Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-05-01

wy poi''ner mas been at work in the CITY for
several weeks past. and the result. of ~.
operations have been extensive M,rv
:" '"' e"izehs nave lost valuable animal.
naturally they were much exasnersted .,a
'"ore vengeance upon the individual, who
was guilty of throwing poison about for tho
oe"en' OF CANNES. They banded together
a"d determined to employ all the means i,
'helr power to discover the mi,creant Gov
erai persons in the city were suspected. and
the services Of shrewd detective from Ro.-
'on were secured Yesterday. a. re-
suit OF his work, Mr.. Joseph H. Clam vas
arrested for the crime, at the station. at N
O'CLOCK in the forenoon. by CITY Mar.
snai Morse, on complaint of MIR. Stenhsn
a. Russell, the warrant alleging that on the
i'lh DAY OF April Mr.. Clapp deposited two
grains OF strychnine on Winthrop street for
the purpose of poisoning dogs. Mr.. Clapp was
taken at once to Recorder Whitehouse', of.
nee where trial was held with closed doors.
only few of those interested being adj, tired
John ii. Potter, Esq, appeared for Mr.. Rus.
sell and DIR. Hill, and the RESPONDENT CON.
Quoted his own case.
Inc hrst witness called was Mr.. Russell.
he gave an account of the death of his dog
lie had found pieces of poisoned meat in hi,
yard. The witness did not know whetbe,
Mr Clapp had any grudge against him or not
Mr.. James Morgan testified am a private
detective from Boston, in the employ O,
chaplin Dearborn. and was engaged in
TINS case by Mr.. Russell aud others. Have
Deeh detective twenty years. Got here
Monday night at s o'clock. Tue, morn
ing determins to force an Interview with
Mr.. Clapp. Went TO hi. residence on Oak
street and presented mvself. Mr. Clamp was
at home and told him that was agent for
patent rat bait which wished to show.
asked permission to pl ce trap 10 Mr.. CLAMPS
cellar to test it He showed me about
the cellar, but thought there we're no rats
there. He said he had never had occasion to
use poison for rats. finally set the trap in
drain near the house. threw little corn
over it, and gave Mr.. Clapp a smell from a
bottle in my possession scented with win
tergreen. | asked him if the dogs
troubled him any. | visited him sew.
pressed the fear to him that the dog. would
ruin my trap. He told me to have no fear of
that inquired Of him a. to drug stores
where | might intr, duce NV patent bait He
referred me to Parridges'. | visited sever
al drug stores ana found that Mr. Clapp had
purchased strychnine at Murphy & Sullivans
on the 23l of March, saying that he
wanted 1t to poison dogs. Asked
him if he would not write me
a newspaper article to aid me in dispcsipg of
my patent bait, told Mr.. Clapp in the IL
brary that there was strong suspicion that
he was the dog poisoner making the trouble
in the city. | thought he would die
when he heard of it, Asked him
about buying poison, and he said he purchased
some for Samuel Sears across the river.
went over and visited Mr.. Sears and intro
ducing myself as friend of the Clapp fami
ly; told him that Clapp cent me after poison.
He vert 10 chest and got a paper of -trych-
nine whirh he gsv" M. Mr.. Sears was very
guarded in his conversation.
AT this point tn scar. nOison was exhibited.
1t was done up ik- an ordinary pow der, in a
fiat piece of paper and labeled ''poison." DR..
Hill examined it and said there was enough
to kill forty dogs.
The detective continued his testimony
Kept visiting Mr.. Clapp and we became very
good friends and he placed such confidence in
me, suggested plans to him by which sus-
picion that he was the dog poisoncr might be
turned away. Finally it was agreed that
should go across the river on Friday night
and poison lot of dogs. and Mr.. Clapp being
on this side, some one else would be suspectt d.
| was to 90 to Gardiner and purchase the poi
son while Clapp was to meet me at the lc
o'clock A. NJ. train 10 day with meat. | went
to the station at that hour and there met Mr.
Clapp who gave me pasteboard box contain
ing dozen small pieces of meat.
The box and meat were exhibited IN court
1t was a fat pssteboard box, perhaps six
inches square, and was wrapped IN tissue
paper.
Mr.. Clapp showed me where DR.. Hills
dog had committed nuisance in the library,
said Mr.. Morgan. asked him if he killed
the dog. 1.-The animal is not alive said he
The scheme to poison dogs on the east side
originated with Mr.. Clapp. He wanted me
to buv poison. He was to attend whist par
ty tonight and the dogs would die while be
was handling the cards.
Mr.. Clapp-I admit buying the poison Of
Murphy & Sullivan. told them l wanted
to purchase it to kill three dogs which en-
tered my yard
DR.. Hill related how his dog died and spoke
of his sspet" with much feeling. He said the
.ymptoms we're all those of strychnine poison
ing.
Mr.. L. P. Hersey testified relative to the
death of his dog.
MIR, Samuel Sears said the detective visited
him. He had Obtained the poison OF Mr..
Clapp in the library some six weeks ago to
noison a dog which had bothered him. The
animal had since run off. l never opened
the package Mr.. Clapp has not visited me
of late. MIR. Sears was inclined to be reti.
cent about the dog poisoning and
did not want to implcate his friend, Mr..
Clapp. ,, v ~
slibi on the night that DR.. Hills dog was
poisoned. Never placed poisoned meat upon
Mr.. Russers premises nor left poisoned meat
about the city, and l deny the charges Can.
not hear to see an animal suffer as II
would by poisoning.
T,oss Eramination-The bottle of strych'
nine which purchased | threw INTO the tur-
mace and burned it up before inc
seal was removed The poison which
Gave Sears | bought at the store of Bowdich
E Webster, cannot say as to the label on the
envelope containing the powder. IL | ID,
tended TO kill dogs should shoot them. Don
lilo to see animals die. Did not see MT
Campbell's dog die. agreed to Kill dogs on ,ne
east side to throw suspicion on some one else
II was Morgan's proposition; Met Morgan