Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-08-14

for it.
An important incident not brought on
at the trial is that Mr.. Barron, on tht
evening before this day, went to the
mouse OF the tax collector to hurry hin
up in his collections. The collector i,
known to have made a payment Of ovel
$500, and in the afternoon the collecto,
says he paid Barron $3.50. He did not
take a receipt, which is not strange when
the relations between the men are consid.
cred. There is nothing to show how that
SIS check got into the cash tray except ii
got there in payment of taxes. 1t appear;
that had not Barron bought this bond he
would have had cash on hand.
The evening session opened at 7.4O and
Attorney Pierce continued his argument
in favor of Mrs. Barron, further explain
ing matters in reference to the accounts
which Mr.. Barron had to deal with. He
said that President Bradbury of the
Savings Bank saw in the cash tray on the
Goth or 21st day of Feb, 1878. a United
States bond and that the bank officials
made a statement that the accounts were
all right, yet later published a statement
that they wished to see all persons who did
business with Mr.. Barron on the 21st or
22d. Mr.. Pierce said that the officers of
the bank kept the matter secret that they
discovered that a bond was missing. He
read the published statement from the
bank officers that everything was straight.
1t seems that Mr.. Bradbury was not de-
cidcd as to the date on which
he saw the bond In the
cash tray, but Mr.. Pierce considered 1t
was Feb. 81. Bradbury once stated that
he saw 1t on the Goth. Mr.. Pierce then
spoke of the fraudulent entry In Barron's
books.
From this point Mr.. Pierce spoke of the
seeing of strangers about Dexter on the
day of the murder. He considered that
persons could be recognized 10 years after
ward and the theme that Stain and Crom-
we'll could not be identified was mislead-
ing. Mr.. Pierce then gave an account of
the detectives work, and said that their
conclusions were that 1t was a case of
murder. The matter of the coal bod was
referred to, and Mr.. Pierce said the de
~tectives saw no reason why the coal should
have been strewn about the room In case
of murder, The detectives theory WAS
that the murdcrcrs were lurking in the
hallway, waiting for Barrou to come
from behind the grating, and when he did
S o they pcunced upon him, knocked
him down and then dragged him into the
vault and gagged him. The work of the
Mr.. Pierce spoke of fully and
considered these expert men knew much
of the case The finding OF Barron's
body was then spoken of and the rope
about his neck, which Mr.. Pierce said was
pulled through the moose. He considered
the theory of suicide a weak one that the
person who fostered this idea found some
thing wrong In the books. and concluded
took bis life in order to avail ex-
posture. Insurance Agent Parsons, Mr..
Pierce said, had testified that he heard
steps in the Masonic hall on the Gay of
the murder, he being in his office in the
building on the afternoon of Mr.. Barron's
death, but after seeing the bank books
and hearing the theory of suicide ex-
plained, he concluded he must have been
mistaken in hearing footsteps. The gag
found In Mr.. Barron's mouth was tied very
Mr. Pierce said, and in speaking
of the wounds on Mr.. Barron's head he
said the suicide supporters believed they
were caused by the door being pushed
hard. He introduced evidence from DIR.
testimony to the effect that
was evidence Of strangulation.
who went to Dexter, Mr.. Pierce
said, were "~initiated'' into the suicide
theory, were shown here and there in the
books where Barron was supposed to DO
guilty of robbing the bank. Mr.. Pierce
read DR.. Clough's testimony, which was
that he was present at the bank when
body was taken from the vault
and that he discovered several bruises on
the head which were made from one-half
to two hours before the body was taken
out, according to his best judgment.
In referring to the finding Of cigar
ashes on the sofa in the Masonic hall, |
Mr.. Pierce said that Mr.. Packard and
man went into the hall and be-
sides discovering cigar ashes and crumbs,
found q short cigar stub, which was
into the stove, they not thinking
anything about the developments which
later came out in reference to the matter.
Mr.. Piecre then brought up the matter
of Stain and Cromwell's supposed flight
from Dexter, and called attention to
II. G. Moore and wife meeting a team on
their way to Dexter, between 5 30 and 8
o'clock on the day OF the trsgedy, and
that it was going hastily In the opposite