The Portland daily press., 1892-06-11


Limington AssaiIant If the Jury Com
clude to Believe 1.-THE Prisoner
Takes the Stand.
Especial to the Press.1
ALFRED, June 9.-The second day of
the Godfrey trial has been marked by a
larger attendance even than marked the
first day. The prosecution have rested
their case and the defence has been out
lined in the form of general denial
supported by an attempt to prove an
alibi, and to show that Godfrey was
fooling the detectives instead of being
fooled by them.
The testimony of Detective Newbegin
was finished yesterday, and this morning
Deputy Sheriff Samuel ID. Plulnmer
was the first witness to take the stand.
Mr.. Plummer related how he was first
engaged on the case when Mr.. Hobson
came to Portland for assistance; how he
first saw Godfrey Sunday evening follow
ing the assault when he called at the
Godfrey house in company with Captain
Black of Portland, ostensibly to look for
missing horse. 1t was during this
visit that Clark Godfrey exhibited a
suspicious uneasiness on the presence of
officers. The witness testified that at
his request John f. Newbegin went to
Linnington to assist in detecting the as
sailant of Strout. The witness on April
goth met Clark Godfrey at the Union
station in the waiting room. The wit
ness knew him and accosted him; took
from him the package sent by New
begin, and delivered him another for
Newbegin. Then the witness asked
Godfrey:
"What sort of place is it for job in
Limington?'
1T is damned good place." replied
Godfrey.
there?'
'There are''
1t was on May that Mr.. Plummer
next saw Godfrey at the United States
Hotel. Newbegin introduced Godfrey,
whereupon Plummer, who went by the
name of ''Sam," objected to Newbegin's S
carelessness in taking an unknown man
into their confidence.
Newbegin replied with spirit that he
(the witness) always kicked, and had bet
ter not do it this time until he knew
more about it. This man, Godfrey, was
good man, who had done time in Con-
cord prison, and in the prison had done
time with 'Cris'' Carter, their old part
ner. Garter was horse thief whom
Newbegin arrested and had sent to Con-
cord while Godfrey was there.)
Plummer then asked Godfrey if he
had NERVE to slug man,
Godfrey replied that he had.
The next evening, with Newbegin, the
witness met Godfrey again in the United
States Hotel. Plummer told Godfrey
that he had a job that he was about to
do, and that they might take him God
frey) in, only they had doubts about his
nerve. Then the witness went into the
adjoining room to take q bath. While
he was there Newbegin said to Godfrey:
fWhy didn't you tell him about the
Limington job?''
Godfrey-"I don't want to-
Newbegin-sB you did it, didn't
you?'
tell him.
The conversation took place in the wit
ness's hearing.
The next night the three met again.
Plummer expressed renewed doubt as
to Godfrey's nerve, and told him that if
caught he would surely be convicted and
punished. To this Godfrey replied that
he had escaped detection SO far.
Friday night the three again met at
the United States Hotel Newbegin
here took Godfrey to task for some pet
ty deception practiced by the latter; and
Plummer told Godfrey that he doubted
whether he, Godfrey had done the jobs
which he claimed. There was no GER
tainty that he had done the Strout job
in Limington. Thereupon Godfrey de-
tailed to Plummer the circumstances of
the assault upon Strout. 1t seems that
Godfrey came to the Strout house about
6 o'clock in the evening. He new that
Strout had company. Godfrey went
first to the barn and entered; then Sec
ing Strout coming, went out Of the barn
and into the shed. After Strout went
into the barn, Godfrey crept up to the
tie-up door and waited for Mr.. Strout to
come out. When he came out,
Strout partially turned, to set down the
lantern, as Godfrey thought. ''And
then," said Godfrey to Deputy Plummer,
81 damned him. Godfrey then took
the pocketboo1z, went into the barn and
let the horse loose. He thought this
might serve as blind. Godfrey in his
narrative told the detectives how much
money was in the poclzetbook, and that
he burned the checks and other papers.
One check was endorsed.
Godfrey met Plummer and Newbegin
for the last time in room No. 33, United
States hotel. The three had arranged to
s'do job'' that night. After prelimi-
nary conversation, Newbegin said he
would go out and get ''Ned," who had
been represented TO be another of the
gang. When Mr.. Newbegin returned it
it was with Officer Phillips of the Port
land police force and Mr.. A. G. Kinds of
the PRESS. At once the witness and
Officer Phillips put Godfrey under arrest
After the arrest Newbegin went after a
carriage and Deputy Plummer took God
frey down to the ladies' entrance of the
hotel. While there the prisoner was
asked why he committed the assault upon
Strout and he said he did not know
Witness told him that it would be better
if the money and papers could be recov-
cred, and asked him what he did with
them.
Here the court excluded further testi-
mony upon this point on the ground that
an inducement seemed to have been here
Il