The Portland daily press., 1897-09-08
DEERING.

DEERING.
MI. Chapman and the Authorities Are
Not Yet at Peace.
c;.y Marshal Clark Started After the
Evening, but Failed to Find Him.
Mr.. L. B. Chapman of Deering is
still pursued by the consequences Of his
election to the office of fence viewer. On
Monday night City Marshal Clark re-
ported that Mr.. Chapman had agreed
TO nay the appeal costs. There seems.
however, to have been some misunder
standing about it, for Mr.. Chapman not
only did not pay on Tuesday, but did not
seem at all in mood to pay. So Tues
day evening City Marshal Clark, accom-
named by Officer Brown, started out with
the miUtimus and the firm intention of
making Mr.. Chapman either pay or 90
to jail. They went to Mr.. Chapman
house; but did not find him at home.
Then they went to all the places where
they would be likely to find him, but
no where was he to be found. After spend
ing the evening in vain search they re-
turned to the police station with the nit
timus.
The affair occasioned considerable in
treest in Deering where the situation has
been discussed.
THE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES AFFAIR.
View of the Situation From Mr.. Chap
mans Standpoint of Observation.
To the Editor Of the Press:
The half column article in your issue
of yesterday under the caption Of IsWhat
it costs Mr.. Chapman to keep out Of
office" etc., does me injustice in several
particulars and | hasten to ask for a
hearing, but to go into details would re-
quire l feel, more space than you have to
spare and more time than 1 have to de-
vote to the matter just now.
Between certain officials here and N.Y.
self there is not the best Of feeling, as is
often the case when an editor critioizes
the doings of those in Office as have done
and friction in such cases usually pro-
duces meteorio sparks or showers, hence
this phenomenon.
After stating that 1 was elected to the
office of fence viewer last winter, which
time was May last, the PRESS article
states:
Now there is law of the state, known
to few, yet lying like a sword in the
scabbard, as Cicero would say, which re.
quires a man elected to municipal Office
like that of fence viewer, to qualify in
due season. under pain Of IS fine. When
Mr.. Chapman failed SO to do a complaint
was duly made, and Mr.. Chapman was
brought before the Deering municipal
court. Here he did not conduct himself
according to the forms of law, but on the
contrary expressed himself disdainfully
and impatiently, demanding an appeal
to higher court even before making his
plea in a lower. So he was declared gently
and the appeal was noted but in appeal
ing it is necessary to pay certain court
expenses, amounting to $3 or 81. Mr..
Chapman refused to do this. In fact he
refused to pay cent in connection with
sought or wanted the office and he didn't
see why it should be made source of
expense to himself.
Complaint was duly made and Mr..
Chapman was brought before the Deer
ing municipal court.
And by whom was the complaint duly
made? BY order of the city governments
No, but ex-Alderman Arthur W. Pierce
"Here he did not conduct himself &C.
cording to the forms of law"
The reading of the warrant was waived
by mo and then L pleaded mot guilty.
when Mr.. Hopkins read the section of the
Revised Statutes it was claimed l had
violated.
I said: Mr.. Hopkins, now please let
me read" and he handed me the book,
and read from section 25, chapter 5,
as follows;
eff town neglects to choose fence
viewers at its annual meeting, or the per-
sons chosen fail to qualify, the selectmen
shall act in that capacity"
Then L moved that all proceedings be
quashed, inasmuch as the city council had
failed TO elect fence viewers at the
time other minor officers were elected,
and Mr.. Hopkins replied: "That means
nothing"
Then I said: tMr. Hopkins, waive
a hearing and appealed to the next term
of the Superior court of this county.
Then I asked for the amount of expense
of making copies of papers in the case.
He told me and then raised the amount
81 10 to which raise 1 objected and asked
to see the provision of the statutes, and
also for receipt for the amount re-
quired, when he replied 'That as the law
has been changed, l don't know what to
charge you so you settle the matter with
Mr.. True, meaning ex-County Attorney
True.
Does this appear like refusing to pay
for copies of papers?
When Mr. Hopkins had correctly in.
formed himself and so stated of the re-