Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-02-28


that you took your daughter to
school on the 18th of Feb le7s:- II too k
her every day" Have you spoken TO Stain
since you have been in the court house:s
No, sir: wouldn't speak To him more n
I'd speak to the Devil" When were you
in Dexrers" Il Was never in Dexter till
brought there last fall, and have not been in
the State of Maine since ls6s, until brought
here
Cross eIamined-I was born in Louisiana.
| am 81 years old. lived in Missouri till 1
was three years old. Ny father then moved
10 Mansfield. ran away TO sea when 1
was fourteen years old. Know among other
things how to tie sailors knots. What kind
of a knot was tied on the gag in Barron's
MOUTH asked the Attorney General. Il
don't know | never saw it" Continuing
| returned from sea and went TO school for
about two years, and then went 10 the Mis-
sissippi 10 work on a steamer. | returned
and went to school at New Hampton. n. H.,
j for three years. was twenty one years old
after left New Hampshire l went from
there and taught school in Missouri | re-
turned to fathers at Taunton. then went
south and followed preaching in the Baptist
denomination. preached for five OF six
months. did not like the occupation and
left il. | was soon after imprisoned. Ny
fathers name was Josa c. Smith. Ny name
+ is Oliver c. Smith. | changed my name be-
cause | was arrested in Bangor. | was en-
gagged in gambling, in fact was on the Mis-
sissippi river steamers. | left off gambling
and preached and then gambled again. |
! have not gambled for the past fourteen
years. first met David l.. Stain in 1870,
at Medield. Mr.. Harvey invited me to
meet Stain, did SO and was invited by him
/ to his house. After married Stains daugh-
! ter moved TO Foxboro. Stain was horse
dealer ana shoe maker. | never knew that
Stains was the headquarters for any gang.
never saw any thing there but what was
absolutely correct until after | moved to
/ Foxboro Then Stain and | used to steal
grain. Mr., Harvey was then on a voyage to
New Zealand. Harvey returned from his
/ New Zealand trip in 1876. The Attorney
/ General made the witness restate this l
was never personally acquainted with Mrs.
Merryfeld. The witness afterward correct
ed this statement saying he meant Mrs.
Moody. | never knew of any hiding place
such as has been described, where they kept
( tools, etc. | knew of place where rum
was kept, all ysu had to do was to take up
/ board after entering a closet. There was
no prohbitory law in Massachusetts, at that
+ time was there?" asked Mr.. Baker. Il did
not know there was" What was the next
or okedness you discovered" was the next
question. Mr. Gillen objected. Mr. Baker
said he wished TO disprove by this witness
what the previous witnesses had testified for
the defence. The court thought it inadmis-
sable. | knew Billy Bell, he worked at
Stains house. He had care of the horses on
the little farm and did some shoemaking. |
never talked over with Bell any expeditions
at Stains house. Most of the crookedness
| saw after Stain moved into his town house.
| lived in Stains lower house from 1877 to
1882. was frequently in Stains house in
1877, calling in as passed to work at Brad
ford Curtis's to get newspapers which We
both took together. | never knew Billy
Scott or saw him at Stains. All | was able
to do in November, 1877 and February 1878
was to carry my child to school on my back
daily. The teacher is now dead. | wasn't
able to ride in a wagon ] had this sun
stroke the 10th of September and lost my
senses. was in Maine two years and six
months.
Being further cross examined witness de-
scribed the visit of Detective Bean to his
house on May 25, 1887. when he first learn
ed that he was accused of the Dexter
crime. Bean said he had been down in
Maine and investigated the case and told
. them the whole story was humbug. He
gave me to understand that if would tell
what knew be would clear me-"
Mr.. Baker asked the witness if he ever
came down to Maine on the Star of the East
and laughing derisively he said, NO have
never been in any of the kennebec cities"
Cromwell was then asked to describe his
whereabouts on the 22d of February 1878.
t He said he was about the house helping his
..l.. III
ary he was at home, and in the afternoon
helped Mr. Buntin put on a | ad of had. He
knew of this by a record which he kept in
a book.
Mr.. Gilln Cromwelfs counsel said he
would produce this.
The witness continued Some time in
1877 saw Charles Stain go by my house to
go see Mrs. Moody. | think it was in 1877.
The only time have seen young Stain since
1871 was then. Harvey came to my house
after he got out of jail and had conversa-
ton with him about the Jail have private
reasons why would not speak to Stain any
more than the devil. | don't care to state
those reasons in public. | remember that
told Harvey that if did not get Stain into
Jail he would shut me up. | was afraid of
Stain When told by detective Bean that
| was implicated in the Barron murder,
stated that David Stain was behind it, or
John Harvey and Charles Stain. | never
told John IIravey that | was connected with
the Barron tragedy for it was an impossible
ity. did tell John Harvey that when Chas.
Stain wrote to his father for money the latter
would reply that he rather send rope to
hang him with. This reply supposed was
was on account of hen stealing and ntohing
more serious.
Enporat al than aI
Cromwell sharply about the location of Dex-
ter II don't know where Dexter is and |
never was IN Dexter" exclaimed Cromwell,
emphasizing his statement by blow of his
fist Oh the witness stand. did you ever
have an offer of liberty from Sheriff Mitch
ell if YOU would turn States evidencef"
asked Mr.. Baker. Yes" replied Crom-
well.
The opposing counsel objecting, Judge
Peters said 81 will state that no one has
ever had authority from this court to offer
inducements to this prisoner to turn State 9
evidence, neither have Foster nor Whitney
been given to understand that they would
obtain reduction of sentence by confessng,
as stated in the newspapers.
At this point the court adjourned till after
noon.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
Mrs Oliver Cromwell took the stand She
had lived at South Walpole, Mass, for six
wears, and previously at Medfeld, from
NAV. 1877. till 1852. She was at home dur
ing July aud August, 1877, and so was her
husband. all the time In November she
went away to the old home and staid a few
days. She has daughter by the name of
Lizzie, now sixteen years old, who went to
school at the time stated. Sept. 10th Oliver
had a sunstroke and was not able to do any
thing but sew straw, which she learned him
how TO do. She was at home during the
month of February, 1873, and was positive
that he was there on the 22d because in the
evening they had some pop corn and candy
and enjoyed good time, it being holi-
day.
Cross examination-My mother died on
the 29th of September 1877, and | attended
the funeral but Oliver was not able to be
present. Oliver worked for Mr. Curtis pre-
vious to his illness. He was able to go to
work again for Mr.. Curtis the next May.
On Saturdays, through the winter of 1875
;,,t tha bak nf lnaIiner box