The Portland daily press., 1897-05-12


ferring to Is1uenoses Who skeddadled
and Natives Who Hid in Rags in War
Days With Controversy Over the
Building of the First Peaks Island
Church-Mr. Blackman's Hens Also in
the Case.
Alderman Edgar E. Rounds held court
on Peaks island yesterday afternoon. The
aldermanic court convened with Mr..
Rounds as justice presiding, and Mr..
Charles 0. Barrowes as clerk and stenog-
rapher. The proceedings of the court were
in the nature of hearing in the case of
Martin Stoddard petitioner for appoint
ment as official collector of offal during
the summer months on Peaks island.
Briefly stated, the facts of the case are as
follows:
Stoddard collected the offal last year
under contract with the city and this
year made proposition to do the work
again for $50 month. Mr.. Robinson
Sterling, who has held the office in
previous year, also made bid, his price
being 800 month. When the time came
to open the bids, it was represented to the
committee that there was complaint as to
the way in which Stoddard had done the
work. On this information, the commit
tee were disposed to award the contract to
Mr.. Sterling. Then W. III. Looney, ESQ.,,
acting for Mr.. Stoddard and his friends
asked for hearing which the committee
voted to grant. So it came about that
yesterday afternoon Mr.. Rounds in his
capacity as a justice of the Aldermanic
court heard the evidence. The trial of the
case grew very lively towards the close,
some of the witnesses forgetting the main
issue, which Mr.. Justice Rounds described
as question of swill, and engaging in a
lively discussion of the relative patriotism
of Bluenoses and native Peaks islanders,
with some remarks on the location of the
first Peaks island church and the digging
of CLAIMS.
The court was organized in Island hall,
with Justice Rounds on the BENCH and
G. o Barrowes, Esq, as clerk and
stenographer. About thirty-fve Peaks
island citizens were present. There was
no fire in the stove, but the proceedings
at times were warm enough to make up
for the lack of one. The presiding justice
opened the court by reading petition
signed by Littleield g. Co., and other
respectable and influential citizens,
asking for the appointment of Mr.. Stod-
dard. On this and a supplementary
petition there were 100 names.
Then W. Fl. Looney, Esq, of counsel
for the petitioners, addressed the court.
Mr. Looney named some of the petitioners,
among them being Joshua Davis, Captain
I. P. Beals, Hon. Henry G. Peabody,
John Il. Man, James F. Pine, H. r.
Sargent, W. L. Little, Mr.. Schofield of
D. W. True & Co., c. W. Jack, J. HI.
Buxton, nearly all the proprietors of the
hotelsand boarding houses, all the
grocers except one, Job T. Sanford, G.
H. Stowell, R. F. Somers, Rev. W. T.
Phelan, Harry Merrill, W. II. Skillin, F.
81. Cushing and A. c. Libby.
Said Mr.. Looney: I venture the as
sertion, considering the number,
character and influence of the petitioners
that probably stronger petition never
emanated from citizens of this island
The circumstances of the case are these:
On May IA, 1896, Mr.. Stoddard contracted
to collect the offal last year. For the city,
the sanitary committee signed the paper.
Mr. Stoddard was to make daily col
lections and dump the offal outside of
Pumpkin Knob and Whitehead. think
we will show that the administration of
Mr.. Stoddard was marked by the highest
efficiency and honesty. This year a re-
quest was made for bids for the perform
ance of this work and Mr.. Stoddard
offered to do it for sS5 a month. Mr.
Robinson Sterling also made a bid and
here I want to say that I have nothing
to say against Mr.. Sterling, who is a we'll
known and respected resident of this
island. Sterling offered to do the work
for 800 month. 1t would seem that the
committee would have given the work to
the lowest bidder, but we are informed
that in an underhand way by means of
inuendos certain parties have attempted
to undermine Mr.. Stoddard's chances
We profess to show the committee that
these statements made in the dark and
without Mr.. Stoddard's knowledge are
false and we believe that in response to
this almost unanimous demand the COM
mittee will reappoint Mr.. Stoddard.
Mr.. Stoddard took the stand as the first
witness. He said in reply to Mr.. Looney's
question: work at anything / can do
to get living. suppose you would
call me laborer. have wife and have
lived ON Peaks island about six years al
together. am the Martin Stoddard who
contracted last year to remove the offal.
went to every house accessible by street,
collected the offal and moved it in dory
to Pumpkin Knob, taking care as nigh
as 1 could to go on the outgoing tide.
Mr.. Rounds-Always on the outgoing
tide?
Mr.. Stoddard-As near as I could and
always at Pumpkin Knob except twice,
when went to Whitehead as my con-
tract allowed me to do. 1 began work at