Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-03-15

L
him II he didn't ask Nelson.
And then In this Interview Ne!son says
to the Journal: X haven't said 4 word
TO that other reporter. You are my only
haven't said a word to that other re-
porter. because he tried to hurt me In his
paper" Aye. now you have 1t. The
other reporter had seen the report and
that McNaily let Nelson go away or he
didn't say IT. and this Nelson was mad
with the other, reporter because he did
not come out like the Journal reporter
and lay It all on to McNally: that this
poor. innocent Nelson never would have
thought OF running away II this man
hadn't coaxed him out behind the barn.
Then Nelson says to McCone: II will tell
me right" He has put It all on to Nc
Nally. You only published the facts
and | have read the Journal" Now that
brings the Journal home to rhis man.
And have read the journal. and know
that you told 1t just as It was There
we have 1t. Here this criminal had run
away up into Canada and had come back
toward home and been recaptdred the
day before and brought down to Fox
croft. and had just arrived from Fox
croft. and he says to McCone: II have
read the Journal and the account where
you say that rhis man let me run away.
and that Is true And then lie goes on
and adds to IT that he not only let me
get away. but ! gave him S to do it..
Nelson then went Into Il detailed account
OF his life from a boy down. In reply
to "A question II he feared arrest from
Mentally. Nelson said that he and the
officer understood each other, for GER
tain reasons which Nelson named he
didn't fear arrest. Now you just think
of that wrong story! lie didn't fear ar
Nai Nail had brought him from ama E ses M
and they had assured him that he
wouldn't be arrested on the civil capias
when he was brought from the Dickson
field to induce him to come willingly.
And In one of the papers you will see
that the wife of Nelson was asked II they
hadn't ''gange' on McNally. She says.
oh, yes, we have got gauge" or her
husband had. Did he ever act as II they
had a gange or anything else on him?
! want to say one word as to whether
Nelson was under arrest or not. There
seems to be some confusion about II.
and ! think you will all see what 1t II.
In the first place. when they went to get.
this man at Dicksons. after consultation
they thought McNally had better not go.
because McNally thought IL he saw him
coming in the road he would run. as he
had run from him when, he had under
taken TO arrest him ON a ,capias. And so
McNaily didn't go. And you will see in
one part of Nelson's story about it that
he did not know what the complaint was
over there. and in his deposition that he
made no attempt to get away but came
readily. This man McCone says he pulled
his pistol, In the account he gave, and
that he had 10 have his pistol to get Mel
son over In the Dickson field. But his
pal down in State prison swear. II was
not so. SO you have got TO settle that
with him. You will see that In his depo-
si;ion that he states he was placed In
the hands of Hail when he got to the
house, and he swcars my ebert took him
from Halls hands and went out behind
the barn with him. Nelson swears TO
that. Now ! say that when they went
tt.ts Ia.
real arrest. In my Judgment. although |
may be wrong about 1t. no formal arrest.
But they had found lot of stolen goods
and they wanted 10 get him over where
they were and question him TO where
he got them, undoubtedly intending to
arrest him. and as Niles says. he sup
posed he was under arrest. or intended
for him to be. McNany stood around
there with him. He did not want him TO
get away. McNally tells you that he did
not understand that he was formally put
into his hands. but he assumed the re-
sponsibiiity of having him In his hands
the barn with him. and undertook to
shoot him: probably he didn't want to
shoot him. That Is nothing strange He
thought that by firing his pistol over his
head he might deter him from running
away. and that the fellow would turn
around rather than take the chances of
being shot. and then he would get him.
McNally tells you that the last shot was
Now they accuse him of lying because he
didn't say he WAS formally arrested and
in his hands. When people tell wrong
storiesathey are likely 10 cut their iin-
gers. Here Is question that McCone
asks Nelson in the interview: Why did
you tell Sheriff Niles when you We're ar
rested Il suppose that means over in the
Dickson iield-'that You were afraid Nc
Nally would arrest you on a capias?'
o. no. He was then afraid of McNally
WAS he? Right back in this very article
he says: "McNally did not dare to arrest
me-" | had him in my hands SO he didn't
told Sheriff Niles he was afraid. Now
he tells him why. "McNaliy had told me
that he would have me arrested If |
didn't pay II" That is confession of
had such gauge" on this man that he
didn't dare to do anything with him. Yet
he had told Sheriff Niles that he was
afraid this man would arrest him. and
had told him he would. The interview
your home?'' YES. SIR : Why were
you coming back?' Now he is going. to
to give myself up There. that settles
it, That was the final thing. He had
got it out of him. He was coming home
like nice little man and give himself
up. when he was arrested by Sheriff
Nichols up in Sangerville. He publishes
that and gives Nelson the benefit of his
repentance. He had repeated. too. He
hat started on his course of reformation.
and this young man helped him start.
1t had been long delayed. but there is
nothing like start. McCone had start
ed him out by having him give himself
up. And McCone puts II in the paper.
and shakes hands with him. and says:
You are not half SO bad as they say
you are. You were coming home to give
yourself up. There was a great oppor
tunity for more reformation. just think
of it. There is no human being living
who has accused this man of the crime
of being brfbed as a public officer except
these two gentlemen when they were
mutually admirings each other. | cannot
go over all this testimony. There is n
good deal of it. and you must take ii
from the witnesses and the deposition.
Go through the deposition from end to
end and you win see the whole animus.
see where the truth is. Nothing but this
great pressure upon this man. McCone
has induced him to dare to come up into
a court of this county under the circum-
stances under which he does come.
| believe the court will tell you this is
the law: that if this man McCone
maliciously or carelessly. ruthlessly or
wantonly. prepared these articles. acting
for the kennebec Journal. that the Ken
nebec Journal is responsible for that.
trust, gentlemen, that YOU will not say
that because this man McCone may not
be a man of credit or morals. that it will
not be good policy. or would not be right
plaintiff for what he has suffered in his