The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-12-15
GREEN LOBSTERS AND RAW CLANS,
Served a Long while After the stIp-
uIated Time,
Together With a Few Baked Beans
and Some Green Coffee.
That is What the Masons Say About
Ponce's CIambake.

many prominent Masons being In attend
ance as witnesses or as spectators.
james johnson was the first witness. Ht
lives on Long island and had frequently
helped prepare clambakes He furnished
twenty-five bushels of clans to Ponce on the
morning Of the oath of June. The clans
used for the bake were good. He helped
prepare the bake. No Objectionable clans
were put In. The Masons interfered with
getting the bake ready; they crowded round
so it was difficult to work. When the first
bake was opened there were few clans and
Holsters around the edge that were NOT
cooked there always is in every bake. The
most CT it was In good condition. The Ma
sons sat down to the tables about l O'Clock
After the crowd went away there were lots
of beans left on the tables and clam shells
and lobster shells.
On cross-examination he denied that he
heard Fowler say to one Of the committee
when asked when the bake would be done.
that 1t never would be done. the rocks
were NOT heated.
jeremiah Donahue, living on Hammond
street. helped make the bake or the oath of
June. Has handled clans for fourteen years.
The clans used were good. The crowd hin
dered the putting of the clans, Holsters. &C.,
on the bake. 1t usually takes two hours to
heat the rocks for bake and an hour or
more to cook the food. The first bake was
done and second bake was not done. When
the clans were put in the second bake the
rocks were most cold. The first bake was
pretty much eaten up.
On cross-examination he said the men
picked over seventy-fVe bushels of clans
that morning. They used thirty bushels and
the rest were thrown away.
Charles ii. Green, Portland, helped count
the Masons on June Oath, asking the differ
ent lodges how many they had in line, but
personally he couldn't state how many there
were. He went down to the island on the
first boat that carried Masons, but couldn't
state when 1t arrived at the island.
MISS Rosa Doughty SAID she waited on a
table at the clambake. The crowd gathered
round the bake. The tables were pretty
well filed. She thought there was enough TO
eat. There was some complaint that the
visitors could not get enough to eat. They
mostly helped themselves.
James |. Barbour testified that he took
several photographs OF the crowd at differ
ent times. Three OF the photographs were
introduced in evidence. One Is picture Of
shows the tables with the crowd in the die
taDce around the bake. The third shows
the assemblage eating at the tables.
At this point the counsel announced that
the plaintiffs testimony was In. The coutt
notified the counsel that hereafter they
Hon. Henry b. CIeaves opened the case
for the defence. He said, Mr. Ponce Is the
prince of Long Island and the magnate Of
Punce's Landing. He owns a colony by
himself. whose Judgment is his Judgment,
whose interests are his interests, whose tes-
timOny Is his testimony. The committee
wanted to make this bake sure thing, mon
ey was no object. They told Ponce they did
not think he could get up bake of this
magni ude; he had money enough, but it re-
@ Fletcher d and Mitchell have have charge Of IT, IL
Ponce promised he would do so They stip-
ulated that Littefeld should have nothing TO
do with it, and Ponce assented. When the
committee got to the island at IL. Is the fire
had just been lighted on one bake, and not
on the other. The wood was green. There
never was any stipulation that the Masons
should not arrive before 80. Ponce never
made any claim that the Masons interfered
with getting the bake ready until after this
suit was brought. When the committee told
him it was miserable failure all the excuse
he gave was, Those fellows tramped all
over my bake" The bake was failure. 1t
smelled of kerosene, and there were rotten
clans enough In it to taint and spoil the
whole bake. -
Clayton J. Harrington was the first witness
for the defence. He gave the history Of how
the committee on st. Johns day celebration
was appointed. There were 81 members of
the general committee and various sub-com-
mittees. He was a member OF the committee
on clambake. Proposals were made by Mr.
Ponce and others for getting up the clam
bake. They awarded Mr. Ponce the con-
tract. with the understanding that Mr..
Fletcher, with Mr.. Mitchell, should have
charge OF the bake. That was his promise,
made distinctly to the committee, they hav-
ing refused to award the contract to him II
he took charge himself. Mr. Ponce said II
clambake he would give him chicken din
ner at his hotel for nothing They told bin
it was not question of money, but there
must be no failure, otherwise the committee
would be blamed. He went to the island al
about lilo. He found that the fires had not
been lighted. When he reached the ground
Of the bake the fire had just been started.
Warned Mr.. Ponce that he was late. Ponce
said, Don't you worry I'll be on time II
you are on time" Mr.. Fowler was putting
wood on the fire and finding fault with the
men because he had to do all the work him
self When the wood was burning the sap
tried out of the ends Of the sticks
which we're not thoroughly dried. When
the first steamer came In sight at 12.45 the
wharf was covered with dead clans and
Holsters. He told man TO clear it up be-
cause it was not fit for hogs to travel on. The
wharf was then partially cleaned. After
the last boat arrived he went to the tables.
Mr.. Ponce asked him to keep the crowd
back from the tables so the wal .ers could put
on the beans. The crowd was out the way
toll grx w.stK.
never complained that he was interfered
with about putting on the bake. Asked Mr..
Ponce why he didn't have his tables all set.
Mr.. Ponce said 1t was all right; he knew all
about how to do it. When he was told the
tables we.e ready he went through them and
found some of them bare tables. The man
in charge said there were not beans enough.
There was no interference whatever with
the putting on of the bake. No one was
seated at the tables until 2 80 or 2.45. He
looked at his watch at 2 30 and so was sure.
They were at the tables 10 minutes before
the bake was opened. The people ate their
beans and then waited.
The bake was finally uncovered. The
bake was not done and he warned the people
not to eat 1t. Lobsters were still green,
clans not opened and potatoes hard. He
didn't aste the coffee but it looked very bad
and there was general complaint Of 1t.
There was talk Of enclosing the ground In
order of facilitate taking tickets. 1t was de-
cided to take tickets after the men were
seated. Ii was suggested that barbed wire
fence be put around the tables. Witness
said, "baTbed wire fence may be good
enough for sheep but not for gentlemen"
Mr. Ponce agreed to rope in the grounds,
however, but did not do 1t. 1t was under
stood that the police should stand about this
rope aud keep the crowd back, but Mr..
Ponce failed to provide the rope. The
walters were not competent. He saw a
crowd of hoodlups and asked what they
were there for. He was told they were Mr..
Ponce's walters. A few days after the
bake Mr.. Ponce complained that the country
men trampled all over the bake. Mr.. P0nc@
stated that Mr.. Littlefeld would not have
anything to do with the bake. On cross ex-
animation Mr. Harrington said 1900 or lSOt
Masons sat down. Some sat there longer
than others. Some still remained at o.
clock. The committee had their pictures
taken at II 80 or 11.45. Each Mason bought
his ticket. Some 1900 or 1000 tickets were
sold. The money remains In trust In the
hands of the treasurer.
On redirect examination he said the lodges
had been notifrd that probably part Oh the
money would De paid back 70 them.
Leander w. FODes testified that ne cnaI-
tered the boats to take the men 70 tne lSianu.
The procession reached Custom House
wharf at 12.l5 1t took some time TO get tne
men on the boats. When he arrived at the
island the men were sweeping the hre from
the rocks preparing to put on the cams
There was no interference or nindranCe'
Number of tickets sold TO Masons, was 800
Bands were furnished with separate tickets,
which were free; 1858 In all delivered: Inere
were 81 free tickets for guests. Pald steaqi-