Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1900-02-08
KINGS OF OLD MAINE.
Local severeigns Of Towns in the
Pine Tree State
How Men Of Money have nu. rAi,~.
in Their Own Iaterests-
Last of the 0rlginal
0aAd.

The masterful kings Of old Maine are
not all dead yet. A sturdy race of un.
crowned monarchs rules many down
east town with the same vigors that
Simpson has held sway over Carmel for
30 years. This il well illustratedby the
case Of Eldsr George Higgins. leader Of
the Holy Ghost disciples, who was
tArred and feathered at LevAnt a few
weeks ago. Since Elder. Higgins was
carried on q rail over the town line into
Glenburn the believers in the gospels Of
Higgins have made frantic Efforts to i'm
mortalize John White by calling him
the modern Nero. John White owns
the town Of Levant. When tho annual
taxes come due he draws his check for
the full amount and deposits 1t with the
town treasurer, getting the benefit Of
the ten per cent. discount allowed on
payments made before August 1. Then
he goes among the taxpayers, taking
hay, stock, potatoes aud apples until
his claim Is satiahed. He 10 the Anan-
cial and moral center Of the community,
higher than whom no man can presume
to be. What Patrick jerome Gleason
tried to be in Long Island City John
White Il in Lsvant, and has been for
70 years. Therefore, while Mr.. White
was not present when Higgins was dec
GRATED. the followers Of Higgins be.
lieved the town boss was the instigator
Of the outrage. In the hope Of ofimplicat-
ing White IN the affair, 81 men and boys
were arrested and taken before Judge
Vose, Of the Bangor municipal court.
Az the hearing three men testified
that they saw members Of the mob
scratch matches and apply the blaze to
the tar-ooated body of Higgins. In re-
ply to the question why these men ap-
piled burning matches to Higgins,
Reeves Clements said:
II suppose they wanted to touch him
on."
"Neroi" "Neroi" cried some Of Hig-
gins followers from the back part Of
the courtroom.
In the daya before the civil war near
~ every small agricultural town In
Psnobscot county had ita local sov-
ereigna. whose functions were aimilas
to those which John White exercises
in Levant. They were ill hardy moray
grabbers, but punotilious In keeping
contracts and often generous, partou-
larly when generosity advertised their
) business. Their Ascsndenoy wss gained
~ catering to the needs Of the people.
The money in general circulation was
state bank notes. which were always
going to protest. and could not Be nego-
tiated on any terms outside Of Maine.
After repeated losses the poor farmers
learned that tho name Of leading
townsmAn on the back Of note was
far more reliable then any banks bill.
The issuing Of . pational currency
saved Maine from ruin. It also enabled
the local money lenders to make large
profits from speculation In mortgages.
bllls Of sale aud brokerage commissions
upon everything from the sale Of q lit
ter Of pigs to the purchase Of substl-
tuts for some man who had been
drafted and didn't want to 70 to the
war.
The manner Of conducting their OPP
erations was much the same in all the
towns. though every man had some spe-
cialty which distinguished him from his
rivals over the town line. Calvin Whit
ncy. who owned most all of Dixmont,
believed he could perpetuate his fame
best by having male children named In
his honor. He paid cash prizes Of Ave
and ten dollars TO poor parents who
would attach his nanls to their OF.
spring. The result il that about one.
third Of the middle-aged men who re.
side In Dixmont and Newburg to-day
bear the Christian name Of Calvin Whit,
ney.
Joseph Wheeler Eaton, for 50 Year,
the boss Of Plymouth, displayed his tai.
ents along agricultural lines. II q man
had yoke Of steers valued at $50 and
wanted to raise s25 for immediate use
Eaton furnished the money and took q
bill Of sale. When the steers had grown
to oxen and were worth $3.50 or $500
Eaton would go to the debtor and ole,
to let him have another pair Of steer
as good a. the pair for which the bill
Of sale had been recorded. The farme,
was glad to consent. Then Eaton sold
the oxen for beef. making 5000 proA'
on four-years' Investment Of SIS. o.
course the farmer had tho use Of th<
steers all the time they were growing
to oxen, and for this reason he natural
ly felt grateful to Eaton for his kind
ness.
John Gardner, Of Patten; Natha1
Ellingwood, of Greenbush, and Joh1
Morrison. Of Corinth, held sway in thei,
respective towns. Gardner and Elling
wood are dead, but Morrison. who IL q
years old, xnves pair Of fast bay
to Bangor. "a miles away, as often .,
once q week. and can train Q colt O,