The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-02-28
OBsTRUCTING THE MAILS.
The Strikers Brought Before Commits
sioner Rand.

| -N'> 49, WAN NAulaii any NOuIb TUUu vi COI
plant of Samuel e. Spring, for unlawfully an
wilfully conspiring to obstruct and retard tn
passage of the United States mails over tn
Boston and Maine railroad. Walker and SHAY
are engineers in the employ of the Grand Trun
Railway Company, and Stone was formerl
employed on the Boston and Maine. The Dis
trict Attorney, Nathan Webb, appeared for thu
government. and Charles P Mattocks for tn
defence.
Judge Goddard, Postmaster of Portland
testified as to the mail service over the Boston
and Maine road. Pcior to the eth the service
was quite regular. On the 18th the mail which
should have arrived at 8 o. M, was so delayed
that it could not be forwarded to Bangor unit
noon of the 18th, whereas it should have gont
forward by the midnight train. On Tuesday
the 18th, number of valuable registered pack
ages, sent out for the morning train, could no
be forwarded and were returned to the post Of
| flee.
| Gen. Mattocks said he was willing to admi
that every mail was delayed on those days.
On cross-examination Judge Goddard said he
had no personal knowledge of ary interference
of the defendants to prevent the free passag,
of the mails.
Samuel e. Spring. director of the Boston
l and Maine railroad and the complainant il
this case, testified that on the afternoon of Feb
| 18th hs was on board of the train for Boston.
The train left Portland at the usual time. Be
fore reaching the station at Kennebunk the
train stopped, and it was found that the engine
had been unshackled and gone on half a mile
ahood ha Irop poScasciop of the
engine until O'clock and then put out the fire
and let off the water. 1t took till one o'clock
the next morning to get ready to start, and this
train arrived in Boston at 7.30 a. m, twelve
hours late. The down train was delayed in the
same way at Wells.
On cross-examination Mr.. Sprng said he had
no personal knowledge of the alleged conspira-
cy of the defendants, but made complaint on
information from general agent Stevens, ticket
agent Williams and others.
Nathaniel Poole, hack driver, testified that
the trains were delayed on the 18th and 18th.
There was large crowd at the station and the
defendant Stone was there Tuesday Witness
saw Shaw there Wednesday forenoon and
Walker on Thursday. They were talking like
other people. Know nothing of any couspira-
cy.
Josiah 81. Drummo1d, passenger on the af-
ternoon express of the 18th, saw the mail car
on the train and confirmed the testimony of
Mr. Spring about the detention at Kennebunk.
Nothing unusal occurred at the station in Port
land before the departure Of the train.
On cross-eXaminaton Mr.. Drummond said
he saw none of the respondents that day, and
ho1 1o1r hat SIo,, I, All
He had information that they were members Of
the Brotherhood Of Locomotive Engineers, but
was not informed that they conspired to stop
the train on the 18th of February.
f. A. Hartshorne, locomotive engineer,
formerly on the Portland and Ogdensburg road,
has been employed by the Boston and Maine
road for about two weeks, running shifting
engine Tuesday night attended meeting at
the hall of the Brotherhood, where Messrs.
Wormell, Dodge and Henderson. whom he rec
ognized as former employees of the Boston and
Maine railroad, tried to persuade him to join
the strike, but finally said they would find no
fault if he stayed on the shifting engine, but
did not want him to take through train. The
next morning Mr. Mills. one of the striking
engineers, offered him So 80 day to leave the
company's service. Thursday forenoon Mr..
Merrill offered him $3.50 day and the engine
half the time after the strike No other hin.
drance was offered to the discharge of his duty
to the company.
George E. Barbour,a machinist and engineer,
was last employed by the Portland Company.
He was at the Boston and Maine station on the
18th, 18th and 10Th inst. Mr.. Stevens offered
him place as engineer, which he declined for
the time being. The defendant Walker told
him there was place for him on the Boston
and Maine, but neither advised nor discouraged
him about taking it. Saw Walker at the Bos-
ton and Maine station, had no conversation
with him about the strike.
. S. 81. Stevens, general agent of the Boston
and Maine road in Portland, testified that he
had notice of the impending strike before it
took place, from the superintendent, the gener-
al tenor of conversation also about the station
and in the street was there would be a strike.
On the day of the strike Mr.. Stone said in
answer to question if he was going to strike.
that he should go with the crowd. He was
fireman of the. shifting engine in the yard.
Benjamin Whidden took out the engine of the
3 p. N. train on the 18th inst. Mr.. Stevens
then narrated what took place on the after
noon Of the strike in Portland. Wednesday
morning we had no 6.15 train or 9 a. M train;
the o'clock train went out at 10 under engi-
neer R. B. Bonney; it was delayed by engineer
Averill leaving it at 9 a. H.; don't know how
he happened to leave; first heard that be had
left about a. m went out and found the train
already to start and ne engineer.
James T. Furber, Superintendent of the
road, was called and testified in regard to the
strike. He knew nothing about the acts of the
respondents.
At this point the government said they had
no further testimony to put in. Gen. Mattocks
said he should call no witnesses for the respon-
dents.
Mr.. Webb said he would withdraw the com
plants against Messrs. Walker and Shaw, as
the testimony did not warrant his asking the
Commissioner to hold them further. The COM
plants were then dismissed and arguments
were made on the discharge Of Mr.. Stone.
When the arguments were completed Com
missio ner Rand stated that he should hold Mr..
Stone in the sum of $500 for his appearance at
the United States Circuit Court.
Ger. Mattocks asked to have this reduced,
and at the suggestion of Mr.. Webb the bail was
placed at $1,000. The bail was furnished and
the respondent is free.
FORTY HoURs.-Yesterday the forty hours