The Portland daily press., 1895-06-12
HEARING FOR A NEW TRIAL
ofJames Lewis Convicted of the Murder
of Byron G. Coburn. VI

The motion for new trial for James
Lewis convicted of the murder of Byron
G. Coburn of Gorham, will be argued to-
day before Judge Bonney. Messrs
Seiders and Chase will argue for the new
trial and County Attorney True against
it.
The new eviden ce will be introduced to
throw the burden of guilt from Lewis on
to GRAHAM. Witnesses will testify as to
the latter's excited appearance on the
night of the murder. Attorney General
Powers made strong point against
Lewis, in the trial of the fact that he ex-
claimed that Coburn had been kicked by
COW, when from where he stood he
could not see the wounds on Coburn' S
head.
Patrick Donnelly of Westbrook will
testify that he was in the barn on the
night of the murder and from the fact of
the corpse would plainly see the wounds
ON Coburn's head, making it likely that
Lewis could see them also.
A strong point of new evidence relates
to a bunch of keys George Chadbourne,
of Gorham, will testify that he left a
bureau, with locks and a bunch of keys,
at the house of Charles Hanson, for
storage. Graffam subsequently, worked
for Hanson and occupied the room where
the bureau and keys were stored. At the
trial a bunch of keys was in evidence,
which were taken from GRAHAM after the
murder. GRAHAM said he found the keys
in the street in Gorham village. Chad
bourne now comes forward and says the
keys were his and were the same that he
left at Hanson's S house with the bureau
for storage After the trial Mrs. Hanson
looked for the keys and found that they
were missing. Chadbourne has seen the
keys since the trial. He recognizes them
all except one, which he says never saw
before
Coburn in his lifetime kept the store
house in front of the barn locked and he
always carried the key in his pocket.
When Mr.. browne took charge of the
premises after the murder, he couldn't
find the key to the store and pulled out
the staple, replacing the old lock with a
new one. The key in the bunch, found
on Graffam, which Chadbourne says he
never saw before fits the old lock and was
evidently made for it.
Coroner Perry, in his examination of
Coburns clothes, did not find any key.
Several witnesses have seen the key found
in the bunch ON GRAHAM and they
identify it as the regular key to the lock-
Two witnesses testify that GRAHAM
made arrangements at Gorham corner on
the night of the murder to get team and
go to Portland; that he said he would go
home and get his supper first and be back
at the barber shop by seven O'Clock. He
got no supper, saying he did not want
any, and did not return to the barber
shop He gave no reason for this action.
Two witnesses will testify as to
Graffam's talk and appearance at the jail
while he was there held as witness, go
ing to show that he expected to be
accused of the murder and if accused to
be convicted.
There are several other points of minor
importance too be brought out at the
hearing but the outline given above of
the new evidence, is the principal part of
what the defence relies on to induce the
court to grant new trial to the prisoner,
Lewis.
County Attorney True has also several
witnesses whose testimony will be of
much interest and importance