The Portland daily press., 1897-05-19
He Tells Of His Disposal Of the tn.
bercuIous Cattle.
THEY ALL WENT THROUGH THE
RENDERING. VAT, HE SAYS.

Diseased Meat Case Will To the Jury
Today-Foreman Gunn's Testimo-
| ny-Mr. Best Tells How His Business
Has Been Affected by His Prosecution.
The testimony of ten witnesses for the
defense was heard in the Superior court
yesterday, in the trial of John L. Best
and his foreman, William Gum, who are
charged with illegally disposing of meat
from Alonzo Libby's condemned herd of
tuberculosis affected cattle. The evidence
is all in the arguments were made yester-
day afternoon, and Judge Bonney will
charge the jury this morning.
William Holland of Scarboro was first
called to the stand. He said he had con-
versation with Charles E. Nc Dermott,
Mr.. Best's discharged driver, at Scarboro
Sunday. McDermott said he had nothing
against Mr.. Best but he intended to
shove Gum as far as he could; that
Gum had urged Gates on to beat him.
On cross examination the witness said
he drove over from the Cape Sunday and
happened to meet McDermott. McDer-
mott said he had come down from Massa-
chusetts to testify in this case. Witness
might have said McDermott needn't
have come here to testify if he did not
| want to, but he could not remember
whether any such conversation took
place.
| Miss Minnie Hyde was at Scarboro Sun
day and overheard the conversation be-
tween McDermott and Holland. She cor
roborated Hollands testimony on that
point. She said McDermott was sober
and spoke very coolly.
On cross examination she said Mr.. Hol-
land did tell McDermott that Maine
courts could not compel Massachusetts,
people to come here to testify.
William Williams, farmer of Scarboro
related some conversation he had in Feb
ruary with McDermott. The converse
ton took place at Mr.. Williams's home,
where McDermott had called to get bag
| filled with shorts. McDermott said the
sheriffs had been to see him and he had
told them he hauled to the city load Of
beef from the Libby cattle. Witness told
him he would be summoned into court,
but McDermott replied that he should go
where the officers couldn t find him; that
he would never go to court. McDermott
also said he was going to get square with
Bill Gum. The witness testified that he
frequently visited Best's barns. On the
Sunday the Libby COWS were being killed
there were eight cows and bull in Best
barns. When he called there the next
Thursday some of them were gone.
In response to County Attorney Libby s
question as to how he knew the cattle
slaughtered were the Libby cattle, the
witness replied that he had read about
them in the newspapers. He saw no beef
hauled away from the slaughter house
during the month of January. He did
not know what beca me of the COWS he
missed from Mr.. Best's barns.
Alonzo Libby of Westbrook, owner of
the herd of cattle killed at Best's place,
testified that he visited the slaughter
house on two days of the killing, but he
thought so much of his animals that he
did not care to see any of them killed.
He remained outside the slaughter house
while the butchering was in progress, and
went inside only when called in to ex-
anime the lungs. He is able to dete ct
| %,,1, Loci i.
In four OF five cases he could easily dis
cover traces of the dis ease. He saw no
marks on any of the cattle. He heard
the State Commissioners discussion about
the diseased condition of COW named
Lady Sands 9Th, and some of her descend
ants; they were all diseased.
He never received from Best any pay
for the hides or meat.
George M. Stanwood, Portland coal
dealer who resides at South Portland,
testified that in January he purchased of
Mr.. Best 200 pounds Of cooked beef for
hen food. Mr.. Best told him it came
from the Libby herd.
Fred W. Wormell Of South Portland,
cattle dealer, testified that he sold to
Mr.. Best and drove to his barns at Scar
boro, January IL, a beef OK, a fat COW and
three ''bologna" cows. He sold the OK
and fat COW by the pound, the weight to
be computed after they were dressed The
three "bologna" cows he sold for SIC
apiece On January II, he sold Mr.. Best
four more beef cows. Witness saw the
fat COW and OK after they were dressed,
and assisted in weighing them. He is a
practical butcher. 1t is his custom to
use saw in quartering cattle, but some
butchers use an axe.
ssWhat do you mean by the term sbo-
logna' cows?'' was the County Attorney :
first question in cross examination of this
witness.
cows"
"What is done with such cows?"
"Ihey are used for making bologna
when did Mr.. Best pay you for