Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-02-23

dldn nave on lutuvr coat Ut uiih wear
coat
Frank Edward Dustin testified that b
lived at Dexter Feb. %. 1873, and saw
stranger in the shop of Dustin Co.. o
which firm he was member; that the ell
trance was in the center of the shop, an
that he came in and stood half minute look
ing around the shop; that his beard was full
and that he wore an overcoat of brown invis
ible check and that il was burtoned over hi
beard that his hat was soft felt one; tha
the man strongly resembled Stain whom h
now saw in the court; that their manufact
tory was located on Main street, the thir'
building from the bank
Cross-examined he said that the man in th'
man in the shop had the same features abor'
the mouth as Stain had. Redirect: That tn,
form and size of the man were ike Stains.
Mrs. Amanda ID. Cleaves testified; 81
lived in Dexter on the day of the Barron
tragedy. saw the stranger in Dexter or
the 2lst of February, the day before th'
burglary on Main street. | was coming
from the direction of Dustin's foundry; his
head sat back and he gave me side glance
which startled and thrilled me- and thought
| could recognize it again. He wore car
and brown oyercoat." Stain stood up and the
witness said That's the countenance. The
first time saw HIM he looked like that.
saw two strangers on Main street that after
noon, Friday. They came out Of the bank
building entrance and passed across the street
near me. One of them was that man.
saw him the day before but this time he had
on felt hat. Both were in the act of but
toning up their coats to the chin. | saw them
again at about 6 O'Clock in the evening.
noticed the two men come out of the lower
entrance to the bank building; third Joined
them, coming apparently from the passage
way between the bank and the Dustin block.
They all passed me, very near and | recog-
nized two of them as the men | saw in the
afternoon and one of them AS the man | saw
first" Here Mrs. Cleayes stepped down
from the witness stand and up TO the prison
ers and selected them from among the other
men, giving their respective names.
Cross examination.-l was positive when
| heard of the tragedy that these men com
mitted the crime because | saw them about
the Savings Bank building and was impressed
that something wrong was going on. am
an intimate friend of Mrs Barron. | was
sure that if ever saw the men again |
should know them. | saw the pictures OF
Stain and Cromwell several months ago and
identified them. The prisoners are the same
men whom | saw in Dexter. Time has
worked changes with them but | positively
identify them, emphatically. Eliciting APP
pause from the spectators, which the court
quieted. | saw the prisoners in Jail last
Thursday and knew them at once"
Samuel Stevens was called and stated that
he was in the town of Dexter ON the 22d day
of Feb. 1873 and purchased some groceries
at the store near the bank; that he saw the
face of one stranger there and saw another
hack..to: that they were standing in the
bank door; that one had on hat and the
other further in he thought wore rubber
coat; that the one facing him was the man
in court whom they call David l.. Stain ;
that he passed near them on the sidewalk.
oss-examination.-I am certain enough
that the man before me was the one saw in
the bank door, but wouldn't want to swear
point blank.
Adjourned.
The prospect now is that the trial will ex-
tend into next week.
Notes.
1t was a noticeable fact that deep air of
mystery pervaded the court room and it
could not be told what the matter was. Final
lv it leaked out that Mrs. Merrifield, the
daughter of Stain, had produced a new wit
ness-a bouncing boy born last night Then
a few of the smiles of old Stain were ex-
planned. Mr. Merrifield was in court but he
wore sober face and seemed to take the
occurrence as matter of fact.
During the testimony of Charles F. John
son who met team supposed to contain
Stain, Mr.. Gillen sought to disconcert him
by inquring sharply which way he was go-
ing when they met, and the ripple of laugh
ter that came from the spectators at the re-
ply ''The same way as the horse" was at the
expense of the counsel.
1t was evident today that much of the tes-
timonv was very disturbing to Stain. He
his composure however, at all
times. Watching the witnesses narrowly,
leaning forward at times and tipping his
head to one side as if weighing each piece
of evidence.
The testimonies of all the Dexter witness
es have made some clnchers in the way of
positive evidence. Not only have several
the men, but one, Mrs. Cleaves
declares positively that Stain and Cromwell
are two of the three men whom she saw come
out of the alley way between the bank and
the Dustin building. Mrs. Cleaves is not a
woman who would be likely to make mis-
take. If she once fastened her eye on Il
man she would know him. What she knows
she knows. When she walked down and
pointing her finger at the men, said, That 5
David l.. Stain and that's Oliver Cromwell l;
these are the murderers of Barron, it seemed
as if the applause of the audience would
amount to riotous demonstration. The
Judge quite severely reprimanded the audi
ence for the outburst of feeling. 1t was
quite noticeable that the prisoners covered
before the woman's gaze. Cromwell, how
ever, soon recovered himself and looked at
his wife and laughed.
The Judge. with great humor, as the court
adjourned, said that the audience would prob
ably be on hand by nine O'Clock in the morn
ing so they would adjourn to that hour.
When Mrs. Miller was asked to point out
the + E.den man who boarded with her at the
time mentioned in her testimony, she caused
a ripple of excitement to run through the
room as she pointed out Stain. At the re-
quest of the court Stain rose and looked the
witness in the face He was perfectly cool,
hut the testimony must have startled him.
The feeling against the prisoners in this
city is the terse, and at the present time it is
safe to say that fully nine people of ten be-
lieve they will be convicted.
There we're in the audience ten ladies' to
one gentleman. The ladies own the earth.
said very prominent gentleman after the
adjournment. People were present from
many outlying places. Near the Journal
man sat Marshal Morse of Augusta New
arrangements are being made for seating a
greater number tomorrow, though it is diff
cult to conceive how it can be accomplished
As usual, Mrs. Cromwell broke down and
wept at the parting with her husband
One peculiar feature of the court room is
that the court is rallied off from the audience
and the venerable ext hief Justice Appleton
had to be assisted over the railing.
The women have given the brightest am
sharpest testimony of all the witness exam
ined today.