Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-06-07
BY TELEaR APh.
MAINE DISPATCHES.
A cELEBRArED CASE.
The Dexter Savings Bank vs.. Estate OF
J. Wilson BaTrOn-rhe Hearing
Resumed-The Testimony
of Several Wit.
nesses.

DEXTER, June 6.
| The second day of the hearing of evidence
for the defense in the Barron case opened
today. The evidence so far produced seems
but repetition Of that given before the coro-
ner's inquest. only more fully and COM
plete.
Joseph Larrabee testified to finding cigar
ashes and cracker crumbs in Masonic Hall,
which is situated over the banking rooms of
the Savings Bank. He found them Feb. "a.
No one was allowed to use tobacco in any
form in the lodge room; never knew any one
to do it. One blind was partially opened and
they were knocked off from a cigar by the
fingers or the back of the seat. The crumbs
were on the settee.
| Cobb, janitOr of the hall, also found crack
er crumbs also that the doors leading to the
hall, which are always kept locked, when
Barron was found, and that one of the iron
shutters to a north window of the hall was
also open.
| Levi Brigham and Sam'l Morrill, visited the
hall the night before and found the exterior
doors Of the hall open; they are always kept
closed. No one to their knowledge visited
that day. Brigham held one set of keys to
the hall. Barren had a 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.
| DIR. G. B. Clough was present when they
took Barron from the vault. The wounds
upon his neck and face were made within one
or two hours from the time of his discovery.
Medical men can tell whether the wounds
are recent or not. Blood does not
settle around wounds as soon as they
made, but they begin to discolor in a short
time. Barron's wounds were not discolor
ed.
| c. X. Favor saw two men standing in the
bank door about o'clock P. NJ, who were
strangers to him. One was quite large
man.
Thomas Brckell saw two men near or in
the recess of the bank doorway at about
o'clock on that afternoon. in the act of putting
on their overcoats. They were strangers.
| One wore cap.
Mrs. Kate Russell saw two strangers leave
the bank door on the same day in hurried
manner, walking rapidly away not on the
sidewalk but in the middle of the street. She
recognized one as a man whom she saw a
few DAYS before the safe was robbed of $1,000
Both times she saw him he wore a soft hat
She them leave the bank doors about
$50 P. NJ.
Allen Merrill testified that he had resided
in Dexter GO years had been tax collector
for the last ten years. Barron was treasurer
for Dexter when he died. Saw him on Feb.
90, 1873. He came out of the bank bare
headed to speak to me upon the street and
said he wanted some money. went into the
bank at about o'clock A. NJ. and paid him
$3.50 in town orders and cash. | took no re-
ceipt and Barron said he had given me credit
for it. Mrs. Hooper and a man l did not
know were there at the time; Volney A.
Sprague came in while was there. l went
in again between one and two o'clock and
paid him $3.50 in cash. l took no receipt but
told him would pay him $500 more in the
morning and take a receipt for the whole.
No one WAS present l 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.
I was asked by some one if l had paid Bar
ron any money that day. answered that l
had paid him 5000.
E. A. Sheppard saw three men, strangers,
on the steps of the bank entrance about 6 p.
NJ. Feb. %. Two stood on the upper and
one on the lower step. They appeared to be
ed. One was quite tall and the others were
of medium height. Don't think l ever saw
them before or since. l saw nothing pecu-
liar in their appearance.
John Moody of Corinna visited Masonic
Hall few days before Barron's death in
Of Brigham. don't remember Of
smoking or eating crackers while
| in the hall staid faw moments and came
out, locking the door behind him. l suppose
Col. Walter G.. Morrill, was proprietor of the
Merchants Exchange Hotel in 1873. Two
men, strangers to me, were registered on
February 2lst and on the 22nd 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 the examination OF the books Of
the bank. 1t is expected that tomorrow's
evidence will be extremely interesting as it
will come from several detectives who have
been engaged in working up the case.