The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-12-25
HE TOLD A SMOOTH STORY,
But 1t Did Not Quite Satisfy Judge
Gould.

arrested Saturday. charged with an at
tempt to palm" watch at ). A.
Merrill & Co.'s, was before Judge
GouId Yesterday morning, and
proved very interesting respondent,
the case developing more than had been
at first looked for.
The testimony of Mr.. Keith. went d.
rectly 60 the point. He told how Wilson
went to the store, how he acted, how he
examined watches, and being detected
in trying to palm" one put it back, ex-
amined another, and paid S. as deposit
for some changes he wanted made in it.
He promised to be back and take the
watch before o'clock. Later on Judge
Gould gave his opinion of this part OF
the story, so far as it related to Wilson.
James Cummings Wilson having been
sworn, Hon. George M.Seiders, his attor-
ney, asked him to step forward SO the
cour5sscould see him better, and then
showed to the court that one arm was
broken years ago, and apparently was
not well set. remaining. fixed about in the
position Mr.. Keith had just testified it
was in at the time when he was in the
store. Mr.. SeiGers showed that he Is IN,
able to move it higher than that point,
or about two inches below an ordinary
counter. Having done this, Mr.. Seiders
asked Wilson to tell his story. He said
that being in Portland and expecting to
meet friend, he thought he would give
his daughter present, and SO went into
the store, and tried to find nice pair OF
ear drops, but not gettingswhat--he.w want
ed finally concluded to look at some
gold watches, and selecting one he paid
IS to have some changes made in 1T.
While they were talking an officer came
in, and overhearing their conversation
he said to them "Does your conversation
relate to me?" He had caught the word
suspected" and noticed that they
looked hard at him. He was told that
he must 60 with the officer, but protest.
ed against it. At the station he asked
Marshal Tricky to send for Congress
man Reed, or his law partner. MIR. Smith.
He was told that Mr.. Smith was not a
partner of Mr.. Reed, and he then asked
to have Mr.. Soldiers sent for. He did not
know either of the three gentlemen.
1t had been shown that he stated to
Marshal Tricky that he had been law
yer, and that he had also been in Cana
dian politics.
Nothing MORE" said Mr.. Soldiers, and
then Judge Gould asked him few ques-
tions. Witness said he did not say that
he had been lawyer, but that early in
life he was in law Office. He insisted
that he was member of the Canadian
third house."
awhere did you come from?" asked
Judge Gould.
From Montreal"
what had you been doing before
that2"
81 was in London several years, and
returned to Montreal last Septem ber."
"What business did you follow in Lon
DOM"
81 was on the spec. I traded horses a
great deal. have some extensive law
m ALTERS pending there, and came here
to meet man regarding them.a
"What is his name?"
Robert A. Roberts of Toronto. He
lives on King street, and has much to
do with buying and selling horses"
"What was your business with Mr..
Roberts?"
II had made an assignment of my
claim in England, but was not satisfied,
and thought might make another as
SHIPMENT to Mr.. Roberts,
chow much money did you have when
you talked about buying the watch?"
1856, and I've got it yet"
why didn't you pay for the watch at
the timer"
II hadn't settled my business with
Mr.. Roberts, had not met him in fact.
didn't know but might make the as
expenses in England, in which case
should have kept what money! had, or
I might have had to pay him. in which
case I should have got more money"
"How?"
"I should have wired for it :"
"To whom?"
@To Mr.. Mason at Toronto"
-" Has he any money or yours In his
hands?"
"There's an open account between us. !"
"You mean tina you should have
asked him to loan you some money!"
"Not exactly; there's an open account
between u.s."
what were you doing in Montreal?"
"Buying and selling horses"
"At what stable did you keepz your
horses?"
IT had no stable. If man had horse
be wanted to sell found him custom
er, and showed the horse where ever he
was kept"
"Were you ever arrested before?"
ayes; in Canada, about some horse
matters"
"1f il. please your HONOR" said Mr..
Soldiers, "this occurred beyond the juris-
diction of the court, and. the court is not
informed in regard to the facts in the
case."
Mr. Seiders then argued that nothing
had faeu shown To warrant the c0urt