Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-07-17
A VERY WILD TALE.
NUNCHAUsEN OUrDONB UP In NEW ENG.
LAND.
The Confession Of YOung Stain E1possd-To Secure .
Reward Hs Places Hs Haihr in the
Shadow Of the Gallows-k
Peculiar CASA


the Stain-Cromwell case were startling
just at its close, and an appeal is to 90 10 .
full bench for q new trial. The Winthrop
Bank produces Q package Of literature
which, had it been given ont ct the time
of the trial, would have undoubtedly set
the men free. 1t seems to establish be-
yond doubt that young Stain, lying in .
Maine Jail, racked his brain to concoct
some scheme whereby he could gain few
dollars, even if he sent his father to the
gallows, or to prison for life. A few years
ago, the Winthrop Bank, situated in Win
throp, in Central Maine, lost by robbery
in the night time over $4,000 in paper,
which was afterwsrd recovered on the
payment in New York City, Of $40, 900.
although the bank people never knew just
who robbed them.
In February, 1887, while young Stain
was in the Norridgewock Jail he confessed
to Mr.. Mitchell, the officer who arrested
Stain and Cromwell, that he, his father,
Cromwell, and one Gleason, q New York
Crook" did the job. Mitchell had him
write out the confession, and this he took
to the bank officers, asking at the time
about the reward. Being promised this If
the confession proved true, it was left for
inspection. The bank people found there
were some glaring errors and 90 wrote
Mitchell, and young Stain corrected them,
he being ell the while in Jail. Later the
bank folks wrote out thirty questions,
which were answered by Stain. The
whole story was then written out, inspect.
ed, and rejected by the bank. All the let
ters OF Mr.. Mitchell, those Of Stain and all
his answers, we're kept, however, and 1t Ia
the production at this late hour Of these
that causes the latest sensation.
The story, as it appears in these, and
which relates wholly to Winthrop, is al
most word for word like the so-callsd con.
fession Of the Dexter affair, save that the
names Of towns are changed to fit. The
same departure was made for Midfeld; the
same horse "Flora" and the same beach
wagon are mentioned; that steamer Star of
the East was taken and the arrival ut
Gardiner and the mention of the hotel and
bowling alley and departure from chat
town are alike in both confessions. Then,
simply substituting the names Of other
towns, he tells how he drove near the
scene Of operation, leaving the men to do
the job, and how, later, he took them up
again and fed from the scene. In ell the
details the same and similar language ap-
pears, and he puts in the Winthrop account
whole sentences into the mouth of Crom-
we'll, which appear in the Dexter story, as
having been uttered by his father. Then,
in the matter Of instructions, which be
claimed his father gave him, there is no
material difference in the two accounts
In both, where he said his father told him
not to recognize him, he uses the same
words The bank officials declare he must
have Just altered the story, after they had
rejected it, to fit the Dexter case, catching
the County Sherif, Mitchell, and the New
York paper, which was desirous Of outdoing
all detective bureaus.
They had good grounds for rejection.
Two weeks before Mitchell first appeared
at the bank stranger called, introducing
himself as New York detective, aud ask
ing at the same time for full particulars of
the banks loss. This was given him, and
he departed. Soon after IL was learned he
was q brother-in-law Of young Stain, and
being called to an account acknowledged
Stain had written to him to gain this in
formation, as we'll as dates, etc. He for
got to learn of the weather on the night Of
the robbery, which was rainy, and young
Charles, guessing at it, put 1t down as
clear and beautiful. Lawyer Parker, coun-
sci for Stain, has all the papers here in his
safe, and there can be no doubt
but what Stain is the author. With this
writing are all the minutes and memoranda
made by court officials, who do not believe
either of the men held here are anything
but the victims of the treacherous prison
bird, who swears he saw and talked with
Barren's ghost. tits hard to tell what the
six judges of the Supreme Court, who are
to sit in judgement will do, as this new
evidence cannot be introduced, but II o
vote was taken by the people, Stain and
Cromwell would 90 free. Stain and Crom-
well still maintain their innocense.