The Portland daily press., 1899-02-18
UPRcTAL TO TIE PREss.l

Lewiston. February E.-What promises
to develope into one OF the most startling
criminal cases ever known in this vicinity
was brought to head this afternoon by
the arrest Of George W. Pierce well
known and wealthy citizen Of Lewiston
upon nine warrants. seven OF which
charged him with criminal libel and the
other two with attempting to murder.
Two of the criminal libel warrants
charged him with libel of Fred Ia Odlin,
the state detective of Lewiston, and the
other five charges him with libel Of Mayor
W. h. Newell, ex-AlderrEan n. b. Stock
bridge, Judge Adelbert ID. Cornish Of the
Lewiston municipal court, Hon. ID. j.
NcGillicuddy, and ex-City Marshal Her-
bert 4. Teel of Lewiston. One of the
warrants for attempted murder charges
him with an attempt upon the life Of
Judge Cornish, and the other upon ex-
Marshal Teel. The arrest is the culmina-
tion of the labors Of City Marshal Wing
of this city ever since last summer. In
the work he has lad valuable assistance
from State Detective Fred l. Odlin of
this city, and of the Boston Office of the
Pinkertons. especially of ID. c. IhoInhili,
superintendent Of the Boston agency.
The charge of attem pting to kill Judge
Cornish specifies that he sent him pack
age of sugar containing arsenic and that
of attempting to Kill ex Marshal Ieel that
he sent him bottle of whissey contain
ing arsenic. The accused Mr.. Pierce Is a
mason and plasterer by trade. His father
left considerable property and no has done
little work In recent years, as he owns u
number of houses here and has a con
siderabl o income from the rents. lie is u
man of some 45 TO so. In April package
of sugar was left upon Judge. Cornish
doorsteps in the absence of the family Al
though left there by grocer AS nc
member of the family had ordered any
sugar suspicious were aroused and th'
sugar was preserved unopened. On Jul,
10 Judge Cornishs house was badly
daubed with black paint. Early in An
gust scandalous letters began TO be eircu
lated signed with the names OF Judg
Cornish. Mayor Newell, MIR. McGillicudd!
and others All these things aroused sus
picion, and against Pierce. On Angus
II the sugar left at Judge Cornish's hous
was sent to Prof. Robinson of Bowdoir
college for analysis He found that
contained arsenic enough so that a .singl
spoonful of the sugar would kill man
The bag contained six pounds OF suga
and poison, and was addressed to Judg
Cornish by the writing of his name upoI
the paper bag in which It WAS contained
In septem ber Judge Cornish's house Wa
again painted. Some time in August
package OF candy was left on the drive
| way leading into Mayor Newells stable
His family was away at the time bu
several of the children of this neighhor
hood found the candy and ate some OF i
and were made very sick. During all o
this time letters were continually being
received purporting TO be written BY
Judee Cornish, Mayor Newell, MIR. NO
GilIicuddy and others against whom th'
writer seemed to have grudge. One let
ter was written to A. l. Talbot afte
his nomination as candidate TO the legis
Iature. 1t purported to come from Judg'
Cornish, and was bitter arraignment O
his candidacy. II was in connection will
this letter that the first evidence wa
found to directly connect Pierce. with thi
work. 1t was in a woman's hand writing