Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-11-06
EDWARDS CASE,
Opening Argument For the
City Of Augusta To-day,
The Case Of The Petitioners Has
Occupied Two Weeks.
Thanksgiving the Earliest Date Is.
timated for Adjournment.

CITY Solicitor Frank l.. Dutton will
al 10 O'Clock this morning begin the
opening argument for the city of Au-
eusta. as the remOnstrant against the
granting of attachments in the taxes of
the Edwards Manufacturing co. for
the wears 1906 and 1906, before the
court of county commissioners.
The case comes before the county
commissioners on AN appeal taken by
the corporation from the valuation of
the board of assessors and has only
reached the commissioners after n
strenuous effort, on the part of counsel
for the city. to prevent them from ex-
elcising jurisdiction in the matter.
A writ of prohibition from the
supreme bench was petitioned for by
the counsel for the city on the ground
that a hearing before the county COM
misSiOncr's court could not be held
according To their Interpretation of the
statute. until the December session.
The question was argued before Judge
Emery and oct. 10 a decision declining
to issue the writ was handed down.
The actual hearing of the case be-
fore County Commissioners Bassctt
: Adams and Bradley began in the court
room oct. Il. The opening argument
was made by Herbert NJ. Heath of the
| law firm Of Heath & Andrews of this
city, for the petitioning corporation.
| The first witness called was F. P
| Sheldon. mill engineer and expert on
! mill construction, of Providence, r. l.
He has frequently been called upon to
, give expert evidence in cases where the
textile industry was involved and his
| examination in this case occupied the
greater part of three days.
Robert Macarthur of BiddefOrd, Her.
bert f. Warmsley of New Bedford
Hon. w. d. Pencil of Lewiston, r. w.
| Eaton of Brunswick. Orlando H. AL
ford of Boston. Ernest w. Elwell AL
bert II. Pratt. agent of the Edwards
Mfg. Co. Charles S. Downing. Melvin
$. Kolway. Henry A. Heath. Anne Cas-
avant, George w. Nickery and Lendall
TitcOmb, all of Augusta, followed in the
| order named.
| The court has been in session and ev-
F, idence has been introduced in behalf
of the corporation II days. Friday. Oct.
&c. the commissioners and counsel
viewed the plant on the lower end Of
| water street.
The last witness for the Edwards Co.
completed his testimony Saturday last
and an adjournment was taken until
today. Yesterday being a recess. afford
the board of county commissioners an
opportunity to attend to other duties.
Commissioner Bradley viewed the new
state road recently completed in Man.
chester.
| There is no reason to believe that it
will take any less time for the remoE-
StrantS to present their side of the case
than it did the petitioners to present
| theirs. There will be number of eX-
perts OH the disputed plant and in all
lroba biiity the examination of the as
SCISSORS will occupy considerable time.
The case has been fought StubbOrnly
step by step, by the attorneys for both
parties, thus far. and there is every in
dica1ion that these tactics will contin-
ne until the end. Just when that end
will be few feel prepared to say. but
the most optimistic set the date Of fin
al adjournment after Thanksgiving.
While the supreme court is in session,
the county commissioners court is
holding its sessions in the only other
room that is at all suitable. the grand
jury room. and that is not nearly large
enough for a hearing of such magni-
| tude.