The Portland daily press., 1897-07-31
Evidence Against Lynnfield Man
Very Strong.
WILL BE ARRAIGNED FOR KILL
ING GALLO TODAY.
Money Under Carpet In His Room Strong
est Evidence Against Him-Willams
Rather Gloomy-Asserts His Innocence
Strongly.

Lynn, Mass, July 30-District Attor-
ney White, will tomorrow morning after
Alfred 9. Williams has beenj arraigned
on the charge of murder in the first de-
gree IN causing the death of John Gallo
In Lynnfield, last Wednesday morning,
ask for a continuance of the case on be-
half OF the government. State Offer Neal
and Chief Of Police Vannah of Wakefield,
say shey have found more circumstantial
evidence against Williams which is now
at loose ends, and which they desire to in
vestigate more fully. This evidence is
understood to positively establish the fact
that Gallo did have in his possession the
uoney of which he is said to have been
robbed
Several have already been found who
heard remarks tending to show that he
ha d the money, but thus far the posses
sion of this money has not been absolute
ly proven. The officers think the strong
est evidence against Williams is the fact
that the gold coin was found under the
carpet in Williams's room in Lynnf1eld
Centre. All day the officers have been
exploring Lynnfeld and Wakefield, trac-
ing Williams movements on the night
preceding the fire.
Walter Hickey, his fellow worker and
boarder who was the first man to see
| Williams on Wednesday morning, WAS
also the last man who saw him Tuesday
night as far as the police have been able
to find out, but no one can be found who
saw him between II p. M. and 4. 80 p. M.
Williams was seen tonight in the Lynn
police station. He seems rather gloomy,
though not particularly worried. He
was asked if he had anything to say about
the finding of the gold in his room, and
he replied that he did not know there was
any gold there. If any was found some
body must have put it there, for if he had
known it was there he would have used
is Tuesday when he had some bills to pay
He said that while he was on his way
to Wakefield, he was knocked down and
robbed near Wakefield farm, and laid un-
conscious from 2. until he saw Hickey
about 4.30. He was then bleeding and
suffering from his wounds.
He knew John Gallo, but had no enimi-
ty against him, and did not know that
he had any money. The last, thing he
should dream of would be to rob him.
He had wanted to go to Klondike and the
matter had been talked over at the farm,
but it amounted to nothing but talk He
made no plans to go because he had no
money, though it was possible that In the
spring he could have got some from his
brother
/ Said he: eff they are holding me for
killing Gallo, they have made bad mis-
take.'
He said the first he knew of the trouble
fast and washed himself Wednesday
morning. He knew the place SO well
that he could not rest until he had been
out there and seen how things were and
what had happened. He went there,
saw where the fire had been and talked
with his friends on the farm about it.
He staid there some time and went up
into his old room in Phillips barn. He
changed his clothes there because the
ones he had on were stained and he
wanted some clean ones. After that he
went back to Wakefield, taking the road
that past the Wakefield farm where he
was robbed. AS he was going there he
found the handkerchief with the $75 in
bills in it, and took it, thinking that pos
sibly the man who assaulted him might
have dropped it. That was all he knew
about the affair and all he cared to say
Chief Vannah says that Williams called
at his office at O'Clock Wednesday morn
ing to tell him about the assault and
robbery of himself, his face was bloody
and there were bloodstains on his clothes
Williams's story seemed so plausible that
he attached no special Importance to the
presence of the blood, but in the light
OF later developments he recalls the facts
that, stains were too fresh to have been
made from wounds inflicted at midnight
and when the victim had been lying in
the open air for several hours.
Conclusive Evidence Against Williams.
Lynn, Mass, July 3O.-The gold coin
stolen from John Gallo, who it is be-
lieved was murdered in Lynnfield, last
Wednesday morning, has been found by
State Officer Geo. c. Neal, and Chief Of
Police Vannah of Wakefield, and is now
in their hands as evidence against Alfred
Williams.
The money was found under'a carpet in
Williams's room at Carleton's house
There are two 500 gold pieces carefully
hidden. The tacks in the carpet had
been removed, the gold pushed under and
the tacks replaced and table moved over
the spot.
This is the strongest evidence in the
case against Williams for John Guillio
had gold and in $40 pieces, and Williams
on Tuesday night had no money