The Portland daily press., 1888-06-12
The Finding Foreshadowed

BANGOR, June 1.-THE murder of Jerry
Sinclair in the mail car in this city Saturday
evening is still the exciting topic here. The
rumor that Hayes had made a full confess
sion duplicating Sellon, connot be verified
today The government attorneys, when
asked if this was true in Bangor at noon re-
piled that they had nothing to say. They
are keeping very quiet about the affair and
will not let the reporters speak to the pris-
oners.
But from outside sources good deal has
been learned today and it is thought that
Hayes has told the story correctly. Hayes
is reported to have said that sudden quar-
rel came up between Sinclair and Sellon
about the handling Of some mail, when
Wateryille was reached. and both men were
exceedingly angry. Hard names were called
by each man and blows followed. That this
was the case the scratches on the face of the
dead man and upon Sellon's face would seem
to indicate. They were quarreling in front
of the letter rack and sorting table. Sud-
denly in a fit of ungovernable rage Sellon
seized large knife which is used by the
head clerk in cutting twine around packages
OF letters and made plunge at Sinclair,
L.
ed from the wound in stream and the un-
fortunate man was unconscious in a few
moments They took him over to the mail
bags and laid him down. After the train
started sellon threw the knife away and this
afternoon it had not been found. Hayes
stood in the middle Of the car by the side of
paper sack during the quarrel. He wit
messed the stabbing plainly, but 1t occurred
so suddenly that he was powerless to act
This is believed in Bangor to be the story
uox cxrrin fQ1l in rrrf
The conductor of the train, just sitter the
cars started. opened the door of the car used
for mails to see If any stranger had attempt
ed to steal ride without ticket. To his
horror he saw, lying on pile of pouches,
the body of Sinclair, who is spoken of as be-
ing we'll liked by all who knew him. He
called the attention of the other clerks to the
PROSTATE body, and asked what the matter
was with Jerry. One of them answered :
"Oh. nothing but hemorrhage l guess"
and said: "Why, he is seriously ILL.," and at
the same time pulled the bell cord which
stopped the train. He then had the body
put into a vehicle and taken to the hotel
where Sinclair boarded.
1t is also said that Sellon confessed this
morning to the city marshal that he COM
mitted the deed In self-defence. He said
Sinclair had been drinking and that when
the quarrel arose, he walked the whole
length OF the car and attacked him. He
stabbed him in self-defence. He says that
Sinclair weighed over 200 while he weighed
only 100, and he was afraid of him. Selon
is much broken down by the affair.
The superintendent of railway service in
New England, George o. Dame, told re-
porter last night, on the train from Boston
to Bangor, that he had known for some time
that there was considerable feeling between
Sinclair and Sellon, but that he thought
Hayes and Sinclair were the best of friends.
He stated that there would be some very i'm
| portant Developments at the inquest, but he
| refused to state the nature of them, although
| he gave a young man within hearing to un-
derstand that both Sellon and Hayes were
under a cloud of suspicion. He said that
| Sinclair received $780, Hayes $3.50 and
| Sellon $500 year, the latter being in
charge of the car. Mr.. Dame remarked that
same time ago Sellon and the murdered
man did not get along very well
together, and that he had intimated tG
Sellon that, if the feeling went SO
far as to be hnrtful to the service, he would
remove Sinclair and give him some other
run" Sellon did not care 70 have him do
this, fearing that it might create a prejudice
against himself which would result In his
| removal
| Sinclair was what is designated as the third
| clerk, and he was the last Of the three to en-
ter the car before it started ON the trip to
| Boston, while the head and second clerk al
ways went to the car and began work some
| before it started. Sinclair was expected to
remain in the Bangor post Office until the
registered pouches had been arranged and
slips signed by the postmaster in that place.
Then he brought the registered pouches to
the car with him and they were near him
when the deed was committed, as some OF
the russell cOlOred leather of the bags was
stained with his blood.