The Portland daily press., 1896-02-07
HAMLIN's TRIAL.
Arther c. Webster on the Stand
Again.

faS alAs
He Acknowledged Taking $4,000 Worth
of Tobacco from SkiIlins s. Hawkes.
-Hamlin's Story of the Case.
The trial of the case of Dominious
yesterday morning. The following
jurors were sworn: NJ e. Thomas, S.
G. Maxf1eld, H. R. Mountfort. g. E.
Ellinwood, James B. Hall, E. E. McIn-
tyre, W. Fl. Jordan, Alfred Mitchell, M.
T. Doten. L. L. Whitman, Fl. W. Chase,
o. r. Sturtivant. Judge Bonney offaciat-
ed. M. Z. Doten is foreman. County At
torney True, and Assistant County At
torney Webb represented the state, and
Hon. Frank Noble of Lewiston and
Carroll W. Morrill,. of Portland, appeared
for the respondent. Mrs. Hamlin was
present in the court room, and had their
little child with her. The indictment
was very long document. covering
many type wri item pages. He was
charged with receiving stolen goods
knowing that they were stolen, and also
with breaking and entering.
Mr.. True repeated the we'll known
story of the operation Of the alleged
gang, and termed it "a strange and start
ling story"
ARTHUR G. WEBSTER
was first called and was examined re-
garding his preliminary visits to the
store of Skillin & Hawkes.. His story Of
what occurred between himself and
George B. Morrow was in substance as
related by him at the trial of Morrow.
After he had row with Morrow he had
another key made. He told Hamlin
that he had key to the store of Skillin
& Hawkes., and he said, "ThAt's good.
Generally Hamlin kept the store key. He
described the raids they made. The small
est nu mber of visits they made to the
store in q single month was six, and
the smallest amount of tobacco taken
was eight boxes. Commonly Hamlin
went into the store a nd brought out the
tobacco. Generally they would drive
about, and then Hamlin would make
Wesbter get out, while he would drive
back to the store Of John Hernandez,
sell the goods, come back and divide the
proceeds Hernandez commonly paid in
checks, and Hamlin was in the habit of
getting the checks cashed at Heseltine's
drug store, and would then openly divide
the money with the witness. Generally
Hamlin was in the habit of staying in
the store with Hernandez from an hour
to an hour and quarter. He repeated
his story Of the accident that occurred
one evening when he and Hamlin were
out together. He said Hamlin scraped
off the rs. H." from of the boxes. The
witness sold some tobacco for John Her.
nandez. He sold the tobacco below the
market rate. 1t might have been his
bankrupt stock.
Cross examined by Mr.. Noble he said
he sold some tobacco to Hanllin for John
Hernandez. He was unable to recall
with absolute exc c5ness all be testified to
in the municipal court. He took the
key to the store from pocket in his
brothers. cloths. He went to sleep a
night with his brother, but woke up at
4 o'clock in the morning, went to the
store, took four boxes Of tobacco and
then went back. He could not say that
Merr ow and Hamlin had any talk to-
Qether about the raids on the store. He
testified to having visited questionable
resorts in company with Hamlin. He
sold tobacco to Hamlin from the stock of
John Hernandez, and cigars as the
agent of New York house. Sharply
questioned by Mr.. Noble he said that be
was in the habit of taking girl out rid
ing, and would then take Hamlin and
raid the store He sold some tobacco to
Mr.. Allen. He couldn't say whether the
mark IS. & H" was on the two boxes he
sold to Mr.. Allen. He made the sale for