The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-09-30

fact that everybody had been asked here
to testify against the commission. Isn't
1t all the other wayp l think I'm friend
of the commission and I want to hear
both sides.
Mr.. Mcdonald. said he favored neither
side; he wanted only the facts
Mr.. Rounds added that all he wanted
was the facts.
Mr.. Leighton stated that he supposed
the parties against whom accusations
were made would be given chance to be
heard and did not press the question.
E. ". Webster, q teamster, told of
giving saltpetre to the horses. The wit
ness quoted Kennard the stable boy as
saying that Staples had taken halters and
collars from the city stables. The witness
had hauled stone to Staples's lot. He had
also hauled dirt to Brackett's dump which
| seemed to be fayorite dumping ground.
William Waddell, night Waterman at
the city stables for the past, seven years,
testified that for year he had been
working - hours night under the orders
of Mr.. Staples. Gen. Mattooks called at
tion to the ordinance making nine hours
q days work for city employees. The wit
ness was questioned at considerable
length regarding the loss of that blanket
which has figured extensively in the case.
He had heard of its disappearance. Then
Gen. Mattocks took up tine case of cart IT,
The witness testified that it was gone
from the CITY stables from August to
March. 1t went away in perfect order and
came back looking tough"
Gen. Mattocks stated he had ascertained
that the painting and repairing of the
cart had cost sl6. The city paid $500 for
the cart.
Mr.. Leighton remarked that this was
small bill of repairs in place of the $50
| or $50 which it had been reported 1t cost
the city and If the team was lent the city
might have received an equivalent.
Mr.. Rounds-Yes, Staples old his horses.
Mr.. Leighton-Well that isn't proved
yet.
Thomas Hebron, a night watchman,
said that he, too, was working about 10
hours a day and had not asked extra
compensation for 1t. Then Mr.. Hebron
told the story of cart II all over again.
George Hodgdon who had worked for
the city testified that he knew of city
stone being hauled to private property.
He did not know whether Staples had
knowledge Of this. The witness testified
thathe regarded the giving of saltpetre
to well horses as an injury to them. He
knew of one large fagstone being hauled
from Green street to Brackett's mill.
He did not know by whose orders this
was done.
Charles II. Hakon said he did not know
of city material being hauled to the
property of private parties. He knew that
Staples hauled with his own teams lot
of material from a cellar the witness was
having dug last fall. This was done by
Staples own teams. The witness did
not know whether or not these teams
were working on city time.
Four years ago, However, the witness
had asked Mr.. Staples for little crushed
rock to put on driveway. He said that
he could get all he wanted by picking
it up around the pile, not taking any
from the pile, however. At first, Staples
said he could not have it, to which the
witness replied that he had been a tax
payer for 40 years and be thought he was
entitled to little crushed rock if he
wanted it. Then Staples said he could
have it and the witness took three or four
loads such as he could carry in the wagon
in which he usually drove about.
Lewis Lombard and Frank. W. Dacey
testified in answer to questions about
the saltpetre and missing blankets, ETC.
Dacey added new item to the stack of
information that he had hauled a load
of sand and brick to be used in laying
walk..to the house of Roger MeGrath on
Green street. This was done by order of
Staples and entered upon the drivers
book as having been hauled to Green
street. Mr.. Dacey was asked about the
missing blanket and said that he had seen
it in Staples's team about week after
its disappearance.
Then came Peter P. Gallagher, city
teamster, who answered to his name with
that famous remark, Let her go Gal
lagher." Mr.. Gallagher did not add much
that was new to the evidence He said that
Staples had not sworn at him since the
commission was created and it was so
long ago now that the witness could not
remember If Staples swore at him before
that.
James McGonalge, said he once
owned paving hammer. and told long
story, the gist of which was that 1t had
been claimed as city property and he
had got no city work since.nn
Mr.. Bion Bradbury of the commissions
er's Office, was asked who drew the plans
VITAL QUESTION.