Daily Kennebec journal., 1883-04-16

trial efCharAes Clark for Stealing Ceouh.
Dros' + cam.

Saturday morning the trial of Charlie,
Clark for stealing Coombs Bros team las,
November, in this city, commenced in the
Superior Court. Judge Whitehouse presiding
Herbert NJ Heath. Esq, appeared as c,unsel
Tor the defendant. The jury being sworn
County Attorney Haines made a statement O,
facts, as he understood them, in detail. Six.
teen witnesses were called BY the government
Eight appeared and were sworn.
Freeman A. Coombs of Augusta, bein,
called to the stand. testified: let the team
described in the indictment on the 18th OF
November last. The prisoner came to nv
stable and wanted to hire team He asked
how much asked per dav for a team.
answered $3.50. Said he could not pay that.
Was a runner and ought to hire the team for
less money. l told him he might have the
team for 81 day as he was a runner Clark
said he wanted the team taken down to the
Cony House. drove the team down. Clark
and Mr.. McCurdy, night clerk at the Conv
House, got into the buggy and drove off. /
noticed them call at drug store afterw ards.
clark said he wanted the team for four davs
Got letter from him afterwards saving that
he should want the team longer time.
The letter was here produced in court
Heard from him next in Belfast. Traced
him to that place. Drove right through to
Camden and from there went to Boston.
When / got to Boston, found nv horse at Cole
mans stable; also found harness at another
place in Boston. Did not find the buggy. I
| identify the prisoner as the man who took my
team in November; also as the man who rode
off with Mr.. McCurdy.
Gross Ezamtnatton.-I said at the prelim-
mary trial Of the prisoner before Judge An
drews that could not positively identify the
prisoner. l received my horse in about fort
night after the team was taken on the 18th of
November.
Direct Ezamination.-Censid 1925 as
fair cash value Of my team which was stolen
Do not think Clark was at the stable over FIVE
minutes when he bargained for the team.
MIR. John E. McCurdy testified: Am clerk
at the Cony House. Was on duty the night
of November llth last. / went to China Sun
day the 18th with man. saw the man reg
ister his name at the Cony House. The gen.
tleman came on the Pullman train from
Bangor. l accompanied him to our house.
Made arrangements with him the morning of
the 18th to ride out with him as far
as my home in China. Went out to China
with him. l identified the prisoner at the
time as the man rode out to my home with.
Mr.. Geo. Cony was then called and testi-
fed: Had a conversation with a gentleman
on the 18th of last November in relation to
his hiring a team of the CoOmbs Bros. Mr..
McCurdy went to China with the man who
hired Coombs team. l settled with the man
for his hotel bill. l identify the prisoner at
the bar as the man who was at my hotel on
the 18th and rode off with McCurdy. iden-
tilted the prisoner at the bar previous to this,
when he was in Jail.
Mr.. Cunningham of Oakland being called.
testified: The prisoner at the bar looks like
the man who was at my place on the llth Of
last November. The man asked me where
he could get good team in Augusta.
told him the Cony or Coombs Bros. would
furnish him with team. l have the regis
tration here that the man made while at my
house.
Here the witness produced his register and
identified the mans signature.
Mrs W. +. Cunningham testified: l am
Mr.. Cunningham's wife, the witness that just
testified A gentleman cane to our house
on the 1lth of last November and took sup
per. The prisoner looks like that man.
Martin Clancy took the stand and testi-
| fed: Am clerk at the COny House. was
| in the Cony House Office on the evening of
last November when the Pullman train ar
| rived. Two guests arrived at the house,
| coming III Oh Tile tthlu he pIlSOucI at ttc
bar looks like one of these guests. identify
the signature on the register as his.
| Daniel True on taking the stand testified:
Reside in China. was in Augusta on the llth
| of Novemer last. was in Augusta on the
arrival of the boat on that day. Identify the
prisoner at the bar a man who came in on
the boat and took the West Waterville stage.
| Henry Breen testified: | am resident of
Augusta, a police officer. saw Mr.. Coombs
bring a team to the Cony House on the 18th of
November. Saw Mr.. McCurdy and another
| gentleman get into the team. The prisoner
at the bar looks like that gentleman.
Mr.. J. ID. Tucker testified: l reside in
| Belfast Am proprietor of a hotel there. On
the 18th of last November a guest came to
my house and registered as J. c. Brown.
| recognize the prisoner at the bar as the man
who registered and was at my house on that
day He asked me for paper to write letter
| to Mr.. Coombs to inform him that he wanted
the team longer time. gave him the paper
and he wrote the letter. Clark said he was a
drummer on the road About the year '63, /
was jailer in Belfast, and the prisoner was
brought to Jail while l was there. l
went to the Jail yesterday and identified the
prisoner.
| Mr.. Ehen +. Coombs testified Am resi-
dent OF Augusta. and a stable keeper. l am
| joint owner OF the property stolen-
MIR. Gilbert Herrick testified: l vas in
| Coombs Bros. stable on Sunday, the day the
team was hired. | recognize the prisoner at
the bar as the man who hired the team.
Mr. j. Colman testified; Reside in Boston.
Am one of the proprietors of an auction and
| sale stable. team was brought to my
stable on the l4th of November last The
party bringing the team came into my office
and gave me a description of the team and
left it for sale. In the best of my
Judgment the person at the bar is
the man who brought the team. The man
was arrested in December. l pointed him
out to the officers among a crowd of persons.
! The horse sold for S5l; buggie for $50.
The horse WAS small sized black horse, a
common animal.
Mr.. P. A. Mahoney testified: Reside in
Boston. Am Inspector of Police in Boston.
Arrested the prisoner on the 20th OF Decem-
Der last at Colenan's stable. Mr.. Coleman
pointed him out to me. Prisoner asked
me what he was arrested for. l told
him that it was for stealing horses IN
the State of Maine. He said, You have
got the wrong man." l told him his
name was Clark. He denied it and said his
name vas Smith Told him that could not
be so. as he had just given his name TO Cole
Ill ts~.x1 Hlxok