The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-11-06
is AUG. DAY A GROUL?


used around d body. 1t was not usual for
relatives to put articles into caskets; but
it might be that such articles might be
for these to have escaped his notice they
must have been put within the lining of
the casket
MR.. JOHN ROBERTS, HUSBAND
brook about sixty years, excepting when
he was in the war. He testified as to the
illness and death of his wife, and the dis
covery of the act of vandalism. He did
not see the body after it was disinterred.
The pillow shams were shown the wit
ness; but he did not recognize them.
The cause of his wifes death was an ap-
opletic shock.
Calvin II. Barbour, of Westbrook, who
worked about the burying ground, testi-
fed that on Sunday Mrs. Roberts's grave
was all right; but on Tuesday it was very
evident that it had been disturbed.
There were two tracks in the dirt, one
of a long, peaked toed shoe, and the other
broad shoe. Witness at once went to
notify Mr.. Roberts. Together they went
to the cemetery, and seeing the state of
affairs went to find the undertaken. Re.
turning, witness began to dig the grave
out, coming to the box and tsasket, which
were broken. Reaching in through the
hole witness found that the oasket was
empty. Witness was present when the
body was found. He should say it was
| I,oI5+ = irtr dc q
ness had opened the grave before the I'M
dertaker came. William Webb and Hen
~ Sands and Joseph W. Rounds, one of
the accused, were there while he was at
work The soil was sandy, witness said,
and when the County Attorney produced
a shovel with tawny earth on it, witness
said the dirt seemed to be the same.
Then
THE MOST INTERESTING WITNESS
of the day was called, Joseph W. Rounds,
the simple boy. The witness said that he
had lived with his mother in Westbrook,
down under Mrs. Kennison's on Union
and Middle streets. Augustus Day came
to the house on the night OF Oct. 4th,
whistIed for him to come out, and when
he responded, Day told him he had a job
for him, and directed him to get an axe
and shovel 2 He also directed him to get
some old clothes, which he did. They
then went to the cemetery, and Day told
him they weresto dig up Mrs. Roberts IS
body. This they did, and then carried it
to the pond, Day taking it by one ex-
tremity, and he by the other. Then Day
told him to take the coffin plate and car
ry it home; which witness did, putting
it under the doorstep.
Saturday after the body was dug up,
Day came to his house and stayed four
hours. No one but witness and Day had
anything to do with digging up the body.
Day had told him before going to the
cemetery that he had $50 job. 1t took
them from about to o clock to dig up
the body.
On cross examination witness said he
knew William W. Webb by sight; but
the latter had never said anything to
him about this case. Mr.. Lyons next
asked the witness whether anybody else
from Westbrook had gone to Kennebunk
to talk with him. Here the County At
torney objected to this form of question,
but the Judge admitted it in qualified
form. Witness then said that Marshal
Walter Knight, William Webb and pa,
per man came over to see him. Webt
did not talk with him about the case.
Marshal knight had talked with him.
Mr.. Lyons asked him if Mr.. Knight had
told him to tell this story. VI it ness said
he did. On being asked why he did as
+ Mr.. Knight wished, witness said: ''Mr.
Knight scared me, and did not know
what to say
Mr.. Lyons-"Mr. knight told you
that you had Letter say certain things.
did he not?'' ,ss-s7a
{ Yes" replied the witness.
''He told you that you would better say
that Augustus Day did it, did he not?''
t Witness replied that he did.
He said that some one must have
helped you, did he not?''
Eyes, he did,
Did he not cay that Augustus Day
helped?"
eyes" ~
) 'What did you say?'
J II said nothing
''He told you that it would be best to
tell this story, did he not?'
Yes, he said it would be better to tell
the truth and nothing but the truth
'How much did he promise to give
your"
Nothing
Witness told about getting the shovel,
and about doing a part of the digging.
He helped Mr.. Day carry the body to the
water. He did not tell his mother about
the coffin plate. He put on black dress
of his mothers before going out. Au-
gustus Day came to his house on Satur-
day after the body was dug up. Witness
was positive that no one had told him
that it was Saturday. Marshal knight
had come to the jail to see him.
"And he told you what to say, did he
not?''