Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-02-29

-Noit1 ckAt SAlQ 4 >~aRpSu tns uCttI
shipped any team on the steamer Star of the
East, and never hired any team at any
stable in February, 1878. was making and
repairing shoes in Medfeld. Cora
alone constituted nv family then.
Mr.. Thomas lived down stairs. am NOT
sure whether / belonged to the fire eompa-
ny in Feb. 1878. remember very well that
y. Herbert Baker came to my house on the
18th day of Feb. 1878, with pair of boots,
and we talked over the fire company matters.
returned the boots mended three days la
ter. | remember Lizzie Ballard called at
my house the 2lst. of Feb. and | gave
her pair Of boots as birthday present,
which purchased for Cora, they being too
large for her. On the night of the 22d of
Feb, WAS at Mr.. Rhodes doctoring a sick
horse and | could ix the date by my note
book In doctoring the horse he broke the
halter. The morning of the 22d Mr.. Thom-
as went TO do his chores and when he
come back remember he told his wife that
Chas Hamants horse was stolen. | was at
home on that day. | have memorandum
showing that inenied Mr. Rhodes halter
on the 23d. On the gath | went to Boston
and bough, stock. Here Stain produced
bills in court which he paid on that day. On
the afternoon of the 22d | tapped a
pair of shoes for some one and
on the 23d, pair of boots for
Patrick Martin and | remember he brought
me book written by VIM. Paine. | never
made any confession to my son about the
Barron murder, and | never had any shock.
While at Dedham Jail Charlie called on ME,
and said to Mr. White, This is my son,
whom have not seen for five years. | was
convicted of receiving four rings, knit
,a..t boz and ~ h., I.l,,,
Harvey. Harvey testided he gave me the
rings, which he never did, and the other
property was mine. | always colored my
moustache after | was 10 years old, until in
Bangor Jail, | remember of assisting a col
ored boy in driving sheep across the railroad
track, but can't fix the date. The only time
was ever arrested was when | went to Ded-
ham jail. Cross-examination | never
heard there was savings bank there until
heard of this affair. | read an account of
the tragedy in the Boston Herald. Cromwell
and didn't take the Herald together that
remember of. | don't know but what he
paid something towards it, From 1861,
lived at Medfield continuously until about
1880, except short time in Walpole. 1t
was by my direction that the recess in the
floor was built by carpenter Dodge. The
only reason that had it constructed was TO
hide Cora's watch from Harvey. | sheathed
up the place by the chimney, and there was
no place in the attic where access could be
obtained to it. This recess was open TO a
clothes closet 10 which there was II door.
Mr.. Baker interrogated the witness sharp
ly on the building of the recess in the floor
and to fix the date when it was constructed.
Stain thought the floor in the room where !
the place was built was constructed after the
Thomas family had moved in and would not
say that it was made after the fifth or the
sixth of Januarp, 1876, or before, when Har
vey returned. He never associated with
Harvey, Cromwell or Billy Bell, in any en-
terprlse or any gang. He never knew of
any expeditions from his house for the pur-
poses of crime. He said | never stole
any bags of grain from the cars, and never
knew that any stolen grain was brought to
my house. didn't tell Dodge to build the
place in the floor where might keep Coras
watch but said wanted it for my papers.
There was no real intimacy between Crom
well and myself. We had no associations
other than because he hired my house. He
didn't come regularly after the papers. |
didn't know that they had any stolen prop
erty with them when they arrived at my
door. | let them in and they went to bed.
never saw any unusual number of keys
about my house. | always carried a revol-
yer, as when went to my traps in the win
ter | had to use it sometimes to kill the ami
mails in the traps. When | was arrested
had loaded revolver in my possession which
/ carried because of money. | had it in my
possession and carried it to and from my
house. carried one dirk knife which was
kept open by spring, and which
had to skin the game with
| also had two other small knives
in my possession. The knit jacket was
found in my bureau drawer when was ar
rested five years ago. don't know what
jimmey looks like or what its for, only as |
have read about it in papers. ! never knew
anything about Billy Scott or any boring
machine until | came to Dexter. The iron
found at my house when | was ARE sted was
a catch used to retain the tail board to an ex
press wagon. had no knowledge where it
came from. ! never knew of any false
whiskers or moustashe at my houses. ! never
saw any except in the windows on the streets
of Boston. | never was on Blackstone St,
Boston, and no man ever came out to my
place to make false key,
Mr.. Baker brought in dirk knife and
held it up, which the prisoner pronounced
his skinning knife; also big jack knife
which the witness SAID was ms morse hnlIe.
The Attorney then held up three large
punches of keys of numerous designs and
patterns, and one skeleton key question
ing the witness as to whether they were
found about his house, Stain replied that he no
knowledge about any such keys ever being
about his house. A cartridge and two other
smaller knives were also brought in, which
the witness testified were his. He carried
several kinds of cartridges and could not tell
what pistols they fitted. Had brown wei
ton overcoat which Charlie stole. | after
rds had white coat and wore it TO the
Harvey and Bell trial, to which went to on
crutches. This was in March or February.
1877. | never saw Cromwell wear a rubber
coat. He is in the habit of wearing a cap.
| will swear that did not wear brown
overcoat about Medfeld in ls77-1S-79.
Here the court adjourned