The Portland daily press., 1895-11-29
A SERIOUS CRIME.
Two Well Known Auburn Young Men
Are Culprits.
AN ATTEMPT TO SANDBAG AND
ROB A FARMER.

Inc Attempt is Unsuccessful and the Per-
one Of them is the Son of General
Henry M. spfague.
| Auburn, November 2S.-Charles B
Strout, Center Minot farmer, came to
Auburn Wednesday morning and in
formed Officer W. B. Jenkins that two
young men had come to his place at
Mlnot on Tuesday afternoon and at
tempted to sandbag him.
Mr. Strout related his story as follows:
About Q O'Clock Tuesday afternoon o
gooo looking team containing couple
OF weli-dressed men drove into the yard
One OF the men W ore whiskers, evidently
false, while the other man, apparently
about 10 years old, was a beardless youth
Inc latter got out, and, rappng on the
door, called Mr.. Strout by name and said
that he understood he wanted to sell his
farm. His father, Dr. Andrews of Water
vile, he said, was looking for a farm for
country residence and would be willing
to pay fair price for farm that suited
him.
Mr.. Strout was anxious to sell, and
showed the strangers through the house,
they expressing themselves as we'll
pleased. They then went to visit the
orhoard.
1t was In the orchard about thirty rods
from the house, where Mr.. Strout got the
sand -bagging. They were walking and
talking when suddenly the man with the
wealth OF whiskers stepped up to MIR.
Strout and dealt him stinging blow on
the side Of the head, telling him to the
ground. The blow dazed him for
moment but he was soon up and at It,
Gaining his feet MIR. Strout struck out
for his assailant and he made it very hot
for him.
The two assailants skedadled as fast as
their legs could carry them and escaped,
leaving their team behind them. Mr..
Strout gave an alarm and the neighbors
organized a searching party, but nothing
could be found Of the strangers.
Mr.. Strout brought the team into
Auburn with him and it proved to be the
property Of S. L. Emerson. Col. Kane,
who let the team, didn't know the young
fellow that hired it, although he felt
sure he was an Auburn boy, as he has
seen him number of times. But hat
box in the team with the name of we'll
known Auburn man on it gave Mr.
excellent shape and shortly after dinner
he had both the birds under lock and
keyt
Lester G. Sprague was first arrested and
then Myron Fl. Watson, both finally con-
Tossing. Watson denied the accusation at
first, but upon later visit to the lookup
by Officer Jenkins, he opened up and told
the whole business.
He said they didn't want to kill Strout,
but wanted his money. 81 was sorry 7
did it the minute I struck the blow,n
said Watson, land I was so nervous that
was actually sick to my stomach" He
said he was the one that wore the
whiskers. After the affair he burned the
whiskers.
Watson says his downward career has
been caused by love affair. He fell
desperately in love with a pretty girl in
Minot, but she proved untrue to him in
most serious way, as he claims, finally
jilting him. The night she ''shook'' him
he drank some twenty drops of laudaum
then and there. but by forcing him to
swallow an emetic they saved his life.
mo one knows about that but Leila and
her grandmother, said Watson. ''After
that didn't care what became of me-
had bottle of laudaum in my pocket
yesterday" said he, "but the girl that
was with when you got me took it away
from me. Oh, wish had that laudnum
WHeH YOU caue aiGef me, UeIl you, you
wouldn't have me here now. l would
have swallowed it, sure.''
Watson was very talkatiye to Mr..
Jenkins and begged his pardon for the
harsh language he used toward the officer
when he was arrested
Officer Jenkins has taken out warrants
against the young fellows who are only
about IS or 90 years old, charging them
with assault with dangerous weapon
with intent to rob. The penalty for this
crime if convicted is at least one years
imprisonment, and not more than 20
years. The case will be heard before
Judge Mitchell Friday morning.