Norwich bulletin., 1909-12-23
Railroad s Contest With WesterlyMan
New Haven Road Makes Issue with Louis Celia Over Property Title-A.. B. Crafts Wants $5o,o00 from Mechanics Savings Rank-Dividend Paid Depositors Liquor Raid in Hopkinton.

Albert B. Crafts, formerly of West erly, now of Cranston, and former attorney for the Mechanics Savings bank, has brought suit against the di- rectors of the bank, which has been in liquidation for nearly ten years, for the sum of $50,000 for services alleged to have been rendered. Crafts had al- ready received $15,000 and it is under stood that he has given receipt in full for services rendered some time ago.
 The writ is returnable to dhe su- preme court in Providence Feb. II. The suit will be contested.
 There was case of forcible eject nent at the corner of West Broad and Mechanic street Wednesday morning from the building recently erected by Louis Celia on the site of the old town hall and which, so it is said by an aged resident of Pawcatuck, contained building ever since the induction of the railroad, and before. The Celia building stands in a semi circle which in part forms an abutment for the rail- road bridge across West Broad street; the roof is just below the level of the tracks. There was no cellar to the old town hall and when MT. Celia de- cided upon new structure he had the foundation of the new building in
 
 down. While this was going on there was talk to the effect that MT. Celia would be enjoined by the railroad com pany from placing a building on the premises, but the building was carried on to completion and occupancy. There was no interference during the prog ress of the work, although railroad men visited the premises for purposes of observation.
 Nearly year ago c. TIadlais Hull, representing the New York, New Ha- ven and Hartford Railroad company, came to Pawcatuck and told MT. Celia that the building was on railroad prop erty and ordered that no more im- provements be made to the property. MT. Celia, believing himself to be the owner of the property, took no heed of the attorneys warning and continued in occupancy of the premises.
 Wednesday morning Assistant Engi- neer Chevalier of the railroad com pany, accompanied by three stone ma sons, arrived from Providence and went to the Celia building. which is a small wo-Story frame structure, with store. The stone masons carried their implements of trade and asked the proprietor of the store, Harry Stralson, for permission to go into the cellar. Stralson supposed they were workmen
 
 he was a new tenant, and had no knowledge of any claim made by the railroad company to the property.
 Soon the men commenced drilling holes in the cellar walls. MT. Stralson made investigation and inquiry, but re- ceived no satisfactory response from the workmen. He hurriedly summoned MT. Celia, the landlord, and the work men informed him that they were on railroad property and doing work for the railroad company and they post lively refused to leave or stop work on orders from MT. Celia.
 MT. Celia held hurried consultation with his lawyer, Herbert w. Rathbun, and he ordered the railroad employees from the premises, but without effect.
 Deputy Sheriff William H. Casey was called and the workmen were elected from the premises.
 Wednesday afternoon Hadlai A. Hull. Frank L. Mcclure and C. Hadlai Hull, representing the railroad company. came to Westerly and went into con sultation with Judge Rathbun, attorney for Louis Celia The New London lawyers stated that the railroad com pany owned the property in dispute and proposed to take legal possession. The affair of the morning was gone into in detail. and then the attorneys in the case visited the property. MT. Hull formally made demand upon MT. Celia that the railroad employees be permitted to go back to work on the premises. This was refused by MT. Celia, by advice of his attorney. MT. Hull then announced that suit would