The Worcester spy., 1899-08-12
IT'S UP TO SPENCER.
North Brookfeld
Clerks Challenge
For a Game.
WILL PLAY BONA FIDE CLERKS.
The Splaine & Co. Case
Much Discussed
in Town.
WILL PLAY BONA FIDE CLERKS.

North Brookfeld, Aug. 11-Now the
Spencer clerks will have to play ball or
their brother string chas-
ers of this town their superiority at the
national game. Today, after a talk
with some of the other clerks, Manager
John ]. Downey Of the local team de-
cided to write to Spencer without delay
to let the egg smashers and soda mix
ers of that town know that the North
Brookfield clerks mean business. Ac-
cordingly he wrote this evening, di-
recting his letter to the manager Of the
Spencer clerks base ball team, and at
the suggestion of The Spy reporter
sending it in care of Crimmin Bros,
who are acknowledged among the
leading base ball enthusiasts of the
Spencer stores.
The letter is the outcome of a state
ment first published in The Spy, that
the local clerks wanted a game with
the Spencer men. Mr.. Downey in
formed the Spencer management in the
letter that the North Brookfield team
would like to arrange a game and sug-
gested that a time and place be named
for meeting to arrange particulars
for the game. The Spencer clerks have
been somewhat backward about COM
ing forward since the local aggregation
gave them notice in The Spy that a
game would be welcomed by the North
Brookfeld men, but Mr.. Downey, with
the other clerks, now intends to show
the public that the local team is by no
means a newspaper team, and means
what it says.
The men who will comprise the North
Brookield team are anxious for the
game, and are confident that with a
few days practice they can do things
to the Spencer players. The North
Brookfield team will have Mortimer
Howard, John ]. Downey and William
Conroy three Of the best exponents Of
the national game that the town has
ever had, and is confident OF victory.
The players do not believe that all who
played in the clerks game in Spencer
this week are bona flde clerks and will
insist that none but those whose real
occupations is clerking be allowed to
play in the intertown game
The promise Of David Splaine Of the
firm of H. Splaine & Co.. to sue the town
to recover for work done, as told ex-
clusiyely In The Spy, still continues to
be the sensation of the week On the
merits of the case itself and because of
the prolonged hearse arguments which
have occupied attention for several
weeks, the matter is one of extraordin-
ary interest If the selectmen do not
vote to pay the bill Monday night, and
on the ground they have taken 1t is un-
likely that they will, and If Mr. Splaine
keeps his word as he undoubtedly viii
then the town will be involved in a law
suit over the trif1ing amount Of $1S
Suits are costly things to defend, and
1t is extremely improbable that the
town would vote to defend the suit
brought by Mr.. Splaine. At the same
time the selectmen believe they are
right in the course they have taken
under the advice of town counsel Tim
othy Howard.
The Spy reporter talked the matter
over with DR.. Thomas J. Garrigan
chairman of the board of health. this
afternoon. DR.. Garrigan said that the
board of health has no intention of APP
proving the bill, as it did not order the
work done. At the same time he gave
the opinion that the bill is Justly due
Mr. Splaine from the town, and that
the town will have to pay it. He added
1t was one Of the evils resultant from
the town hearse system, and expressed
the hope that the town will soon give
up having a hearse of its own.
The present controversy has brought
to light another little difficulty which
arose out of the cases Of contagious dis
eases. The board of health sent pro
visions and necessaries to the family
of Thomas Haggerty in SponlSy Hol-
low, when his children were i'll with
diphtheria, and when the bill was
turned over to the overseers of the poor
that board refused to pay it, saying it
had not authorized any such expense.
and that Mr.. Haggerty had told the
oyerseers he needed no assistance. In
order to avert any confusion or diff
Guilty, the board of health paid the bill
out of it's own appropriation.
The elimination of the case of H.
Splaine & Co will be awaited with
great interest, although the opinion
prevails that the case will never be
carried to the courts
Horace ]. Lawrence, editor Of the
North Brookf1eld Journal, has started
an agitation in favor of asking Super
intendent Jefts of the Warren, Brook
field & Spencer street railway to place
an electric light at the North Brook
field terminus OF the road The move
ment is a good one and it is thought
that If the matter is rightly brought
before the railway )mpany the request
e.
The claim is made that this end Of the
line supplies the heaviest patronage of
the road, and Superintendent Jefts has
always tried to accommodate the local
traffic.
There is not sufficient light at the
North Brookfield end, but there have
been no complaints made ncr are there
any prospects of any. If the improve
ment is asked for and refused, how
ever, there viii be good grounds for
fault finding, as it Is not a luxury but
a necessity. Mr.. Lawrence's plan will
undoubtedly meet with general favor
Martin Bergen gives ii as his opinion
that there is available material in town
for first class ball team, If some of
the old players would only consent to
come to the fore. Martin remembers
many of the men who played with him
here and does not quite understand
why they should have given way to the
youngsters so soon.
His opinion is shared by many others
who would like to see good sprinkling
of the old timers in the game to steady
the youngsters and teach them the
game as it was played when North
Brookfleld's base ball team defeated the
best amateur and semi-professional
teams of the state.
Misses Rosa Moore and Fannie Kiley
of Worcester were the guests Of Miss
Mary Boyle today.
Many local people will attend the
Boston and Albany excursion tomorrow
and the great majority Of them will at
tend the ston-Cincinnati ball game
and root for Bergens team.