Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-03-13
YOUNG STAINS ALIBI.
Witnesses Continue to Rise Up Against
Him.
Bits Of His History From Our Sister
City.
GARDINER, March u

City.
GARDNER, March IL
Another link in the chain of new evidence
Stains story, and which bids fair to destroy
it altogether, was discovered on Saturday,
and another chapter added TO his career. 1t
will be remembered that he left Mr.. Lambs
in Winslow sometime about the first of Au-
gust, 1877. Mrs Lamb could not tell e1-
actly when. Now it turns out tina, he went
directly to Gardiner, and it has been ascer-
tanned beyond doubt that he there some
twelve days in August.
His location there is fixed by the fact that
on the evening of August sth, while driving
in West Gardiner, near the city of Gardiner,
with VIM. Davis of the former place, they
drove into stream through bridge which
was uncovered and undergoing repairs. A
lantern had been put out as a warning, but
despite this they fell in. Their wagon was
smashed and both of the occupants claimed
he had his ribs broken, being supported in
his statement by the physician who attended
him.
Both men entered a claim against the town
of West Gardiner for damages, both for per-
sonal injuries and the breaking of the wagon
After considerable discussion the seectmen
paid Stain 500 and Davis $50. An exam
inaton of the towns books for 1877, reveals
on the day book the following entries
Aug. 49, c. F. Stain damages on the high
way on the sth of August, Sl00
Aug. l6, VIM. Davis, damages on the high
way on the sth of August, $50.
August lG, VIM. Davis, board of C. +.
Stain, one day and a half Sl.50
On the town books the name is spelled
Steain instead of Stain. Mr.. Davis who was
with Stain, has been seen and corroborates
to his house in Gardiner two or three days
before the accident and helped him in digging
a we'll. Young Stain pretended to be ser
ously ill., but the next day after receiving
seen him since. On first coming to his house
Stain showed the picture of his girl as he
called her.
This evidence corroborates the develop
young Stain spent the summer of 1877 in
Maine, instead of in Medfield, Mass, as he
testified he did, the July trip, now proved to
be myth, excepted. He was not at his
fathers house in July when he represented
that the burglar tools were taken from their
secret hiding places and spread out on the
floor, Neither was he at home in August
after the alleged July trip, when he said the
lock smith came down from Blackstone ST.,
in Boston, and staii four days and half at
his fathers house fitting keys.
Charlie, it seems, had quite an experience
in West Gardiner, in December, 1876, which /
it will be remembered was the time witnesses
for the dcsense swore that he left his fathers
house in Medfield after living with Annie
Ballard about six weeks. He was picked up
in the streets of West Gardiner by Mr.. |
David Cram of West Gardiner, for whom
he worked about three weeks. At the end /
of this time he hired out TO Mr.. Warren Da- /
Wis, also of West Gardiner. In the winter
while there he hired team of one William
Martain, of West Gardiner and borrowed |
robes of Orrin Towle, neighbor of Mr.. Da
Wis, and departed ostensibIy to see his girl
He drove to Augusta and sent the team back I
but not the robes, which he took to Mt. Yer
non.
Mr. Towle proceeded to trace young Stain
although he found it difficult as the thief gave
his name as Chas. Franklin Towle. He ar
rived at Stains grandmother's in Mt. Yer
non, and on inquiring 70, Stain she told him
sll about her prodigal graLlson and said she
was afraid of her life when he was around, !
winding up NY telling him where he would |
find Stain. Mr.. Towle proceeded to the
place designated, arrested him and he was
sent to the Augusta Jail for his crime.
Mr.. Towle stated that several years after
ward he was on Water street in HallowelI !
one evening when a man came up to him,
exclaiming, That's pretty good horse your !
are driving" Mr.. Towle turned about and |
saw that it was Charles Stain who muttered
some words of explanation and walked off.
Towle notified Officer Leonard that Stain |
was in town and that he was dangerous |
character. The officer went to Jackson's
place, where Stain boarded to arrest him, |
but his man had fed leaving his bundle |
behind him. The next day Leonard fol- |
lowed him to Gardiner and arrested him. 1t
was ascertained that Stain was wanted in |
Auburn, where he was taken and convicted |
of the crime charged.