Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1870-11-17
Cruelty to Travellers.
SHOCKING MISCONDUCT OF RoCKLANp HACK
NES

| tCorres pondence Of the Kennebec Journal
have never seen anything equal to
the vigor with which :he Rockland
hack-drivers prosecute their business.
have travelled some ; am quite familiar
with the style of hack-drivers in vari-
Gus parts of the world have seen some
enterprise displayed by them in New
York. San Francisco and st. Louis :;
have run the gauntlet of double file
of them with 4 good-sized valise in my
hand, many n time and come out with
out scratch; have nad some expert
cnce in Sacramento rhree-card-monte
house have been through whole
block of New York jew dealers in
ready made clothing, and know some
| thing of the active business habits OF a
New York Peter Funk auction shop
But for smartncss and dash in their
employment commend me to the Rock
| land hack-mcn.
embarked in Portland for Rock
land in the steamer Richmond last
Friday night with my wife and little
boy. Arrived ut Rockland dbout four
O'Clock next morning. Besides our
| selves, there was but one other pas
s"ngcr for Kockland. an old lady. The
boat having touched the wharf We
started for the gangway To step ashore
wife on one arm and leading nv boy
with the other. As we came out of
the saloon. | was instantly seized by
three stout men. while another seized
my boy, and several others my wife,
and great many others surrounded
Us IN the darkness, all shouting,
screaming and pulling and hauling in
jargon truly terrific.
Nv hat means this mob, | shouted
what have | done To deserve this
treatment:' as | was pulled away from
my wife aud boy.
Louder and iicrccr were the yelis.
and | nov distinguished shrek of
free ridc to the A-lIousc," and
another supcrhlman scream Of, TO 4
House, free RIDE ana free rum"
! In vain | hung back, brawil till
was hoarsc. that | diJ not want to 20
- either the 'A--llou,c' or the II
/ House Nv resistance wa. use
| less IN tile Orawny hands Of those Rock
land hach-drlVcrs. and my voice was
| drowned III the demouiac yelling of
the eighteen hack men who had come
for Us four passenger, anl were bound
70 have uS deaf or aiive-wholc or in
| pieces. They meant business. was
unarmcd, and my wife and the old lady
could render me no assistance.
Above the din, | heard Il woman $
shriit cry. A. the crowd approached
/ nearer, | discovered the old tally borne
I upon the shoulders Of several OF the
d.. ,,uiIant ha..i,- -,...r. ~ th.. i t-Ions.
whist the equally entcrprl,in. driver
( of tine 'Z-lIuuse were making a
dashin5 charge for her rccapture.
lAey had already taken her bonnet,
/ tray cling bag, parasol, shawl and all
the other loose aitlcles OF clothing she
had on, and were now making Il 4al-
1 liant dash lUr the body. The perse.cre
ancc aAd bn~lncss-iiNc prpmptncss
with which butA side, managed the
Z
agility OF the '/-!IOusc' men trl-
umphed. Tue passenger WAS torn
from the other sid-. thrown into hack
amt away It dashed at lightning speed
INTO the darNn = have not heard
from the old lady since. although
have carefully scanned the obituary
notices oiail the papers ofthis vicinity.
My trunk ! l shoutcd-.lct me see
to my trunk "
At this two other hack men dashed
through the crowd that surrounded me
and thrust their hands into nv pockets
l shouted for the police. .Supposlng
them 10 be pickpockcts.
Il our baggage check, we want Your
check. and they got it III les, time
/ than 1t takes Inc to tell it. but not in
season 10 avoid pair OF black eyes
which one ot them got from finely de-
llHcrcd blow bv one Of the men having
me IN charge. He evidently considered
me his game. No opposition house
could pick me with impunity.
was then boosted into Il coach aud
guard was stationed at each door to
keep me from escaping. | looked out
INTO the darkness and shouted for my
wife and boy. All my screaming Was
useless. The crowd of cnterprising
hack-men were surging up the pier
with yells and cries to which 'Panle-
monium let loose must have been
| feeble. pummeling each other with fists
and whip. tocks.
The coacn in which | was confined
\ was next attacked and my rescue at
tempted by the opposition, and am
certain | was only saved by the fleet
ness of the horses, which dashed away
and in their course crushed light car
riage for the 'Z-House' and ran over
one of their drivers was landed at
the 'A-House. The driver generously
refused my fare. Five very polite
gentleman waited upon me out Of the
carriage, urging me to enter the house
breakfast, and boots blacked gratis
but ascertaining that my wife and
child were not there peremptorily re-
fused their hospitality and went forth
in search of them
My wife, heard from during the
day. She had been handed to the Ii
House, but refusing to stop at that
hotel without her husband and boy
although they offered to pay her three
dollars for so doing, the enterprising
driver had gone to St. George with her
for fear she would go TO the "A
House."
My boy l have not yet found, but it
is thought he may be in Waldoboro or
Bath as both places are included in the
route of some of the drivers, and the