The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-03-05
DIR. WEED IN COURT.
Examination of the Third Party in
the Newport Case.
Old Peter Bennett Tells How He Was
Assaulted and Robbed.
Foster Relates the History of the
Crime.

animation in tine case OF Dr. george Il. Weed
of Newport, charged with being the third
party in the robbery of old Peter Bennett,
occurred in the police court room this after
noon. The room was so crowded that there
was hardly breathing space. Whitney and
Foster. the New Workers, were first brought
into court, handcuffed together. Then came
DIR. Weed. His wife and daughter. who
were in the room, upon seeing his manaced
hands. burst into fit of weeping He was
well dressed, and wore tall silk hat. He
is a man of about So years, with long, flow
ing brown beard, sprinkled with grey, and
with hair slightly thin on the top Of his head
He wears gold-bowed spectacles. and pre-
sents very classical appearance He was
very cool, and stood calmly during the read
ing of the charge, responding in a firm tone,
'not guilty.
County Attorney Appleton was busy in
the Stain and Cromwell case, and Peregrine
G. White appeared for the State and made
extended opening remarks, in which he al
luded to the sensational features of the case,
the importation of
TWO NEW YORK CROOKS
to do the job, and the visit Of the family ply
oiCidu VI bnC fiStAlu w AlAuis anu euC
tration of opiates "These facts" said Mr.
White, distinguish this as one of the most
unique and dastardly crimes ever perpetrat-
ed in the great State of Maine"
Peter Bennett was first called to the wit
ness stand, and told the story of the robbery
and the murderous assault made upon him.
He said that DR.. Weed was his family physi-
clan, but when he sent for him that night to
dress his wounds he could not be found.
Hours afterwards he made his appearance.
Only day or two before that the doctor
was out to see him and left some medicine,
which he directed him to take Friday night
and Sunday, the night of the robbery. He
took it the first time. as directed, and did not
wake until long into the next day. lie sus-
pected nothing wrong, and on Sunday re-
peated the dose, but the morning after the
robbery his suspicious were aroused. He
had the bottle on mantel, and noticed that
after visit from DIR. Weed it had disap-
peared.
The old man was long time giving his
testimony, and after he had finished the
greatest excitement was caused by the cali
ing of James Foster to the stand. He occu-
pied the rest OF the afternoon with his dra-
matte narration Of the story Of the robbery
never before told. On the cross examination
there came desperate effort to discover the
identity of this man so persistently and sue
cessfully concealed, and the contest between
him and DR.. Weeds attorney, Matthew
Laughlin, waged sharp and strong until the
judge interposed. He gave his name as
James Ans0n Foster, and his age is % years.
81 will not" he said, ''state the name
which my father bears and which is my
right one for l positively will not bring my
people into this affair They are honorable
people, and they will not continue to be dis
graced by me as they have been in the past.
My family lives in Brooklyn. One year ago
left them for reasons best known to myself
ON ohfafpa1 apaplovnauf a. borfaOdpr in
place on Third avenue in New York city.
1t was then that
CHANGED MY NAME.
for the one now bear. My family knew
where was, and are not at al. to blame for
my action. On the afternoon of Friday,
December last, between 12 and O'Clock. l
stood on the sidewalk on Broadway in New
York, and a friend approached with Clar-
ence Whitney, whom had never seen be-
fore. We were introduced. and then the
three of us went into saloon near by and
had a couple of drinks. My friend, who is
man of good character, then left us, and
Whitney and l got private room and went
into it.
Me-, and he told me Of the small fortune
down there that a man could have If he
would pick it up. | was no Christian, so
this story did not shock me, but | believed
what he said, and in 20 minntes had agreed
to meet him that night and go down East af-
ter this money. That evening at 10 O'Clock
we took a train at the Grand Central depot
and came straight through to Newport, ar
irving there at o'clock in the afternoon. 1t
was then dark, and Whitney alighted on the
depot platform, while | jumped off on the
other side and hid myself in a coal shed near
the freight tracks. In about half an hour
Whitney came down and found me, and we
.ra,,k, 10 Is, as nf nr
"There we found the doctor. We sat down
and made our plans for the robbery in his
private office. l slept there that night on
sofa, with his buffalo OvercOat for cover
ing The next morning he came in early,
and after a talk he started with his team for
Benefits home to see if the old man under
stood his instructions about taking his
opiate. All three of us passed Sunday after
noon in that private office. All that had to
eat was little lunch Of crackers and 0ys-
ters that the doctor brought me in his pock-
ct We made our plans for the trip fully,
the doctor drawing a plan OF the house,
showing me every door, the location Of the
money, trunk, ETC., and saying that all we
would have to do would be to pack up the
money and walk away with it, We made
masks out of an old coat lining and got re-
yolvers in readiness. At 9 o'clock that
night
WE LEFT THE DOCTORS OFFICE
for the Bennett place, meeting Whitney upon
the railroad track half mile away. When
we reached Benefits orchard we put on our
masks, and then entered the barn and pro-
ceeded into the house, not door being locked.
Whitney was to dispose of the old man and
his Doctor was to care for Frank Patton, the
grandson and his wife, while l was to drag
out the money trunk. Icarried the dark lam
tern and accidentally threw the rays full into
old Benefits face.
''He awoke and sprung up. Whitney grap-
pied with him. In the struggle Whitney fired
his revolver so close to me that the powder
blinded my eyes and | dropped the lantern.
The doctor became scared and bOlted, leaving
us in the room alone. took the trunk out
Of the house. Whitney and the doctor joined
me, and we rified 1t and ran. Whitney and
kept together, although we knew that the
| doctor had nearly all the money
I'VE travelled until the morning commenced
| to break, and then we plunged into the woods
| and concealed ourselves. A cold rain COM
| menced falling and we crept under some logs
| for protection, but these afforded but little
| All day we lay in that chilling place,
and at night arose and tramped on.
| We counted the money during the
| $4,000, thus leaving about S30,OOO:in the hands
| of the doctor. All we had to eat the first
| day picco Uf bread W whitney nad IN MS
| pocket The second morning we called at a
4
| then we entered a little piece Of wood near
| the country school house and slept through
| the daylight hours. We rode the most of the
| distance from shat point until we reached
| Rumford where we were arrested"
| During the recital of the curious story the
| crowd listened with bated breath. AT its
| close Mr.. White stated that the government
/ would rest its case, as he was satisfied with
| the strength of this testimony. Neither
| counsel had any argument to make. Mr..
| Laughton said he would not argue the mat
ter, and would present no testimony at pres
| ent.
/ Massachusetts laws, in vogue when Maine
| set apart all ofthe parties would have been
| punished by hanging. He would order that
| the respondents be committed to jail without
| bail. to await the August term of the crimj-
| nal court. -
| A most affecting scene followed. Mrs.
Weed threw her arms about her husbands
neck and wept as If her heart would break,
while the daughter tried to comfort the moth
| er.
The Tariff, the Fisheries and the
| fIan