The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-09-23
by TELEGRAPH.
GUILTY.
GUILTY.
Trial of Haines the Rockland Muir.
derer.
Verdict, Guilty of Murder in the FRS
Degree.

RocKLAND, Sept. 22.-The trial of Samuel
d. Haines for the murder of James 2. Rob
bins began in the Supreme Judicial Court this
morning in this city.
1t will be remembered that Haines was con-
fined in the lookup on charge of committing
certain store robberies, of which he has since
admitted he was guilty, and Robbins was the
special policeman having him in charge. Near
midnight of the 18th of June, both being in
the police room in the second story of the
lookup, Haines struck Robbins a terrible blow
with an iron stove wrench, and ran down
stairs and escaped. He was recaptured at
Isleboro on the 18th and brought to Rockland
and committed for trial. Robbins died on the
18th.
L. NJ Staples, county attorney, appeared for
the state, and j. E. Hanley, Esq for the de-
fence. No difficulty Was found in getting a
jury from the regular panel and few were
asked if they had formed opinions. AS there
was no question as to the main facts, but only
as to the degree of the crime, the county at
torney opened for the state, claiming that the
facts to be proved clearly constituted murder
in the first degree. Haines had offered to
plead guilty of manslaughter. but this plea the
county attorney would not accept.
Policeman Hew EFT testified to leaving the
lookup after II o'clock on the night of the
murder, leaving the prisoner and Robbins to-
gether When he returned half an hour later
prisoner in the lookup was making an alarm,
and the witness went up and found Robbins
insensible and bleeding on the floor. An iron
stove wench v it'll ball on one end and the
other broken and jagged, with blood upon it
lay near. Haines told the witness after the
capture how he held the weapon to strike
Robbins and that he intended to stunn him.
Drs. Banks, Wiggin and Williams, who were
at once sent for, testified to the condition in
which they found Robbins, with a wound one
and half or two inches in extent on the head
near the temple. His skull was fractured and
his brain lacerated by several fragments OF his
broken skull which were removed. Neither
had any doubt that the blow was the cause OF
his death.
Sheriff Shepherd identified the stove wrench
t11ee41e1 COIu him
he took it out of a cupboard and hid it in his
pocket.
d. N Morland, an attorney, testified that the
prisoner talked freely with him after the arrest
and told him he struck Robbins swinging
blow with the wrench. He said Robbins at
the time was sitting by the door nodding. He
could have struck him two or three times be-
fore but could not get his courage up. He did
not strike Robbins with the large end or ball
of the wrench because he could not strike so
powerful blow. He said he was sorry he had
killed Robbins.
Frank II. Ulmer, policeman, testified to
similar conversation with Haines.
A sister of Robbins was called to testify what
was said to her by her brother the day before
l. e. l. hut
this was excluded for the present The court
then adjourned till afternoon.
In the afternoon the declarations of Robbins
having been ruled out, the Government
stopped.
J. E. Hanly, Esq, opened for the defence,
claiming that the prisoner had no intention to
produce death by the blow inflicted on deceas
ed, and that the evidence would only justify a
verdict of manslaughter.
Haines was then sworn and testified that he
was % years of age. He then detailed the cir
cumstances of his fatal blow Saw there was
a sword, hammer and Ratchet in the room,
easily to be got at; said Robbins was friendly
to him and granted him all the privileges he
could. Robbing nodded and went to sleep
several times; was sitting in chair leaning
forward and whiting bark from stick; pris-
wrench from the cupboard and put it in his
pocket and again walked about some minutes
waiting to get his courage up. He then struck
Robbins blow on the head, intending only
to stunn him; Robbins did not fall.
The prisoner ran down stairs, and at the foot
heard Robbins fall, but supposed he had re-
covered and would pursue him. A prisoner
never told me Mortland meant to kill Rob
bins might have said he meant to fix him.. L
did not intend to strike him with the iron, but
xrr.fh Ill had ftnya
with the county attorney, in which the latter
threatened to indict me for wilful murder UNI
less fully confessed certain robberies.
ION cross-examination Haines showed how
the blow was struck. l took the wrench
with the intention of striking Robbins, but
not fatal blow. The reason did not strike
with the larger end of the iron was that was
afraid l would not knock him down; thought
/ could strike more stunning blow with the
knuckles than with the larger end of the
wrench. | did not consider how hard should
have to strike before l gave the blow.
A witness testified that the prisoners
knuckles were bruised, which he said was
caused by striking Robbins. The defense
closed here.
In rebuttal the county attorney testified lie
made no such statements as Haines had testi-
fed to, and several other witnesses to the con-
versation contradcted the prisoner OH this
point
The testimony closed here and the case was
argued briefly by counsel, and after an able
charge by Judge Danforth the jury retired at
$50 and soon returned with verdict of guilty
Of murder in the first degree. The prisoner
received the verdictwith the same composure
he has exhibited throughout the trial. He
was remanded for sentence and the court adj