Stain and Cromwell Photos
with text from the Dexter Historical Society

David Stain Photo

David L. Stain, one of several suspects accused of murdering John Wilson Barron. Stain's son, enraged over his father's refusal to spring him from a jail in Norridgewock for crimes of his own, swore that the ghost of Barron had appeared to him and implicated his father along with Oliver Cromwell in the notorious robbery and murder. The lust for revenge apparently began shortly after the elder Stain not only refused to send bail money to his son, but apparently wrote a letter to his son saying, "I am not surprised, nor do I waste tears that you are in jail where you belong. Rather than send you money to obtain your freedom, I would send you a rope so you could hand yourself." The elder Stain was arrested in Massachusetts (where he lived at the time), and along with his implicated friend Cromwell were brought to Maine for trial in 1887.


Oliver Cromwell Sketch

Oliver Cromwell (shown here) was implicated along with David Stain in the Barron murder. Stain and Cromwell spent thirteen years in jail before being found innocent of the charges, which were brought about largely by stories made up by Stain's vindictive son. Cromwell was represented by an inexperienced public defender named Lewis Barker, who tried to prove that Barron committed suicide. Both Cromwell and Stain were eventually pardoned by Governor Powers.


Robbery & Murder Notice

Robbery and Murder notice


John Wison Barron

John Wilson Barron was murdered during the well-known Dexter Savings Bank robbery of 1878. Barron was treasurer of the bank and was working on a holiday when he was killed by a robber or robbers. Although several notorious crooks of the day were rounded up, arrested, and even charged, no one was ever convicted of the crime.


Crime Scene Sketch

J. W. Barron was found handcuffed, gagged, and left to die with a rope around his neck. He died shortly after being discovered, lying against the vault door, unconscious. The gag was a short piece of wood taken from the bail of a water pail, and was secured by a cord passed through a hole in the wood.