The Portland daily press., 1896-01-25

did Mr.. Coombs tell you that he
called Mr.. Plummer into his private
office to have talk with him. -
Mr.. Coombs interrupted at this point,
in an earnest manner and declared that
he did not invite Plummer. Mr.. Noble
suggested that Mr.. Coombs might like
to be witness and declared that Plum
mer had testified that Coombs did in
vite him.
"sIf he did he lied,' said Mr.. Coombs.
Mr.. Noble submitted that this was i'm
proper.
Mr. Coombs admitted that it was,
but it was drawn out by his brothers
provoking question.
Mr.. Noble declared that it was not
provoking.
Witness couldn't remember that
Coombs told him that Plummer told
Coombs the evidence he had against
Swett.
Prior to Bartlett's coming to his house
witness did not hear from Coumbs or
anyone that Plummer had said he sent a
man to the Durant house. BARTLETT did
not tell witness that Plummer told him
to deny on the STANG that he sent him to
the Durrant house.
Witness read the article ofaJuly 3rd.
TWO DAYS AFTER 1T APPEARED
His attention was called to it by some
body. Witness had no doubt az to the
statement in the Express rs to its cirou-
lation.
From June 25th till September witness
read all the articles in the Express about
the 1spite case. Witness had no reol-
lection Of reading the article in the Ex-
press copied from the Bridgton News.
Mr.. Noble showed witness copy of the
Express containing the above article.
Witness had no recollection Of reading
it. He occasionally read the Bridgton
News, but not as often as she ought to,
Brother Shorey assured him."
In regard to the first seizure at the
Durant house and Swett's paying fine,
witness said, II don't know anything
about it,
SWEET had confessed to him that he
was selling little liquor. Witness was
ceeded in sort of informal way to the
managership.
After that first seizure witness took a
bond from SWEET not to sail liquor.
When SWEET came to witness after the
first seizure, he didn't ask him If he had
a United States license.
Witness had no Interview with Sheriff
Cram after Swetts' arrest in .egard to
quashing the Indictment. Sheriff Cram
WAS in the Custom house and witness
call ed him to his office and told him
that if any of his tenants were found
selling liquor he should wish him to
prosecute them. He said to the sheriff
that he had but one favor to ask. Mr..
Cram said: ''This case must take its
usual COURSE"
Witness said that he had refused to in
terfere, but this matter had been spread
over the country as a seizure at the house
Of Col. Fred N. Dow. Therefore he ask
ed Mr.. Gram that if Swetu WAS convicted
he hoped he'd prevent his sheriffs from
sending over the country that Col. Dow
had been convicted Of selling liuuor.
Witness denied that he had amy talk
| with Sheriff Cram about quashing the
| indictment against SWEET. In regard to
the second esiznrs, Swert told witness
that they found small quantity OF IL
quor.
4 Witness was told by Coyle about his
Conversation with Plummer, and witness
knew that that the place might be used
as rum shop.
| Did you inform any of the author
| itiess''
~ did not.
| Objections sustained.
Witness told the conversation of Coylp
and Plummer to Norton as matter of
general news. He bad no expectation
! that he wonld publish them in the Tx
press. He knew they were compromise g
to Plulnmer. He did not consult Plum
| mer about the truth of them.
To his knowledge nobody connected
with the paper consulted any body about
the truth of the conversation. "itresS
had no n ms ef K lowing.. whetf er Il est
conversations that he toll Norton had
any part in the article of July 3.
fsDo l understand you TO say that you
didn't consider that article as containing
serious chargesT
Judge Strout excluded the question
After reading the article. witness >nok