The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-03-15
But No Action Yet Taken Treasurer
Str0ut's Case.
LIMINGTON HAD ANOTHER TOWN
MEETING SATURDAY.
And VIII Have Third in a Week When
Defaulting Treasurer's Case VIII Be
Considered-The Accused Confined to
tho House by Sickness.
ESPECIAL TO THE PREss.J


Limington, March 13.-The adjourned
town meeting today did cot get around
TO formal discussion Of the alleged dis
covery Of falae entries In the records of
ex-Treasurer Leonard j. Strout In fact,
it had been decided that as the call for
the meeting contained no reference to the
Strout oasu, that matter could not be
legally disposed of today. A special town
meeting has been called for next Satur-
day, when definite action will be taken
toward an official examination of Mr..
Strout's records.
In letter written to the se1ectmen,
early last week, ex Mayor James o.
Bradbury of Saco gave notice that he
had teen selected to act as counsel for ex-
Treasurer Strout. whose physical and
mental condition deferred him from
looking after his own interests in the
matter. Lawyer Bradbury further stated
that Mr.. Strout would cheerfuIly pay
every dollar of shortage If any errors are
found In his accounts, and requested that
the selectmen meet next MoHday and in
company with Mr.. Strouts counsel make
a thorough and impartial examination of
the accounts in question. In response to
that letter the seleotmen yesterday sent
TO Lawyer Brad bury declInation of his
proposition. The selectmen's letter was
signed BIZ James A. Cole. chairman of
thu board, ana was as follows:
''Mr. Bradbury, Dear Strive have
nothing to do with this matter; If the
town wants the books examined, let them
do so; we have nothing to settle. Conse-
quently we don't think it best to meet
you as suggested
There has not yet been received a reply
from Lawyer Bradbury, but when asked
tonight what he proposes to do, he re-
piled that as counsel for the accused ex-
treasurer ha has right to make per-
sonal examination of the accounts in
question, and that he will visit Lining
ton for that purpose Tuesday. He re-
CARDS the attitude of the reelected board
of sslectmen as rather inconsistent with
THEN. preliminary move toward an exam
ination Of the ex-treasurer's accounts
The attendance at the town hall today
was nearly as large as that of last Mon
day. The Strout matter figured more
largely as topic of informal discussion
than did any of the numerous articles in
TIE town warrant relating to the cleo
ton of officers and the appropriation of
money for current expenses. Some were
very bitter In their denunciation of this
prominent citizen who has occupied SO
many places Of public confidence; others
took sides with him, argued that the
murderous assault made on him in 1891,
when he WAS town treasurer, ami for
which crime Benjamin Godfrey is row
paying penalty in state prison, was sufi-
Client excuse for MIR. Strout's errors in
bookkeeping, and that the selectmen
should have quietly notified him of tie
shortage and SETTLED with him, without
subjecting his family TO the ignominity
that now confronts them. A few ex-
pressed the belief that the matter could
legally be brought up today, but no at
tempt was made in, the open meeting to
press that claim.
The argument that the blow from his
assailant's club in 1891 had incapaoitated
him for correctly handling columns OF
town accounts was met by the claim
that some of the discrepancies between
his ledger entries and the town orders an
tedate that year.
The usual contests over elections and
appropriations took place in the open