The Portland daily press., 1895-02-01
A SHORT LOBSTER CASE.
Warden Thompson and f. s. Willard
Lobster Dealer.

Make Contrary Statements That are at
Least Perplexing-How Fishermen snip
HOLSTERS With Dealers Tags-The Evi-
dence Did Not Convict Willard and He
Was Discharged.
IN the Municipal court Thursday morn
ing, just after the Rose case, described IN
another column, Fish anu Game Warden
John Thompson of Rockland, brought
charge against f. ). Willard of this city,
for shipping short Holsters. Mr.. WillaId's
attorney was njamin Thompson, Esq.
Warden Thompson said that on the 10th
inst. he seized at the Union station in this
city from an American Express team
barrel containing 1856 short Holsters. on
which was tag marked "From f. :.
Willard. successors to Kennedy & Willard.
| The "Kennedy & Willard'' was scratched
out. He telephoned to f.. S. Willard, who
replied that he hadn't shipped any short
Holsters and would come to the station to
see him. He met the warden driving away
| to dump the Holsters. He got on the team
with him and said that it was too bad to
throw them away. He also said, 'l'll give
you SO to take them down to the wharf
and leave Them The warden said that he
wasn't in that kind of business. Then the
warden asked Mr.. Gould, the driver of the
| team. as to where he got them and Willard
said. Thompson, you can't fix those
Holsters on me. They were taken from an
other team
Cross-examination by counsel the
warden said that Willard had told him
that he did not claim the Holsters, but he
did not say that they were not his.
Asked by Judge Gould, the witness reiter-
ated that it was when he was going down to
the wharf to dump them that Willard
offered him $40 for the Holsters.
John A. Conley testified for the prosecu-
ton that he is a driver for the American
Express company. and ON the 10th, received
I from Mr.. Willard threa or four barrels of
Holsters.
| Cross-examined, witness said that on that
| day be also received two barrels of Holsters
on Commercial street from truckman
named Cole. He never looked at the tags
to see were the lobster ba rrels came from.
but only to see their destination.
| Questioned by Warden Thompson, the wit
ness said that he had talked witt. Willard
| since the seizure and about it. but didn't
remember that Willard told him that he
| could not be identified.
| Mr., Gould, another 1riyer, testified that
the warden seized barrel from his team.
He noticed the tag and that one in court
was very similar. He took the barrel fl ON
Conley's team. He had had no talk with
MT. Willard since.
Questioned by Warden Thompson, he did
not know that any of the Holsters were from
Willard. and did not remember that he
asked the warden if he was going to take
the rest of them.
Mr.. WE. Stevens testified that he was
with the warden when he measured the
Holsters, but did not hear any converse tion
that he could remember. between Willard |
and the warden. Thus failed the only |
chance for corroborative testimony as to
the alleged attempt of Willard to bride the
warden.
F.S. Willard next took the stand and said
that he sent four barrels that day. but that
none of them were short Holsters. He ex-
planned the presence of his tug OH the |
barrel of the seized short Holsters by saying
that fishermen came in his shop and ask for
his tags to put or their barrels, so as to in
sure them good market and he gives them
his tags. He denied that he offered the |
warden $40 to settle the case.
Didn't you tell me,' said Warden |
Thompson, when coming down on the
team that if I'd take those Holsters down |
and let Barbour see them you'd give me
SlO?''
II did not.'' e4 /
"Didn't you tell me that if wouldn't do
that sort of business others would2"
''No. did not.''
Didn't you tell me. in your shop, that
you had shipped short lobsterss"
mo. did not.''
"You did, with much force. The |
warden is big man and he brought his fist
down hard on his knee.
.Will you swear that that card was not |
put on a barrel of Holsters that were your
property?' 40I I'D
~ will. I'll never let any more fishermen |
use my cards. think it is put-up job"
Willard E. Cole testified that on the morn |
ing of the 10Th he took two barrles of
Holsters from fisherman on the end of |
Custom House wharf, whom he did not |
know. Witness noticed the tag and asked |
what the na1ae of Kennedy s. Willard was
scratched out for. and he said because he
was shipping them for himself. Witness de-
livered them to Conley's American Express
team on Commercial street.
Cross examined by the warden and judge. |
the witness persisted that he did not know
the man who delivered to him the Holsters.
Judge Gould dismissed the case and dis
charged Willard
GoI,o