Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-05-15
PERns OF FARlrEps.
now Changers Run the Gantlet in Getting
into Lewiston.
oePtnre OF Four-Ox Team NV Drunken
ROvdies.

On Wednesday afternoon Mr.. Kiny.bu,v
Donnell of Webster. and hired man named
EDWARD Spofford, started for Lewiston with
about 30 barrels of apples. Mr.. Donnell
had few barrels on his light team, but the
oulk CT the cargo was carried on large car,
urawn oy four oxen, over which Spofford's
Road suck waved. As the cavalcade reached
pieachery Hill, sometimes termed the .High-
iaho District" the tire of one of the
wheels the large cart came of II was
then about four o'clock in the after.
noon. So the owner of the apples said
to his man: ''Tll 90 up town and leave
my load, while you stav here and watch vour
apples l will come back and load these
apples on my team, and then well take the
Ola cart up and have it fixed" He drove to
the city, leaving Spofford on guard.
Sponord had stood by the oxen few min
utes, when two fellows staggered up to him.
from neighboring house. One of them de-
manded to know what business he had in that
region He tried to get up fight. Spofford
Is Young man, about six feet in stature. with
well developed muscles. but he was not dis.
posed to quarrel and lodged to the other side
OF the oxen. His assailant, who proved to be
Thomas Kane, well-known rough, followed
HIM. Kane grasped him. turned him round.
kicked his shins. and abused him in various
ways Women and children and old men.
apparent reinforcements of the attacking par.
w. began to swarm from the houses near by,
and Spofford abandoned his apple cart to the
mob, wrenched himself from the grasp of his
assailant and rushed down the hill as if fee
ing for his life. Kane and his companions
raised yell which expedited his retreat. He
dld not stop running till he overlook team,
IN which Mr.. b. NJ. Dixon was Jogging iowa
the town. Spofford gave spring and landed
IN MIR. Dixon's wagon, then and there giving
Mr. Dixon the first intmation that ANYTHING
unusual was transporting.
Spofford informed Mr. Dixon of the assault.
and Dixon drove him at once to the police sta
ton, where rescuing party, consisting of
Deputy Marshal Metcalf and Policeman
Hagerty, was formed and started at once for
Bleachery Hill.
When Kane and his companions had routed
the guardian of the apple cart and made a
complete capture, they were so elated that
the heights rang with their yells. 1t was this
rejoicing that was mistaken BY Spofford for
the shouts Of pursuit. They started the four
astonished oxen into gallop, and belabored
them all the way down the hill, with the
broken-wheeled cast humping over the stones
L
wheel went to pieces at the start and let one
side of the cart down, so it was bad business
for the apples. One or two barrels were
stove in, and the released apples chased each
other into the gully. Kane tried to ride bare
back on one of the oxen. He fell off and
was nearly run over by the cart. Women
gathered aprOnfuls of the fruit, and the mob,
which was attracted by the excitement, feast
ed on nice Webster Baldwins. When the
police arrived the cart Law at the foot of the
hill-a sorry spectacle. The greater part of
the apples were recovered.
The officers found Kane and his companion
Michael Pendergrass. Both were drunk and
were taken to the lookup in a cart. They
were arraigned Thursday. Kane was SEN
fenced to two months in Jail for his assault
on Spofford. and 30 days additional for drunk
enness and disturbance. Pendergrass was
not concerned in the assault and tried to re-
strain Kane. He was released on payment of
fine of S. ard costs.