The Portland daily press., 1899-08-11
About 312 Civil Gases
Have Been Argued.
Thursday Was Policy Day In the
Municipal Court.

The Law term Of the Supreme judicial
court viii probably come to an end today.
Yesterday practically cleaned up the
docket and the afternoon was passed by
the court In consultation. IL Is expected
that the term viii come to an end this
morning. II has not been an extraordi-
nary long term but Of about the average
length. swsnty-ope days. Every year
more and more cases are transferred to
this law term.fro the middle and cas-
tern districts as the attorneys like to
come to Portland to argue their cases
and the court seems to prefer to hold its
sessions here.
A grea. many cases are thus transfer cd
TO this term for argument. In all there
have been something like 3l2 civil cases
argued this term. The state cases which
come up on demurrers and exceptions are
Eot taken into account, though there
were great many of them.
In Cumberland county alone there were
l12 liquor GASES which were rsmanded for
sentence.
Wednesday afternoon was orally argued
the action OF Edith Waterman ye. the
Boston & Bangor Steamship company,
Dearth, Martin g. Cook for the ulaintiff !;
Appleton a. Chaplin for the defense.
This ls an action OF tort to recover dam
ages alleged to have been inflicted upon
plaintiffs baggage while intrusted to the
defendant's care as common carrier.
The plaintiff alleges that on July Q, 1895,
she delivered 60 the custody of the defsn-
dant company In Boston, trunk oon-
tanning quantity Of wearing apparel and
music, which defendant contracted to
safely transport to Bangor for n certain
stipulated price, the plaintiff not being
u passenger upon the steamer carrying
her baggage. Through negligent hand
ling by defendants servants, 1t is alleged,
the trunk and it's contents were saturated
with water. infiicting damages to the
amount of $500. Defense ia the general
Issue. At nisi prius q verdict for $3.50 SO
was recovered by plaintiff AMI defense
moves for a new trial on the ground that
the verdict was not In accord with law
and evidence In the case.
Yesterday morning was taken up the
action of the Skowhegan Water company
In equity VS.. Levi Weston ct AIS. THIS Is
one Of the most important actions coming
before this law term and in 1t ars a for
niidable array OF counsel including SYM
|onds, Snow & Cook. Cornish, Butler g.
Merrill for the plaintiff and Walton g.
Walton, Danforth s. Gould, Heath &s
Andrew for the defense.
1t comes up to this law court on report.
The point in litigation is the title TO
certain valuable water privileges In the
Kennebeo river near Skowhsgan. There
is, at that point, perceptible fall in the
river which is diSi led by islands into
three channels. It Ia ciaimsd by the
plaintiffs that the defsndaDts. who are
really the Skowhegan Electric Light
company, have In enlarging their power.
drawn more heavily upon the water power
at this point than they are legally emit tiled
to do and have diverted from the plain
tiffs' and other persons, power TO which
they are lawfully entitled. Defenss CON
tends that such power as they have used
they are legally entitled to by thsii
prescriptive rights. There are numerous
knotty legal points involved and ths
case Is being hard fought.
POLICY DAY IN CoURr.
| Yesterday was "policy" d ay In til,
Municipal court and numerous curious
spectators gathered to witness the ar
raignment of alleged players and propris
tors Richard Walsh. Edward Jones, Ed
ward ]. freeman, Frank Mitchell ant
Frank O'Hare. charged with playing
policy and having gambling implements
in their possession. were d led $40 and one
fifth costs each. All paid. Charles A
True for the defense.
Martin j. Fiaherty was charged will
maintaining gambling house and com
mon Nuisance. Through his attorney. @
+. Mattocks, he waived hearing an,
pleaded not guilty. His case was con
tinued to August IL. and ne furnishe.
| time.
Frank Norton was adjudged guilty ol
assaulting Mary Conroy ami g iyen jai
sentence Of thirty days.
John w. Sullivan was arraigned ol
two warrants charging maintenance of
gambling house and the Illegal sale of In
toxicating liquors. respectively. Charlie
A. IIae appeared for the defense. To tn
n.