The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-10-23

There was final hearing in the plush
mill case Saturday afternoon before
Judge Peabody, that is final hearing on
the petition that the company should be
declared insolvent. 1t will be remembered
that some weeks ago petition was pre-
scented to the court, signed by Walter
Ackroyd of England, the Globe Yarn
mills of Fall River, Mass, John f. Ran
dali of this city and others, in all repre-
senting more than one-fourth of the
debts of the company, asking that the
company should be declared insolvent,
and that an assignee should be appointed.
B efore the first hearing in the case, one
of the petitioning creditors asked to be
allowed to withdraw from the proceed
ings, and later,others made affidavits that
they were satisfied with the course of ex-
Gov. ROBBIE, the present assignee, acting
for the creditors, and asked to be allowed
to withdraw. This was opposed by WI.
Knowlton, attorney for Mr.. Ackroyd, who
insisted that they having signed must
continue as petitioning creditors. After
three adjournments, the matter was
again brought up for the final hearing.
WI. Knowlton, appeared for Mr.. Ack-
royd and Hon. c. f. Libby for Gov. Robe.
Mr.. Libby opened the proceedings by
offering an affidavit signed by Arnold B.
Sanford of the Fall River mills to the
effect that he signed the original petition
| because statement were made to him
| regarding Gov. Robes administration
of the company as assignee, that he is
now satisfied were false, and that he
| desired to withdraw from the proceed
ings, being fully satisfied that Gov. ROBBIE
| is doing all that can be done for the
benefit of the creditors. Before he got
| through with the reading Mr.. Knowlton
| objected to the document. He spoke of
| the evidence previously given, and said
| that his understanding was that the only
new evidence to be offered at the hear
| ing was to relate to John F. Randall.
Mr.. Libby insisted that he had a right to
| introduce evidence regarding any parties
| to the petition, and Mr.. Knowlton re-
| newed his objection previously made at
| the other hearing, that they were thus
| deprived Of the right of cross-examina-
ton. Judge Peabody said that oppor-
! tunity would be given to both parties to
put in any new evidence they might de-
sire to present, and Mr.. Libby continued
| the reading of the Sanford affidavit, and
| also a letter written by Mr.. Sanford to
Gov. ROBBIE He stated that the informa-
ton which led to his signing the original
petition was given him by Burnham &
| Page of Lawrence, Mass, and by Mr..
Ackroyd of Portland. Very sweeping
charges were made against the manage
ment of Gov. ROBBIE as assignee.
The affidavit of John F. Randall, doing
business under the firm name of Randall
| g. McAllister, was then read by Mr..
| Libby, in which Mr. Randall made the
following statement:
My reasons for signing the petition to
have the Portland Plush mill company
| adjudicated an insolvent debtor were the
| statements made to me at the time my
signature was asked by Walter Ackroyd,
| who called upon me and represented that
nothing was being done by the assignee,
Frederick Robbie. to sell the property,
which was deteriorating on his hands
from lack of proper care and protection,
| that the machinery was depreciating in
value from want Of attention and care,
| that the interests of the creditors were
suffering by the course pursued by Gov.
| Robe, who had treated as preferred, the
debt due Mr.. Spencer Rogers, that proper
books of the business were not kept, and
| that access to the same was not to be
| obtained, that Mr.. Albion Little, who
had subscribed 500 to the stock of the
| company, had not paid his subscription,
and that Gov. Robe was making nc
effort to close up the estate.
Mr.. Libby then called Gov. ROBBIE, who
was questioned regarding the present
condition of the plush mill property. He
said he had made personal inspection,
the machinery was free from rust and
was we'll cared for. There was no indi-
cation that the parties in charge had
neglected their duties. Gov. Robbie was
examined by Mr.. Knowlton. He was not
personally familiar with that sort OF
machinery. eff there had been any rust
my eyes would have told me-" he said,
and Mr.. Knowlton dropped that branch
of the case, and asked him if any prop
city Of the company had been stolen.
Gov. Robe thought that if there had
been it must have been Of the most
trifing sort, and of no value. He was
asked about some Irvine, some paint in a
keg, and some knife pans. He was then
asked if he had seen John T. Randall
since the last hearing, and he said he had
not. He had met Arnold B. Sanford.
Ibid not meet him in order to influence
his Judgment, but with the hope that
some plan might be devised for the sale
of the property. Gov. Robe said that
there were two notes, amounting tc
$500, that were secured by the bonds Of
the company, and were preferred debts.
He was again examined regarding the
alleged stealings from the mill, and re-
called that brass lamp was missing
and piece of silk plush. Mr.. Libby ther
asked the Governor if his investigations
resulted in duplicating either of the
watchmen employed at the mill, and
Gov. Robbie replied, No sir"
Here Gov. Robe made suggestion
that brought on long argument, Of
series of legal arguments in which Mr..
Libby Judge Peabody and Mr.. Knowl