The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-04-21


ing Her-The Affair Settled Without
Arrests.
Portland coal dealers have only recent
ly awakened to the fact that they have
been robbed of a good many tons OF coal,
and that too, almost under their very
noses. They have notsbelieye5 until now
that Portland could be so wicked or
rather chat there were any men III this
city who would dare to do what has been
done. This discovery came about in a.
most peculiar way and only for the prom
ige on the part Of two towboat captains
and one or two other men, to do better
In the future and more closely follow the
straight and narrow path, prevented these
personages from figuring in the inuni-
cipal court on a rather serious charge, If
they did not ultimately adorn the pris-
oner's dock in some higher tribunal.
The vessels which come in here with
coal during the year, and there are
great many of them too, discharge their
crews when they reach Portland, and the
vessel is usually left alone in the harbOr
with only a mate and steward on board
of them as ship tenders until the vessel
is ready to go into her dock to discharge.
Many Of the masters of these vessels
which are engaged in the c7al trade
either have families living in or about
this olty or not SO far away but that
they can easily get.home and stay few
days until their vessel is ready to sail
again. When the anchor is dropped in
side the Portland breakwater the mas
ters duty is ended for the time being,
and as his vessel may be locked by the
large towboats without his being present
to superintend the operation the masters
are able to put in many good day at
home which they would not otherwise
enjoy. This custom has been taken adj
vantage Of by at least two unscrupulous
men who run small tow and water boats
in the harbor, and they have through
completely with as equally INSCRIPTIONS
ship tenders been able to realize a good
many tons of coal during the year which
the coal shippers or oonsignees pay for.
How long this practice has been going
on 1t is of course impossible for the coal
dealers to say, but when at last the tow
and water boat shippers became too bold
their little game was discovered and the
COAL dealers began to look out for a
chance to catch the thieves at their
tricks. 1T WAS noticed that several
scaooners which have come in here re-
Gently have lost something like ten or
fifteen tons of coal which had been taken
the coal dealers became suspicious and
set their trap.
On Thursday the schooner Charles P.
hoffman loaded with coal to be dis
charged at the Maine Central railroad
came into this port and dropped anchor
in the lower ha, Dor until another vessel
which was then discharging FOCAL at the
Maine central wharf should have been
hauled into the stream and give the Not
man chance to discharge her cargo.
The captain of this vessel lives in the
vicinity OF this city so as soon as he bad
Strengthened things out on board the
schooner, discharged his crew and, left
everything in ship shape he went on
shore to his family leaving the mate and
a cook on board the vessel to care of
her until she should be hauled into her
dock.
Now the coal dealers in this city did
not know or care much for that matter
just to whom the hoffman was consigned
but they selected her as guod vessel to
watch and their efforts were successful
The schooner lay, as has been said, in
the lower harbor and she could be seen
very plainly from the top of Munjoy HILL
Between eight and ten o'clock on Friday
night the watchers on the top of this hill
one of whom was Benjamin Thompson,
ESQ.,, who was acting as the attorney for
Randall & McAllister in the matter
saw small towboat which is well
known in this port as water boat. and
which also does some towing in small
war, 20 out of the harbor and ND along
side the hoffman.
1t seemed strange that tow boat
should visit this vessel at such an hour
and the watchers knew very we'll that
there was no honest reason for her being
out there Pretty soon another towbost
went out alongside the hoffman and then
the watchers on the hill knew just what
WINS going on. 1t was too dark to see the
men on the hoffman actually at work re-
moving coal from the VESSELS hold but
those who were watching the towboa
knew that this was Icing done.
Mr.. Tnompson teleponed to the police
station and notified Deputy Marshal
Hartnett who YVES on duty that night
and that officer acted at once. He took
a team and drove over so South Portland
and when he got over there he found a
small tow boat unloading coal at the
wharf, although it was after 10 o'clock.
He then knew just where the coal had
come from and how the tow bont cap
tain happened to have it, but the deputy
did not know who the owner of the coal
was.