Daily Kennebec journal., 1894-12-24
PROBABLE CAUSE.
James Lewis Held for the Muir
der of Byron Coburn.
Committed AMI GraRam
Held as Witnesses.
Exeter Creamery to Be Started-A Romance o!
the Soldiers Home.

S"iihS III '1e UOrndil murder case con
cluded late yesterday afternoon, in the
finding OF probable cause" against James
Lewis, alias James Lewis WEIGH
Edward Graffam, chum of Lewis.
who shortly after his arrest made a state
ment to his custodians, charging Lewis
with having confessed commission of
the murder of Byron g. Coburn, was in
court, for the first time since the
hearing began, the county attorney deem
ing it best to have him in readiness to put
on in rebuttal in case the defence got too
free with some of the government wit
nesses. But there was no need of putting
him on the stand as Judge Gould
promptly ruled out the very questions
that the prosecuting attorney was prepar-
ing to combat.
Frank o. Morse, a Gorham village bar
Der, was called by the State, in rebuttal
of the evidence drawn out by the defence
today, in relation to the finding of a
bloody handkerchief in the pocket of Ed
ward GRAHAM.
Morse testified that Graffam came into
| his barber shop about 10. 30 o clock, Thurs
day afternoon, and remained till about
545 in the afternoon. During the after
noon young man named Barton was
welding stick in the shop, and during
slight scuffle, Graffam received blow
| from the stick, which caused his lip to
bleed Morse offered Graffam towel to
| wipe the blood but he declined it and
used his handkerchief.
Deputy Sheriff Parker of Gorham, be-
| ing recalled by the State in rebuttal, saiG
| his Identification of Edward Graffam's
tracks across the field from the Coburn
| farm was based on what somebody had
told him.
Senator Seiders asked the witness who
told him about the tracks
County Attorney True objected to this
question, and Judge Gould ruled it out.
The defence called Deputy Sheriff
Chute. but when that official reached the
stand the county attorney objected to the
introduction of any new points OF testi-
mony. On this objection the opposing
counsel argued to considerable length
Judge Gould said that he understood that
the case was closed, and he would not
admit new evidence.
At $3.50 O'Clock Senator Seiders began his
argument in behalf of the defence. He
claimed that the State had failed to in
troduce sufficient evidence to show even
probable cause for holding James Lewis
ON suspicion of causing the death OF Byron
G.. Coburn. Stress was laid on the fact
that the State had withheld the testimony
of Edward Graffam, ''who has been held
under heavy bond, and ON whom suspicion
rests more strongly than on this respon-
dent" The testimony of government
witnesses was briefly reviewed.
Attorney Seiders declared an absence OF
motive on the part of his clients and called
attention to the fact that, though the body
of Byron G. Coburn was bathed in blood.
and the wall and floor were sprinkled anc
shattered with it, not so much as urop
of blood the size of Il pin point has been
found on Lewis
It was further claimed by the defence
as showing a lack of motive on the par
of Lewis, that there was no evidence Oh
i'll will between him and Coburn, ano
that before he left Portland, the day ol
the murder. Lewis was knowing TO tne
fact that Coburn had only dollar III his
rocket. oo,raod bis
argument with the declaration that the
case is SO clouded in mystery that ohe
state is morally bound to present the
testimony of Graffam, so that we may
know the whereabouts during that event
fin! hour of Dec 49, of this tramp, WHO
has been living on other people. Wluh no
annarent means of his own support, AM,
~, ,ybose person were found 3d. some oi
which cash corresponded with the denomi-
,,ation of the money stolen from the mur-
dered man."
County Attorney True argued half an
bonr giving resume of the most lmpor,
tant evidence introduced by the state anu
aro,,ino that Lewis had the motive tne
onnortilnity and the coolness TO execute
s,rcb an act of butchery. He laio stress
~, the calm demeanor displayed by Lewis
ofter the discovery of the body. MS lhaiI-
farence To Mrs. Kimball's pleadlngs 10 as
sist in raising Mr.. Coburn, whom she De
lived was only stunned by fall ana ms
volunteered and well-designed story Whloi,
,e recited in the village, that night' anu
~ tha reporters who interviewed MN
fudge Gould briefly recalled some Oh
~ ,,;tal noints brought out in the near
.n . I'D added: "It is not my duty 10
,ns S ,,bether or not he had any assistance
30 .l'a commission of this crime. Such
.horn,, ~ oh network of suspicious circum-
en ..",,oas has surrounded this respondent as
~ iaod me TO find probable cause.
W - 80 ,y,s committed without bail, 10
- The action of the grand jury
1"sa,,b AZ Coleman was put under siooo
S''.et;es and Edward Graffam unuer
SUI" =, onnear as witnesses before the
800 ;nry They were unable to get
s, ga lewis listened with the utmost
comnosure to the judges decision