Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-02-25

or dust Was the vault floor so clean tha
a man could lie on the floor for two or thres
hours and not get any dust on his clothes:'
J Il think likely In answer 10 further ques
I tons the witness said that he knew Baron
I quite intimately and at tirsr
believed that he had been murdered
that he saw on the floor tracks that looked
as though some one had gone to the window
which let down into the passage way out OF
which the man whom Mrs Cleves saw.
came; that he found the window open.
What has become of the gag that was taken
from the Mr.. Barrons MOUTH" Il do not
know The council for the defence here
said that they would produce those articles
Later. Mr.. Curtis is medium sized grew
haired man with deep set eyes and stern
expression. He was somewhat puzzled 10
give reason for his change of theory con-
cerning Mr.. Barron's death
Mr.. Abbott of Dexter was then called =.
Mr.. Abbott i. interested in the WOODEN busi-
ness and IL the gentleman who found the
bunch of keys back of box, under papers.
in the corner of the room. The key 10 the
handouts had fallen back of an ash box as
if an attempt To throw the key into the box
had been made. Here an attempt was made
TO have the witness state something which q
person now dead had told him. This was
objected to by Mr.. Baker, and the court
took time for judgment. The witness said
that he took off the lock of the vault door by
taking out four screws with a screw driver !:
that il could be done in half a minute on
cross-examination he described the locks of
the vault doors; that when before the audi
tors he had stated that the key which locked
the inner door of the vault was on the buuch
- kat+. 1xht oh a.
would not testify with any certainty that he
found footsteps leading to the window: that
he thought the coal-hod had been tipped over
very carefully. When asked if he thought
the false teeth were placed very carefully
On the floor he said he didn't know There
was time when you were supposed to know
about all these facts which YOU SO positively
described before the coroner's jury, was there
not" asked Mr.. Baker. This question per-
picked the witness. He recognized his own
signature to the verdict of the coroner S
Jury. Hehowever explained that the theory of
suicide was not in his mind till IA year after
the crime had been perpetrated.
Mr. Bradbury of Dexter was the next
witness. He testified, Il was the president
of the Dexter Savings Bank in 1873" Mr..
Baker in order to show that there was run
on the bank at about this time and that
i'll consequence the witness was there fire.
quently, perhaps more SO than usual asked
him whether or not he and Mr.. Barron were
not there very much more than usual. He
replied that Mr.. Barron appeared to be un-
usually concerned about this time by reason
of the Withdrawing of deposits and the gen
eral shaking of the banks all over the coun-
try. Also that Mr.. Barron told him that he
could not sleep much nights from anxiety.
The witness stated that the first examination
of the bank usually came on the 18th of
August and that another came the first Sat
urday in November. He gave all the par
ticulars of these examinations. He thought
that he reached the street door of the bank
at about half past seven in the evening; that
he found the door locked that he came to
the bank because he was called; that when
he and the other gentlemen went up into the
bank that evening and found that they could
not get into the Savings Bank, he suggested
that some one should go for Mr.. Parsons.
who had key to the Savings Bank room
that some one did go but could not find the
gentleman. He said that he then told Mr.
Curtis to break in the door and it was done;
that he staid in the room while Mr.. Curtis
went into the National Bank room and helped
get Mr. Barron out of the vault; that he
FtLDdiHtu W Id>ttn up MS OWN pduh rum.
Mr.. Bradbury stated that search was made
that night for teams containing strangers.
Mr. Barker wished to have the witness testify
that the witnesses for the prosecution did not
testify at the coroner's inquest of strangers
being seen as they do now. He wants to
show said the Attorney General that the
search was very superficial one. Mr..
Bradbury stated that he did not notice any
disturbance in the dust in the coal room that
appeared as if any one had fallen.
Continuing he said There was steel
chest aud chains in the safe, the door to
which was fastened by time lock. There
was "A bond, cannot tell how large, and
money in tray under the counter, on the
20th of February. That was the last time
saw the bond The next morning, after the
time arrived for opening the time lock ex-
amined the contents of the steel chest and
found, as | supposed, all the securities of
the bank did not find the bond which |
saw on the 20th of February, after the trage-
y. am not certain about who had the
tody of the bank Immediately after the death
of Mr. Barron. found 60 cents in cop
pers and a check for Sl5.05 in the money
drawers of the counter; have not taken ac-
active part in the demonstration of the
suicide theory. TO open the wicket door in
the savings bank from the outside, it was
to have key. The keys to this
door inside the vault, to the door of Masonic
hall and to the outside bank building doors
were all in Mr. Barron's bunch of keys dis
covered in the coal room. 1t was customary
to place the counter trays in the safe at the
close of business.
Geo Hamilton of Dexter, was called |
am personally acquainted with Mrs. Cleaves
who testified here, and knew her Feb. %,
1873 ! have lived within ten rods of her
house, | heard her swear positively that she
could identify the prisoners aud she met me
here Thursday, and offered to shake hands
with her and she said she didn't know me.
she recognized me and she
wanted to know if it was possible that this
was Geo. Hamilton and wished to know if
she was losing her power of identification.
| was in the Dexter Savings Bank, the fore
noon of the tragedy. and three persons were
there on business or otherwise. Witness en-
tered the bank with Messrs. Curtis and
Bradbury when Barron was found. and cor
the other witnesses. He saw the
dent on Mr.. Barron's forehead, the puff on
one temple, the abrasure on the other, and
slight bruises on one cheek; had seen Mr.
Crowel place himself with his head on
trunk, the same as he found Barron; expert
mented, and the door of the safe. when
pushed, threw his head against the wall of
the vault and the 1anges of the safe struck
his forehead and cheek in the places where
the wounds were on Barrons head. In the
safe after Barron was taken out. was found
a screwdriver. aud lamp on the safe in the
vault. Witness saw the articles in the coal
room, also footprints leading to the coal
closet. He Reproduced the handouts and
pail handle used aa gag, which were on
Barron also the twine found around his neck
and similar package of twine discovered
in the coal room one end of which fresh
ly cut. The serew-driver found on the safe
was shown TO the jury. The bank books
kept by Mr.. Barron at the time OF his death
were exhibited and the account of J. X.
Leonard reviewed. showing where, on April
= 1877 and july lst aud 9Th. the cashier
made ia Sc entries in his ledger and general
cash book, crediting him at one time with
S652 which he Eever received, on another
occ ssion paying him s3l4 which was not
charged on the books. In an ingenious man.
mer he had covered up his alleged perpetrs-
tons. April 7tb, 1877 he charged himself