Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-02-25
AN OBSTINATE SAFE
Webster Town Business Delayed
by Bad Combination.
Town Clerk Upham Secures Boston Ex
pert to Open Massive Iron Doors
Other Notes.

ness have remained securely locked up
IN the town vault. After completing all
the business of the day, Tuesday, Lee
roy j. Upham, the town clerk, placed
the town books and records in the big
vault and closed the heavy iron door,
turning the dial and locking it for the
night.
But on this particular evening the
mechanism did not work exactly right,
for when Mr.. Upham returned the next
morning and tried to open the vault his
efforts proved futile, and the big door
would not move an inch. At first it en-
tered his mind that probably some one
mad been tampering with the combina-
tion, and naturally got it out of order.
put everything seemed exactly as he
left 1t on retiring from the office the
night before, and this thought was soon
discarded.
At different intervals yesterday he
tried to work the combination, but each
attempt made matters worse, and at
last he gave it up in despair and de-
clded to send for an expert to open the
safe. He wrote to Boston, and this
morning an expert of the Damon Safe
Company arrived in town and COM
menced operations on the obstinate
vault door The expert worked all this
forenoon, and at a few minutes before
IL o'clock he succeeded in drilling hole
through the outer door, and the rest
came easy to him. In some way the
second wheel of the mechanism within
the vault, which is operated upon by
the working of the combination, had got
out of order and needed a thorough
cleaning
During the period that Mr.. Upham
could not open the vault the business of
the town has been idle, and now it will
take several days of double work to
catch up with the work The vault was
purchased in 1890 from the Cary Safe
Company of Buffalo, N Y, and until
yesterday no trouble Of any sort has
ever been found with it. This is where
all of the town records are kept and the
vault is nearly Is feet long by feet
wide.
GOOD PROGRAM PROMISED.
At the weekly meeting of the Webster
High School Debating Society to be
held in the high school rooms Friday
evening, March 4, the following program
will be carried out: Instrumental music,
Miss Edna Cook; defamation, James
buckley; defamation, Wayne S. Surles;
fiye-minute speech; composition, Louis
Howard; defamation, Miss Annie Fits
vocal music Miss Daisy RoweH; decla-
nation, Miss Estelle Howard; debate,
Resolved, that the United States ought
TO increase it's coast defence" Misses
Aline CoWie and Helen Wilson will ar
que the question from the affirmative
side, while Warren Wheelock and Ern-
est Joslin will speak on the negative
side The decision of the debate will be
followed by defamation by Walter
Goddard; vocal music, Miss Alice Har-
ris; five-minute speech; reading of the
chronicle and news of the week, c. Har-
ry Cocks and Ralph Hill; defamation,
maurice Clare; instrumental music Miss
Alice Davis; criticism and business.
THE THREE C'S QUESTION.
The members of the school athletic
association have completed the jumping
pit at their headquarters in the east viii |
lage. Although everything is in read
mess for the postponed athletic tourna-
ment, the opinion among the students
is now that it will never come off.
The meet was to come off month ago,
but on account of Supt Morse Stipulat-
ing new set of rules, which prohibited
amy scholar participating in the event
unless he has an average mark in his
studies. Mr.. Morse ruled that il any stu
dent received two C's or more, he could
not take part in the event 1t seemed
that so many were under this standing
that it was impossible to conduct the
tournament, and it was postponed until
March, but now it has developed that
the question of Cs is again in promi-
nence, and that the meet cannot be con-
ducted
NAUGHTY BOY FROM DUDLEY.
Peter Grisl1i, the 14-year-old boy of
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Griski, who reside
on oxford avenue, in the Jericho village,
Dudley, was before the judge this fore
noon charged with being a stubborn
boy. The boy has been in court before on
a similar charge, and David Walker,
agent of the state board of lunacy and
charity, was notified by the judge to ap-
pear and conduct an investigation of the
case.
NAVAL OFFICIAL HERE.
Frank Maynard, assistant surgeon,
rank I'd lieutenant, of the United States
navy, was in town today He had Sc
cured leave of absence for few days,
and was visiting with friends in Man
chang. His headquarters are at New
port, r. l., but for three years he has
served on the United States cruiser
Brooklyn. He received orders today to
report for duty at once. He, with Misses
Levina and May Brouthers of Man
chang, spent the day with Mr.. and Mrs.
Henry Courtemarche
A SEASON OF MUD
Webster has never experienced such
a muddy season as at present. The re-
Gently macadamized Main street is in
the best condition, but Pleasant and
South Main streets are five inches deep
with mire From the south village store
vii lIa raj
traffic with a heavy load is almost inn
possible, and any pace except that OF
walk is impossible for the poor horses.
The Dudley selectmen have drawn
James Baily as juror for the criminal
term of court in Worcester.
Mrs. Sarah Reuben and sister-in-laW,
Miss Crenia Reuben, of Manchester, N
H., are visiting with Mr. and Mrs. Ike
Shea on Negus street.
AT the German hall on Oxford ave-
nue.. theatre play and dance will be
held Saturday evening Joseph Koehler
and his orchestra will furnish music for
dancing.
A STILL ALARM.
E d. Clemans, clerk of the Webster
fire department was called Tuesday
evening, Feb. %, to a still alarm, for a
fire at the residence of Mr.. and Mrs.
Godfrey Grenier, No. " Lake street,
caused by an overturned Kerosene lamp.
There was no loss, only slight blaze
uDon the carpet, which was quickly put
out by the son. Alfred. The elder Gren1-
Ter was slightly burned on both hands
in assisting his wife, whose clothing
took fire from the carpet. Mrs. Grenier
was slightly burned on the arm and
right leg
ELECTRIC ROAD MATTERS.
The parties interested IN the local
electric railroad. held a private meeting