl-
nony, which the law required OF him. 30
ar ~ the oath was concerned, 1t was no
more Christian than Jewish, and just As
binding on his conscience as anybody :.
Moreover, the other pawnbrOker and the
lotel clerks, who identified the man rs posi-
lively as he did. were not Jews