The Portland daily press., 1883-06-07
THE BARRON CASE.
Putting in Evidence for the
Defence.
No New Facts SO Far Developed.

Tuesday, the bank is represented by Hon. Jo-
siah II. Drummond OF Portland and Hon. Jc-
siah Crosby OF Dexter, while the defence is
represented by Hon. d. D. Stewart of st. AL
bans and T. II b, Pierce OF Dexter. The au-
ditors appointed by the Supreme Court are
Judge Humphrey and j. s. Kicker, both of
Bangor. The testimony on behalf of the bank
has already been placed before the public and
the time is now to be devoted to the de-
fence, rebuttal and arguments.
| A considerable portion of the time was de
| voted TO the bank books in relation to dealings
| in stocks and bonds to show Bairons manner
| OF doing this business aud to lay foundation
| to refute the allegations of the bank regarding
| the Rockland bonds Mrs. Il. J. Springall tes-
| titled that she was in partnership with Barron
| thirteen years, from 1861 to 1878, IN the drug
business; that prior to 1861 she carried on the
business alone, bat Barron bought over one
half interest, giving his notes therefor to the
amount Of $500. he then having no money.
| She bought him out in 1874, paying $500.
During the thirteen years she had no knowl-
edge Of Barron's putting capital OF his own in
to the business (yet the books kept by himself
| show cash credits to him Of about S2OoOl; that
| she received from the business about $4,000
aud Barron about $4,000 Barron was to
have one half Of the profits and $I50 day for
| his services.
| This evidence is undoubtedly intended to
| show that at the time of the dissolution of the
| firm Barron had considerable capital Of his
| own.
Charles H. Bagley of Corinth testified that
on February 20, 1878, the day of Barron's
| death, he went TO the bank at about 11.S0 a.
m. to get check cashed. Both doors were
locked As he came up the stairs from the
street, he saw the foot of man just disap-
pearing through the door TO the Masonic Hall,
which is locked, over the bank rooms The
door was closed suddenly. He made no at
| tempt to see who it was.
| This evidence is intended to show that some
| one was in the Masonic Hall who was not apx-
| ious TO be seen.
| Miller Crowell testified that he went into
the bank that morning with Barron, and while
he was there no one came to inquire for the
| keys to the Masonic Hall
The second day of the hearing of evidence in
| defence opened to day. The evidence so far
| produced seems but repetition OF that given
before the coroner's inquest, ouls more full
and complete,
Joseph Lsrrabee testi fed to finding cigar
ashes and cracker crumbs In Masonic Hall,
which is situated over the banking rooms OF
the savings bank. He found them February
oath. M one was allowed to use tobacco, in
any form, in the lodge room He never knew
anyone to do it. One of the blinds was also
| partly open. The ashes were behind one of
| the settees, as though knocked off from the
cigar by the fingers or the back of the seat.
| The crumbs were on the settee.
| Atwood Cobb, janitIr of the hall, also found
| the cracker crumbs the morning Of Barron's
DEATH also that the doors leading 10 the hall,
| which are always kept locked, were open when
Barron was found, and that one of the iron
| shutters to a north window of the hall was also
| open.
| Levi Brigham and Samuel Morrill, visited
| the hall the night Barron was discovered, and
| found the interior doors OF the hall open.
| These are always kept closed No one, to
their knowledge, visited the hall that day.
| Brigham held one Of the sets of keys to the
| hall. Barron had set, and Cobb had the
| third and last set. No one had Cobb's keys
| that day.
| Mrs Hooper and Moses Carr were in the
| bank with Barron nearly all that forenoon. and
no one called to get his keys to the hall while
they were there.
Dr. J. B. 0lough was present when Barron
| was taken from the vault. The wounds upon
hfs neck and face we're made within one or
| two hours from the time of his discovery.
| Medical men can tell whether wounds are re-
| cent or not. Blood does not settle around
| wounds as soon as they are made, but they be-
| gin to discolor in a short time. Barron's
| wounds were discolored.
| C. r. Favor saw two men standing in the
bank door about 5 p. m, on that day, who
| were strangers to him. One was quite large
| man and wore a cap.
| Thomas Bickall saw two men near or In the
recess of the bank doorway at about 5 p. m. on
| that day, in the act of putting on their over
| coats. They were strangers; the larger wore a
| cap.
| Mrs Kate Russell saw two strangers leave
the bank door on the same day, in a hurried
| manner, walking rapidly away, not on the
| sidewalk but in the middle Of the street. She
recognized one as a man she saw near the ex-
| press office few days before the safe was rob-
bed Of $4,000 Both times she saw bim he
| wore a soft hat. Saw them leave the bank
| doors about $50 p. N.
| AT the afternoon session Allen Merrill of
| Dexter, testified he had resided in Dexter go
| years. Had been tax collector the last ten
| years Barron was treasurer for Dexter when
| he lied. Saw him on the 22d day Of February
! 1873. He came out OF the bank bare headed
| to speak to me upon the street, and said he
| wanted TO use some money, / went into the
| bank at about II O'Clock a. M, and paid him
! $3.50 in town orders and cash. / took no re-
| ceipt, but Barron said he had given me credit
for 1t. Mrs. Hooper and man I did not
know were there at the time. volney A.
| Sprague came in while ] was there. ! went
| In again between ] and o'clock p. m. and
| paid him $3.50 In cash. Took no receipt, but
| told him / would pay him S400 more In the
| morning, and take a receipt for the whole. No
| one was present. I am credited on the town
books with the first payment, but not with the
second. / was present in the bank soon after
| Barron was taken from the vault. was asked
by some one II / had paid Barron any money
| that day. / answered that had paid him
| 5000
e. A. Shepherd, of Dexter, cav three men,
| strangers, on the steps Of the bank entrance,
| about 6 D. m, Feb. ed. Two stood on the up
per- and one the lower step. They appear
ed to be talking together, but stopped when /
| approached. One was quite tall, the other two
! medium. Don't think / ever saw them before
or since. Saw nothing suspicious in their APP
| pearance.
John Moody, Of Cornna, visited Masonic
Hall few days before Barron's DEATH in COM
pany with three friends. Got the keys Of
| Brigham. Don't remember Of smoking or eat
| ing crackers while in the hall. Stayed few
minutes and came out, locking the door behind
me- / supposed Col. Walter G.. Morrill, was
proprietor of the Merchants Exchange Hotel
In 1878. Two men, strangers to me, were reg
istered on Feb. 21st, and one on the ed. All
had rooms but can't tell how long they stopped
without reference to the cash books.
The remainder of the afternoon session was
spent in examining the books OF the bank. II
Is expected that to-norrow's evidence will be
extremely interesting, as it will come from sev.
eral detectives, who have been engaged in
workino the case