Morning journal and courier., 1888-02-29
STAIN GOES ON THE STAND
To Prove That He Had No Hand
Killing Cashier Barron.

Killing Cashier Barron.
BANGOR, Me-, Feb. 29.-The attendance
upon the afternoon session of the Stain and
Cromwell murder trial was the largest since
the trial began The first few witnesses gave
no evidence OF public interest, simply cor
roborating certain testimony previously CIV
en-. Moses Carr, of Sangerville, called at the
savings bank on the afternoon of the tragedy
and transacted business with Barron, obserV-
ing nothing unusual in his appearance.
David L. Stain, one of the prisoners, then
took the stand, creating considerable of a
sensation in court. He recited his early his
tory and said he was never farther east in
Maine than Narragansett, excepting on his
return from an Aroostook county trip when
about twenty-four years old. When he
rebuilt his house in Medfeld in 1876
he had a secret place made in which to
seerete a trunk with his papers and
gold watch and chain which was q present
to his daughter. This was SO Harvey could
not get them as he had threatened. This
was never hiding place. Witness did not
know where Charlie was all the time the
house was building. In September, 1876, he
received letter from him in Boston asking
to be allowed to come home. I consented
and he came in October. Shortly after we
moved to the cottage house, my family be-
ing myself, nay daughter who married Har-
vey, and Charlie, who married Lizzie Bal
lard October IA, 1876, and came to live with
me. They separated in about six weeks.
She left and shortly afterward Charlie went.
taking my nice oyercoat and sixteen dollars
in money. I did not see him
again until he visited me in
Dedham Jail in 1888. Witness testified that
he had owned at different times a mare
al ITIo,o III
but never shipped horse by steamer Star of
the East. In February, 1878, he was making
and repairing shoes in Medfeld, Cora alone
constituting his family. He remembered
that Lizzie Ballard called at his house Feb
ruary 81, 1873 and he gave her pair of
boots as birthday present. On the night
of the 22d he doctored sick horse for q
neighbor and in his diary was an entry show
ing that on the 23d he mended a halter which
he broke at that time. He went to Boston
on the Oath to buy stock and witness exhib-
tied bills for goods purchased at that tinae.
Witness said he never made any confession
of the Barron murder to his son
knew~ there was q savings bank in
Dexter until he read of the murder.
Never was associated with Harvey, Crom-
well or Billy Bell in any enterprises or gang;
never knew of any expeditions from his house
for purposes of crime; never stole any bags
3 -
and never knew that any stolen grain was
brought to his house. There was no real
intimacy between Mr.. Cromwell and myself
He had no associations other than because ne
hired my house. He did not come regularly
after papers. Did not know they had any
stolen property with them when they arrived
at my door. let them in and they went to
bed. always carried revolver, as when I
went to my traps in winter I sometimes had
to use it to kill the animals captured in traps.
Carried dirk knife with which to skin game.
Witness continued: 1 do net know what
jimmy looks like or what it is for only what
[ have read about it the papers. Never knew
anything about Billy Scott or any boring
machine until came to Dexter. Never knew
of any false whiskers or mustaches AT my
house and never saw any except in windows
on the streets of Boston.
Stain was very smooth and easy on the
direct examination and might have been
taken fer some prosecuted old gentleman, q
victim of conspiracy rather than man
charged with murder. He was also cool on
cross-examination and bore the questioning
of counsel very fairly. He will continue on
the stand to morrow morning. Adjourned.