Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-27
RUINED BY RIVALRY.
Downfall of the Head of the Biggest
Mandatory Of Its Kind
ANYWHERE In THE UNITED STATES
A Highly Honored Man Arrested on Num-
ber Of Serious Charges
HE COULD NOT BROOK COMPETITION
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE prspArcH., +,

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE pIsPATcH.t
PORTLAND, Me, Feb. 26.-Hon. E. T.
Burrowes, of this city, was arrested to-day
by United States Marshal Saunderson,
charged with conspiracy to ruin rival bus
iness corporation, forgery, an attempt to
break up the family of an employe of a
competitor and other serious offenses. Mr..
Burrowes is at the head of the biggest win
dow screen and weather strip mandatory
in the United States, and his income is
placed at $4,000 a year. Nearly year
ago a former employe of his patented q
screen and process for making it, and at
tempted to interest capitalists in the mat
ter.
Finally, after much opposition, in which,
it is alleged, Mr. Burrowes took an active
part, a corporation was formed under the
name of the Portland Screen Company,
with many prominent Portland citizens in
terested
One Way to Undermine Rivals.
c. L. Cummings was the chief clerk of
the new corporation, and soon after it
opened for business he received several
letters, purporting to be signed by one
William Washburn, in which the latter
wanted to arrange with Cummings to send
him secretly the names of all persons who
entered into contracts with the new COM
pany.
He claimed that he had invented a con-
trivance which augmented the screens, but
did not interfere with the sale OF the latter
He wanted to supply the customers of the
Portland Screen Company with his own in
vention; and offered to pay literally for
every name sent. These letters are said by
OFT. La &c n
Burrowes. The intention was to secure the
order list and cut rates.
A Drummer Driven From Business.
Soon after the organization of the rival
company it employed as travelling sales
man man named j. w. Pease, who was
ION the road' most of the time. Mrs.
Pease soon began to receive anonymous let
ters, saying that her husband was unfaith-
full to her. Letter after letter came. The
husband was confronted with them and had
his mail transferred to the business office
The letters then ceased. He was sent out
again, and they once more began to come,
and finally he had to give up travelling
One of the charges against Mr.. Burrowes
is that he has assumed the name of w. P.
Washburn. 1t appears that W. P. Wash
burn boarded at the Preble House in 1891.
He has made affidavit that he had never
given permission to anyone to use his name;
that he has never been engaged in business
an an agent or otherwise for any concern,
and that he does not know E. T. Burrowes.
Mr.. Burrowes went to the printing Office of
George D. Loring and ordered 200 letter
heads, reading "William P. Washburn,
agent for Cooper's patent weather strips,
postofice address Station A. Boston, Mass. :"
Proof on Every Hand.
The original copy, said to be in Mr.. Bur-
rowes' handwriting, has been obtained from
the printer and will be used in substan-
tiating the charge of forgery. Postofice
authorities at the various cities to which
the Washburn letters were sent had re-
ceived orders to return all of them to
given box in the Portland office, which
proved to be Burrowes' private box.
Mr.. Burrowes for years has been one of
most distinguished men of Maine. He had
a high social, political, church, and bust
ness position. After General Neal Dow he
is the best known man in the Prohibition
party of the State. He was once a candi-
date for Governor. He has been a candi-
date for Mayor. He is one of the leaders of
the National Prohibition party. He is the
most extensive manufacturer in Portland.
His big manufactory on Tree street covers
several acres. He has always had the repu-
tation of being thoroughly honest man.