Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-06-12
SELLEN STRUCK TO KILL.
THE POSTArrOAR EURDER ryaTrpy mAa
 BEEN CLEARED UP.

Clerk Sellen Guar reled win r,v.y,r Sin.
 clair. and i'm . Moment or Umxovern.
 able Rage Stabbed Him to the Hea.f
 -C1erk Hayes, who witnessed 1t, Tells
 the Story.
 BANGOR, Me-, June 12-The mystcrious murder of Jere G. Sinclair, the railway mail clerk who was found stabbed in the breast in the postal car of the Boston express train just as 1t was leaving this city on Saturday night, has been explained by the confession of s. Lyman Hayes, who, with A. G. Sellen, assisted Sinclair in sorting tho mail. Hayes engaged counsel upon his arrival here, and with him, and Assistant Postm aster Hogan held con- sultation and related the entire story of the killing. They told him that if Sinclair was murdered in that car. either one or both the two clerks did it, and that both would be held equally guilty. They advised him if he knew anything about 1t, and would clear himself, to tell the whole story. Acting upon this advice, Hayes, it is reported, made full confession.
 Hayes says that Sinclair and Sellen sud- denly became involved in violent quarrel over the handling of some mail at Waterville, end both men were exceedingly angry. Hard names were called by eaeh man and blows fol lowed. The scratches on the face of the dead man and upon Sellen 8 fnce seem to corrobo- rate this. They were qharrelling in front of the letter-rack and softing-table. Suddenly, in a fit of ungovern 3bie rage, Sellen seized the large knife which is used by the head clerk in cutting twine around tho packages of letters, and made lunge at Jerry Sinclair.s buryng it deep in hi9 breast. The blood spur ted from the wound in Q regular stream, and ,lle unfortunate 1lah was unconscious in a few moments. They took him over to the mail bags and laid him down. After the train started Tellen threw the knife away. Hayes stood in the middle of the car by the side of the paper sack durin9the quarrel. He witt messed the stabbing plainly, but 1t occurred so quickly that he was powerless to act in the matter.
 Hayes repeated this story at the inquest yesterday, which was held with closed doors. The testimony of other witnesses threw littlo additional light on tho tragedy. Conductor Judkins and Omer Lowell. keeper of the depot restaurant, tesd1ed to the position of vicinity, and the condition of the clothing of the deceased. Dr. Sanger testified as to the wounds which caused the death, and Super intendent George E. Dame and Postal Inspec- tor Gerrish told the fecling which existed be- tween Sinclair and Sellen.
 It is said that Sellen has confessed, but claims that he acted in self defense. He says that Sinclair rushed into his end of the car to attack him, and that nc plunged the knife into him to save himself from bodily harm. He claims that Sinclair, although older was physi- cally his superior. He appears much broken down over the affair.
 Sinclair was a man of 60 years, weighing about two hundred pounds. He was an old and tried servant, and much liked for his jovial disposition.
 When first arrested, Sellen told astory about Sinclair's dying of hemorrhage of the lungs, and explained spots of blood on his own clothes by saying that he had helped to lay Sinclair on the mail bags after he was at. tackled