The Portland daily press., 1897-11-10

common earth to use in making a fill on
Portland street.
The land near the Portland Reef COM
pany is called the extension of Mamie
street He had hauled material IN this
land on his own authority, though Mr..
Fernald might have ordered him to haul
this material. Mr.. Staples explained how
he happened to haul this material to the
Portland Beef company. One of the city
teamsters had hauled load of street
swespings to this land and when it rained
the land became very muddy. The Port
land Beef company complained about the
mud and Mr.. Staples said he put some
teams on and hauled away the mud and
filled in the place with crushed rock.
This work was charged to Commercial
street, but it should have been charged to
the extension of Maple street. Mr..
Staples said he discharged the teamster
for hauling this load of street sweepings
to the Portland Beef company. His
teamsters were capable of doing any
thing.
Mr.. Morrill, questioned Mr. Staples at
great length about material that had been
hauled to the Wilmot street dump.
Among other material some flag stones
had been hauled to the Wilmot street
dump and MIR. Staples said he had missed
some of them and he thought they had
been stolen, but he wouldn't say who by.
When asked if he was interested In any
way in the construction Of the Grand
Trunk elevator, Mr.. Staples said his
teams worked there for Mr.. Ward, the
contractor. The foundation of this eleva-
tor is Of stone, but none of this stone
came from the Wilmot street nor had the
witness received any money for material
on the Wilmot street dump. Mr.. Staples
had been interested in some paving com
tracts during the last year and had used
some of the city tools. He had never used
any of the city tools in paving for the
telephone company. H.
Re-direot-Mr. Staples said he had ex-
cavated the yard of the jefferson theatre
on Sunday and Labor day, and employed
the oity's PAYERS in paving this yard and
paid them himself
Alderman Rounds then started In to
ask Mr.. Staples some questions. He
asked him why he had swept Franklin
wharf and other wharves which are paved
and had not swept State street wharf
which is also paved. Mr.. Staples said he
did not know but what it had been paved
Mr.. Staples said he had never been before
the committee of public works to be rep
remanded. Alderman Rounds asked for
the records of this committee on public
works. u
The mayor said the records were locked
up. Alderman Rounds said he wanted to
have these records produced and Mr..
Staples said he hoped they would be pro
duced.
About some horses which Mr.. Staples
had protested against the committee on
public works purchasing for the city, Mr..
Staples said the horses were too poor for
the fire department. and he thought they
were too poor forsthe street department.
Mr.. Staples said he had sent Dennis
O'Dopnell home drunk, but had never
told Time Keeper Dammery to pay him
just the same. e1at
Alderman Rounds went through the
entire testimony of Mr. Staples and cross
examined him infinitely about every de-
tail. Mr.. Staples, among other things
said that when he suspected that the flag
stone was stolen from Wilmot street ne
was willing to acknowledge that he
should have notified the police and had
the thief arrested but he didn't think the
game was worth the powder.
Alderman Kehoe now took up the CROSS
examination.
"You spoke few minutes ago about
firing men from the street department.,
what did you mean by that?''
II meant discharging men,
Alderman Kehoe-''You said few
minutes ago that if you had your way
you would fire some of the teamsters now.
who would you discharge if you could?''
II don't think 1 am obliged to answer
that question, = replied Mr.. Staples
Alderman Kehoe-'You are not the
superintendent here now, Mr.. Staples. we
are conducting this investigation. What
did you mean by that remark?'
Mr.. Staples-t'I only said it for fun"
Alderman Kehoe-"When you swore at
these teamsters and smashed them in tie
mouth did you do it for fun?"
Mr.. Staples-''I don't know
Alderman Kehoe-''Do you consider it
consistent with the dignity of your
position to treat men like that?"
Mr. GtaDles did NOT; answer
Alderman Kehoe-'tThe man you struck
was little bit of a man wasn't he?,'
Mr.. Staples-'I didn't strike him."
This answer was in a very decided tone
of voice.
Alderman Kehoe-'' You're not DEALING
with teamsters now. We're sitting here
to deal with you"
Mr.. Staples-"I know that
Alderman Kehoe-'FDo you do any out
side work, take any outside contracts?''
Mr.. Staples-"A few"
Alderman Kehoe-"Don't you think
your whole time is paid for by the oity2''
Mr. Staples-'tI do"