Worcester morning daily spy. (Worcester, Mass.) 1888-1898, 1898-01-03
coRcoRAN ELOQUENT.
Special Town Meeting At Clinton Proves
Very interesting.

saturday afternoon took on the form of
a contest between the two political par
ties. The $4,000 shortage. of ex-Town
Treasury Heagney was the main theme
of debate The meeting was called 10
order at 2 o'clock and Attorney David
L. Walsh was unanimously elected mode
rator. 1t was noticeable that the re-
publican side OF the house was not as
largely represented as usual, and some
Of the leaders and spokesman Of the par
! ty were absent The democrats charge
that they were purposely absent.
| The first article in the warrant called
for the town TO empower the sewerage
! commission to appear before the legts-
lature and secure such legislation as
may be deemed necessary to carry out
the plans of the commission. This mo-
ton was carried on motion OF ex-Judge
| Corcoran. Later II. F. Larl1in moved
| in addition that the sewerage committee
press for immediate legislation by the
| incoming legislature the business the
| town had with the last legislature. This
| was also carried. This takes the au-
thority from law committee
/ The sum Of $S4 and interest was
awarded the heirs of Austin O'Toole for
| land damages sustained by the con-
struction of Nashua street.
Stone street was accepted as laid out
| py the road commissioners.
Excitement began under the next
article which called for the awarding of
| Sl11l.l1 to the Lancaster mills as land
damages on account of the construction
| of the sewerage system. This occaSioned
| a lengthy debate, In which ex-Judge
| Corcoran scored the republican town Of
| fictals and made open charges of In
! competency and irregularity in the con-
| duct of the town business.
/ TtI1
| interested in this question, as he had
| been recently sued for the sum of $16,-
900 on the bond of eX-Town Treasurer
| w. F. Heagney, and ne might have to
| pay the assessments Of the corporation
! as we'll as those of at least three MEM
bers of the town law committee who
We're the perpetrators of the suit
I Judge Corcoran said; "I don't intend
| to pay the debts Of any of our corpora
! lions or officials, and further, l don't
| intend to pay the debts of any one on
| account of the malice of certain town
| officials. This suit was brought be-
cause some town official thought he
could punish an enemy. l intend to
find out what the scheme is, and will
| pursue my purpose to that end. in
| tend further to thoroughly investigate
| the matter and see If certain town Off
! Gals can use the name Of the town with
! out its permission
II also intend to show the town Of
| Clinton how it's affairs are run on the
| inside; how 1t is run for the few and
not for the many
The discussion was further augment
! ed by. the appearance of David T. May
nard, chairman of the road commission
ers, and DR.. w. p. Bowers of the one
side and the judge and T. F. LarlSin on
the other.
AL this point, Judge Corcoran said:
Certain town officials have brought
/ suit against the bondsmen of W. r.
! Heagney, and in the estimate have in
| cluded amounts due from these corpora
tons, from at least three of the law
committees and several others, the
4 names Of whom 1 have in my pocket,
from the experts list, and which stand
prepared to show"
! Judge Corcoran at length described
the suit entered by the law committee,
4 and ridiculed the report of the expert
who alleged that eX-Treasurer Heagney
was short $4,000 in his accounts
/ The Judge read correspondence to show
that the law committee had attempted
to disDlace him as g, member Of the COM
mittee. In the heat of the debate the
i judge declared: This suit is unprece-
dented in the history of the courts OF the
commonwealth and as abhorrent to law
as to morals. l ask for no quarter from
my republican townsmen," the judge
declared, 'but / will demand fair deal
ing and I will get 1t or expose the men
who have, to further their own aspira-
tons and to injure me, mtsused their
positions in order to perseoute me and
others of different political faith
DR.. Bowers defended the action of the
law committee and the selectmen, and
replied to the remarks made by the
judge.
Tn apcvva,. J,rdoe C,orcora =, said. se'T1b,a1y
have used my name at the head of suit
in order to serve some ones good or
| bad purpose, as if l am in controversy
| with the town Of Clinton. Now let me
say that I will pay the town for any
discrepancy of eX-Treasurer w. f.
Heagney, but I viii not pay the sewer
| assessments of these very men who
brought this action
| DR. Bowers defended the suit and re-
marked that Judge Corcoran could not
have been more fair than was the law
| committee.
Judge Corcoran, in conclusion, moved
that committee of five be appointed by
the chair to investigate all sewer assess
ments and report a list Of persons whose
assessments have not been paid. This
motion aroused interest, as it is re-
ported that the names of many republic
cans high in power are on the list.
The motion was carried and the judge
followed up his motion by another that
the committee be directed to give a pub
lie hearing and have full powers of in
vestigation. Here Hugh Stuart assailed
| the board Of auditors and those men
who had not paid their sewer assess
ments.
'"rhe poor men must pay or be pros
Lcuted, but the politician and boss can
escape" he said.
! Judge Corcoran here asserted that the
/ selectmen were attempting TO perform
the boss function over the school COM
mittee but they would not succeed.
The following committee was appoint
| ed by Moderator Walsh: T. r. I4arlxin,
E. A. Evans, Hugh Stuart, Lawrence
| Fury and Capt. w. F. Shaughnessy.
This committee will have extensive
powers.
Attorney Gentsch assailed the board
Of health for not attending to it's in
| structions in a certain matter and later
! the speaker entered into a controversy
| with DR.. Bowers over the contract for
| heat and lighting. Mr. Gentsch stated
| that it was direct robbery to enforce a
| contract of five years at such prices and
| quoted statistics to enforce his position.
! The motion to appropriate 5000 for
| street lights was voted down, and Dr..
Bowers later remarked that the town
| had made the contract and would
| have to stand by it.
The sum Of $1,000 was appropriated for
the paupers and $1,000 for general ex-
| pense account.