The Portland daily press., 1898-07-09

Thomas Il. Allen Secures an Injunction In
New Jersey-Morgan Said to Owe
Workmen SIS, 000-What Some of the
Men Say About 1t.
Ar. William H. Morgan has the COVER
ment contract for the work now going on
at Great Diamond island. 1t is claimed
by the workmen, who came partly from
Rockland, and many Of whom are Itali-
ans, that they have received no pay for
a long time, and yesterday many of them
came to the city to see if anything could
be done.
Trenton. N. j., papers make this state.
ment:
"Thomas &. Allen has secured an in.
junction fr ON Vice Chancellor Reed, re.
straining Contractor William Fl. Morgan
from paying out or disbursing for his own
use 3d. 600 which Morgan received few
days ego from the United States govern
ment on account Of contract in the
building of Notifications at Great Dia-
mond island, near Portland, Me. John
Fl. Backes is Mr.. Aliens counsel.
Morgan obtained the contract from
the government about year ago. The
work should have been completed by
this time, but is only about half done.
Allen was Morgan's financial hacker in
the contract.
1.-THE bill filed charges that Morgan is
financially embarrassed, and that he has
violated stipulations entered into with
Allen. Morgan. agreed to deposit in the
First National bank, to the account of
himself and Allen, all the money received
from the contract and that the money
was to be paid out again only on checks
signed jointly by Allen and Morgan.
The $4,000 was received by Morgan on
June rs and he failed to deposit the money
although requested to do SO. Further
than this, it is charged that Morgan said
he would keep the money and throw up
the job. Allen claims that Morgan owes
50, 500 for labor and $4,000 for material
used in the contracts.
ALLEN went on Morgan's bond for
SID, 600 to the American Surety company,
which in turn went on Moragn's bond to
the government for the faithful PERFORM
ance of the contract The price of the con-
tract was $4,000. Last February, Allen
loaned Morgan IS. os9.4S under the stipu-
lations referred to.
'vioe Chancellor Reed granted rule
that Morgan should show cause on July
1s. why the injunction should not Ia
made absolute. y
One of the Rookland employees made
this statement to reporter:
Some weeks ago ten of US, residents of
Rockland, were sent forte come to Port
land and go to work on the Notifications
at Diamond island. under Contractor
Morgan. We understood that we would
receive steady work and supposed of
course that our pay would always be
forthcoming at the appointed time. We
are all good citizens of Rockland and
have wives and families dependent upon
US. Since the 18th of May, we have not
received cent of pay and in all the time
that I have been working at the island, I
have sent home just So.
When we first went down, we bought
supplies of ". S. Jordan & Co., and
others, for which we promised to pay up
On receipt CT our wages. Our living ex-
penses have been going on all the time
and we have necessarily run up quite
large bills. A tew days ago, Contractor
Morgan received a check from Major
Hoxie for $4,000, which was to be used in
paying us OF. We were naturally jubilant
and thought that we would be able to
square our debts and make good sized
remittance to those depending on us.
What was our chagrin when Morgan went
OFF and left US without paying a cent that
was due. Here we are and I don't know
what we are going to do. We are none of
us hoboes, but good American citizens.
and we havs not a cent of money nor
place to stop and no work, We Can't hold
the government responsible, understand,
and don't know whether we will ever
get our money or not. From $50 to $40
each is due us ten Rockland N en-, while
the Italians have fro m $40 to $40 each
coming to them. I don't know who to
look to for pay, nor have I the slightest
idea what the outcome will be. We are
assured that we will get our pay eventual
ly, but even that is not a great deal of
consolation, for what are we to do in the
meantime? We must eat and sleep and
that means a continual expense
Benjamin F. Thompson. ESQ.,, as at.
torney for the Thomas Laughlin COM
pany, has attached the iron work at the
island which comes under Morgans con-
tract and it is understood other attach
ments have been made.
The men will probably get their pay in
the end, but several interesting legal
points seem likely to come up for settle
ment before. the wages can be adjusted.
The government cannot be held for tho