The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-11-12

sne crowdsremained. either in the courO
-ooih or In the corridor about the alder
men room. There WAS hum of ami
-Aa1ed conversation without, but no
eouud as to drown the strident tones of
aiaerman Rounds voice as it hoated
through the closed doors from the debate
within.
ohe crowd rushed in, anxious to hear the
result of the long contest.
When order was restored, Mayor Ran
uail said that the question now before
One board was whether the charges
against George S. Staples, superintend-
ent Of streets, had been sustained: The
vote would be upon the following motion:
That the evidence presented at the hear
Ing upon the charges preferred by @ spec
lal committee of this board to investigate
The doing of the commissioner of public
works and his assistants is not sufficient
slstant to the commissioner of public
works, George S. Staples
Alderman Leighton moved to amend
py adding the words: ''Are not proven
and the case be dismissed
Mr.. leighton said: II do not think it
lair to pass any vote that will smirch a
department that has shown up SO well. +"
Alderman Ilsley seconded Mr.. Leigh
tons motion, and then proposed to
amend it by substituting the words,
without Jurisdiction" for fare not
proven
grafton by Mr.. Rounds in the style of
Cicero against Catalina. "Here is man
that has come before us self convicted, "
began the orator in an exceedingly loud
voice, land the gentleman from Seven
wants the charges withdrawn" He has
acknowledged that he has used profani-
ty; and he has acknowledged that he has
made the stable watchman work IL
hours.
He has acknowledged, said Alder
man Rounds, until the old ceiling rang,
| that he has used salpetre in hundreds
of pounds He has skipped all reference
to digging cellars for private parties. II
was true that Staples's teams had worked
for the city, but John d. Murray couldn I
| be found to substantiate ii. Then Mr.
Rounds presented new charge, viz: thai
there was now a lot of curbstone behind
| that Staples made use of his position tt
get contracts from corporations thai
wanted to dig up the streets. This was
also q new charge not before put IL
among those made by the committee
Mr.. Rounds then went on to specify that
Staples had acknowledged having loaned
dump cart IL. In this way the orator
went through the formal charges. adding
new one now and then. One was that
| George S. Staples caused the lamplightel
| to work all night and then all day chase
Staples over so miles Of streets, Staples
being hauled by two.horses and the lamp.
lighter being forced to go on foot. Mr..
Rounds sustained some of the charges by
Information learned since -
| AS to the point SO earnestly dwelt or
| by Judge Symonds that the board had
no jurisdiction, Mr.. Rounds took issue
Win ~. oinini eAOutcu Ao III
voice that rolled through the room ano
far out into the corridors, s'that the boarG
that makes can break If properly con.
strued the law governing the commission
of public works would require that Geo
S. Staples's place be filled by drawing
from the list, as in the case of the com
monest street laborer.
In conclusion Mr.. Rounds said ht
thought there was enough to recommend
his discharge.
Here Mr.. Leighton said that If Mr.
Rounds was through talking to the PEG
pie of buncombe, they had better take g
vote.
THE vote was then taken on Alderman