Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-02-24

tacne aud the shape OF Ms head. tie gtanced
at me in peculiar manner.
Samuel Morrill, Was the next witness. On
taking the stand he said II was in Dexter
on the day of the Barron murder and in the
Masonic building between and in the eve
ming. was in the entry at the head of the
stairs when Mr. Barron was removed from
the vault. | went into Masonic hall 20 min
utes after Mr.. Barron was taken out. -Four
other men were with me. The door at the
foot Of the stairs leading up was unlocked
and open a crack. The doors were always
supposed TO be locked. Two windows in
front gave view Of Main street. Ii was
not the practice 10 smoke there" Cross ex-
ami nation Mr.. Barron had room in the
roof OF the building where he compounded
medicines, aud had 10 go up the Masonic hall
entrance. | never saw any smoking in the
building. Some times they had crackers
and oysters in the banquet hall on the third
floor"
Levi Brigham, druggist, nexi testified /;
Il resided in Dexter on February %, 1873,
doing business in the Savings bank block.
The keys to the Masonic hall door were kept
by me. | let John G.. Moody have them
about a week before to visit the hall, and
suppose he locked the door. On coming out
he returned the keys to me, and they did not
20 out of my possession again until after the
tragedy. | went into Masonic hall that night
aad did not know ans one used key on the
door. The next forenoon, | and others made
a careful examination of the hall. On sofa
near the front window found what APP
peared TO be cracker crumbs
Atwood J. Cobb resided in Dexter, Feb
ruary %, 1878, and was janitor of Masonic
hall He testified; II had the keys to Ma
3 III :. H., /.
o'clock that evening with others. No one to
my know ledge had been up previously. On
arriving at the head of the stairs, | noticed
the hail door was unlocked and open about
a foot. | had MY keys for four days pre-
siously, and they had not gone out of my
possession There was a Masonic meeting
ON the 18th of February, and | locked the
door myself afterwards. The doors were
always locked. The next forenoon | found
cracker crumbs on "a seat next to Main street !;
also found cigar ashes in front Of the secre-
tarys desk. Never saw any smoking i'll the
hall. 1t vas prohibited. There had been
no sociabie in the hall for a year" Cross
examination: MIR Barron and Mr.. Bridg-
ham had KEYS to the hall, and the former
had room above the hall for compounding
medicines"
Joseph II. Larrabee lived in Dexter when
MIR. Barron was found. He said Il saw
cracker crumbs on the sofa near the Main
street windows in Masonic hall ON the morn
ing following February %. Also saw cigar
ashes on the floor. A settee was right in
front of the window and the shutter was
open"
L. c. Baker, of St. Albans, testified as
follows II live in the southwest corner of
the town on the road leading from Dexter
Pittsheld. team went by about s in the
evening driving pretty fast from the direction
of Dexter. Ii went on towards Pittsiield. |
noticed but two persons i'll the vehicle.
Frank Baker, of IIartland, lived at st. Al
bans, February %, 1878. He testified II
saw a team about s o'slock which | met on
the IIarlland road about IA quarter of mile
from my fathers. 1t was moving rapidly i'll
the direction of Canaan. 1t was sleigh
and contained two persons and the horse was
dark.
Danie Hall lived in Canaan about two
miles northeast of the village February %,
1873, on the road from Hartland. He said
"A few minutes past , O'Clock on the morn
ing of the 23d was aroused by the bell of a
sleigh passing. | got up and the night being
light, | could see the team plainly in front of
the house The horse was a good-sized one
and what horsemen would call 'rangy' horse.
The man next to the house sat erect and
drove while the other was tall and stopped.
Both wore caps
Howard W. Dodge, of Clinton. a trader,
stated: II saw team pass through Clinton
village about six O'Clock on the morning of
the 23d of February coming from the dlrec-
ton of Canaan and going in the direction of
Wateryile. Two men were in the sleigh,
one was short and sitting erect and the other
taller and slightly STOPPING. My impression
is that the latter wore a rubber coat. | should
call the horse a rangy one. 1t is 10 miles
from Clinton to Canaan.
John ID. Chandler of Waterville, testified
II lived in Waterville in February, 1878.
heard of the Barron tragedy between and 9
O'Clock Saturday morning February 23d. My
business was keeping stable and hacks. That
morning about O'Clock two men came to my
stable and wanted to put up horse and have
grain and hay given the animal. They led
him in and while | was slipping off the bride
they walked about utuneasily. The one that first
spoke to me was the taller. He wore a brown
oyercoat and slouch hat pulled down over
his eyes. The other, who stopped slightly.
wore a rubber coat and cap Here the wit
ness stepped down from the stand, faced
Stain who arose to his feet, and looking him
squarely in the eyes said That's the man
who spoke to me" The witness continued;
The horse was a tall, rangy one, high headed
and mahogony color Cross examination
The man who spoke to me had his coat but
toned well up around his neck and his hat
pulled down so that could see but little
more than his cheek bones, and by them !
identify him Stain here arose to his feet
again and placed slouch hat on his head,
pulling il down, while his counsel wound
scarf about his neck and chin, so only the
checks could be seen That's about as you
saw it that day." questioned Mr.. Barker,
counsel for Stain Witness said he could
see about as much of Stains face as of the
man at Wateryille. This concluded the tes-
timonv of the morning and the court ad
journed till 2.30 7. NJ.
Afternoon Session
Lucius A Doe, now of Easton, was resid-
ing in Vassalboro, Me, in February, 1873 a
mile aud half above the railroad station.
He testified | was at Nassalboro on the route
between Watervilie and Gardiner. | heard
of the Barron tragedy the Saturday following
the Friday when it occurred | saw strang-
ers in team passing by Saturday morning.
| was at a neighbor's standing in the shed
with companion, Henry Pierson. This
was at from to 9 O'Clock, aud the team
came from the direction of Waterville. The
horse was wet and his head was hanging
down, and he was very tired apparently, The
animal appeared to be an excellent one stand
ing high and of dark color. The man next
to me was driving and he had on dark
slouch hat and brown coat. The other wore
md tn hn