Daily Kennebec journal., 1895-09-16
KILLS HIMSELF
Rather Than Take the Conse-
quences Of His Crimes.
Organized Gang Of Store Robbers
Broken Up by Portland Police.
lohn Hernandez, Cigar Dealer, implicated
Settles by Committing Suicide.

picious flight of a grocer, the incarceration
,of supposed burglar and the suicide of "A
Commercial street dining saloon keeper
are the sequel to long hunt that the
Portland police have been making. The
story is highly sensational.
Last Tuesday evening, a Portland young
man, who frequently passes an evening in
e Frank Els livery stable on Oxford
street, was sitting in a buggy, in the
shadow Of the stable lamp, when he
chanced to overhear conversation between
John Mcdonald, hostler, and Arthur G.
Webstcr,a q young man who has lately been
working for Joyce Bros, dealers in clocks,
jeWetry and rugs, curtains and various
other goods that are disposed Of on the In
stallmcnt plan.
Webster had come in to hire saddle
horse and while talking with the hostlcr
the latter asked who was now in posses
sion of the key to Stillings' store, over
which Webster and Stable Keeper MerrOw
had INDUCED in hot debate IA few months
| ago Webster replied that be had the kcY,
This talk aroused the listeners sus-
picion, and he visited the police station
| and talked the mattcc over with one of the
deputies.
Mcssrs. Stillings Hawkes. & Co, whole
| sale eroccrs at So Commercial street, were
| iaformed of the suspicious state of affairs,
| but they were unable to state whether any
| goods had been stolen from their store.
Then an investigation was begun, with
the result that Arthur G. Webster and a
companion were discovered, late Thursday
evening, prowling around the store.
Saturday morning, Webster was taken
into custody by Deputy Marshal Hartnctt
in Lynn, Mass, and subjected to Il long
and searching interview, in the course of
which he made partial confession,
His brother, Edward G. Webster, is a
trusted and exemplary young man, en-
ployed as shipper for Stillings, Hawkes. q
Co.
Arthur Webster, the supposed burglar,
admitted that one Sunday morning before
his brother had arisen he noticed this key
to the store lying on the bureau; that he
| took 1t to MerrOw's stable, and Morrow
made II duplicate of it, Arthur, as soon as
| the job was finished. returning the origi.
nal to his brothers room.
Then began, according to Arthur Web
ster S confession, ii long series Of nightly
| raids on Stillings, Hawkes. & Co.'S. store,
participated In by himself and Dominicus
| e. Hamlin. Sometimes Webster went
alone, at other times Hamlin was unac
companied on his visits, and occasionally
they went together. Hanlin acted as sell
| ing agent though Webster hired the teams
| for the delivery of the goods
| Aside from making the duplicate key,
| George B. Merrow had allowed some Of
| the stolen goods tn be stored in his stable
| Hamlin is q member Of the grocery finn
| of Emery q Hamlin, On Lincoln street.
| When the deputy marshal, after the arrest
of Webster, called there, Hamlin had taken
fight. An officer was sent on his trail,
| but thus far the search has been unavail
ing.
Deputy Hartnett left for Lynn, where
Morrow has been employed since he sold
out his stable to Charles J. Berry, two
months ago and arrested his man.
With Morrow in custody he arrived here
at Pm. yesterday. Morrow was taken
| before BaifCommissioncr NJ. p. Frank on
a charge of receiving stolen goods, and
furnished surcti 5 In $500 for his appear
ance in the Portland municipal court.
While the heads Of the police department,
last night, were deep in discussion of the
details of the robberies, word came in that
Iobn Hernandez Spiniard who has for
wears kent u tobacco store and dining
Sa1non on Commercial street, had shot
himself.
Hernandez was one of the parties whom
Arthur Webster had named as purchaser
of tobacco stolen from StillinPs, Hawkes.
Cos. store.
The shooting occurred about 7.30 o'clock.
Two man in the store heard two pistol
raports ND stairs Going up to investigate
thew found Hernandez lying in pool OF
blood in smsll room adjoining his cham
her A bulldog" revolver lay beside
him.
He was still breathing, but unconscious,
and the copious flow of blood from the
two bullet hol, under his chin gave evil
dance that death was inevitable. Ut.
Eessenden was summoned, ana Hernandez
taken to the Maine General hospital,
where he died shortly after his arrival.
Several boxes of tobacco supposed TO
have been stolen from Stillings, Hawkes.
& Co. have been found secretsd IN the
sleeping apartments which Hernandez
occupied over his store
Far into the night the police were at
work. sea ching for stolen gooos' Inc
found not only tobacco ana groceries from
the Commercial street house, but clocks'
ruos curtains, jewelry and other articles
that have been taken from Joyce Bros
store. -. >,,,,
After hearing of the arrest OF Morrow,
his successor, Charles J. Berry, last night,
made n search of his stable chamber ana
dug out from the haymow lot OF rugs
llacs curtains and jeweiry
no follow up all the clews and push the
80 20 the end will keep City Marshal
Trickey and his deputies busy for week.
A prominent Portland Clergyman has a
g. of lace crutains which he recently pur-
r biased at bargain fr,m Morrow.
Hostler Mcdonald, whose conversation
with Webster about the key was the nrst
clew that led to the discovery. CLAIMS ena.,
while he was employed in MIR. Morrow
-, be uas sent ont one night as driver
-. w,nSter who visited Stillings, Hakwes