Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-09-06
PLEADS GUILTY TO
SUITCASE THEFT


elsewhere, was hailed into court before
Trial Justice T. g. Lord Friday night
and subsequently was locked into cell
in the county jail by Sheriff Mooers 70
await the action Of the grand jury al
the next term Of supreme court Co
ing back to . week ago last Friday'
the officers were thoroughly satisfied In
their own minds that Hayden had stolen
81 frcm a weli-known Skowhegan mar
ke:man, as they were aware that ne
had an opportunity TO commit the tns1t
When it was determined that the mon
ey was missing. Hayden however
dropped from sight and the omcers
thought II wasn't wise 70 spend mucn
money hunting for him, as II was ex-
pectsd he would ret irn within snort
tine Five days after the market ROD
berry the sheriff received letter from
the clerk Of the Kings Tavern in Bath
skiing information relative TO person
named Sumner Hayden. the letter ex-
p-a,ntng that the clerks room had been
robbed of wearing apparel and toilet
articles. Hayden. according TO the
Bath man. had been staying IN a near
by room in the hotel and the police of
the act The next move on Hayden's
tart. il seems, was TO come to Water
willie. where he was arrested for drunk
enness On Saturday hight- He paid 4
fne in court and was released. return
ing ence mere TO Skowhegan. where a
warrant was awaiting him He made
no stop in Skowhegan except to step
into the waiting room Of the Somerset
Traction Co.. it is stated. and to taks
theretrcm a suit case which. with It's
contents. was valued at $40. the prop
erty of Mrs. Mary Comber Of The
Forks plantation, who had been visit
ing in town.
The suitcase had been taken by
public driver a few minutes before 10
the waiting room and was left there
for its owner. who was planning To
take the car upriver. Hayden then
landed in Madison. and stopped al
the Weston House, where his next
move was to enter the room OF the
landIady in the establishment, accord
ing to the oficer, and 10 appropriate
to his own use two handbags con-
tanning valuable photographs. sum
Of money and small toilet articles.
At this point Sheriff Mooers was
! notified by telephone and in the
absence of Deputy Sheriff Adams o.
Madison. who was in Pittsfield on
duty at the fairgrounds, Deputy
Sheriff Cole of Skowhegan was i'm
mediately sent to investigate the
case. The result was that Hayden
| was found in possession of two SUIT
cases bullying with goods he was un-
| able to account for. One OF these
cases was identified by Mrs. Comber-
as the property which she had lost
| and for which she had mourned. The
| telephone was Immediately invoked
and communication established with
teh hotel CLERK at Kings Tavern,
Bath, who minutely described the
goods which at that minute we've
lying spread out in the Sheriff's office.
Hayden, after being locked in the
cell. with the assurance of staying
there. volunteered the confession. ac-
cording to an officer. that he did
steal the handbag. money and pict-
ures previously referred to as be-
ing missed from the hotel, which
thereof he stoutly denied at the time
Of his arrest. The career Of Hay
den in the offences charged has been
brief on this occasion but has been
marked by quick and effective work
on the part of the officials. He was
formerly a prisoner at the Jail and
has an extremely bad record at home
and in other states. it is asserted. Al
the hearing he pleaded not guilty to
the larceny Of Mrs. Comber's suit
case, but said a girl who lived a good
many miles from here had asked him
to take it to Madison and TO stay
there until the day after tomorrow
and if he heard anything from II 10
let her know. The suitcase contained
early all of Mrs. Combers clothing
and a patchwork quilt Of her own
handiwork.