Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-04-26
VIM, C, WEST IS
HELD FOR SEPTEM-
Der Term OF COURT
For Receiving Stolen Goods,
Knowing They Were Stolen
James Routh Found Guilty Of
Larceny of Copper Bonds"
from Street Railway Line
Desertion Case Disposed Of
Without Trial

By two hearings which were held be-
fore Judge Lancaster of the municlpal
court Wednesday afternoon certain
degree Of light was thrown upon
large amount of thieving which had
been in progress for some time past
along the lines of the Lewiston. Angus
ia & Waterville- Street Railway. The
material stolen consists Of what are
known as terminal bonds" pieces of
large copper wire which are used in
bonding the rails forming the COM
pany's lines of track. These bonds are
essential for the successful operation Of
an electrical railroad. and by their re
moval service is crippled. With the
present high price Of copper and the
ease with which these bonds are Sc
cured it can be quickly seen what a
temptation they prove to thieves and
that the thieves yielded to the tempta-
ion is shown by the fact that in two
nights last winter, near Sabattus on
the Lewiston line HOO Of these bonds
were stolen.
In the vicinity Of Augusta the steal
ing of bonds did not begin so early but
even though they began late the
thieves appear to have made fairly
SOOu IOSIcSS. opSIdllUIlS nave DeGl
mainly conducted on the National
Home and Winthrop lines and an in
spection brought to light the fact that
the number stolen on the Togus line
was about 200 and that on the Winthrop
line between zoe and 800.
The matter brought to a head
yesterday afternoon when William c.
West Of this city was arraigned on the
charge OF having received stolen goods,
meaning some Of these bonds. knowing
them to have been stolen. the complain
ant in the case being Supt Claude c.
Cole OF the Augusta Division Of the
Lewiston. Augusta & Waterville Street
Railway. The street railway company
was represented by John f. Nelson of
the law firm of Andrews & Nelson. The
respondent was not represented by
counsel and pleaded not guilty.
The witnesses were two boys of about
II years of age, James Routh and Arthur
Moulton. Routh testified to having sold
some of the copper bonds to the respon-
dent and that he had also tried to sell
them to Seth Clark and to V. E. Gamer
on but that the latter two had refused to
buy them. Routh also admitted having
stolen the bonds from the Lewiston, Au-
gusta & Waterville Street ilway Both
boys testified that West on buying the
bonds of them had said that the copper
was good and that he would buy all they
brought to him IL it was not stolen. At
the close of the hearing the court found
probable cause to hold the respondent in
the sum of $3.50 for the September term of
the superior court and he was allowed to
go on his own recogniZance
Following this case the boy James
Routh was arraigned on the charge Of lar
ceny and was represented by Former
Judge Benedict F. Maher, but as the boy
had already confessed to the charge there
was little to be said. The court disposed
of the case by giving Routh a sentence of
80 days in Jail, but sentence was suspend
ed and the boy was ordered to report each
Saturday to the city marshal for stated
period.
The last case of the afternoon was that
of Benz. S. Pierce of Waterville. who was
before the court on complaint of his wife,
Mabel r. Pierce of Bath, for desertion of
herself and two small children. Benedict
F. Maher appeared for the respondent and
NJ. E. Sawtelle for the complainant. BY
agreement before the trial the court or
dered the respondent to pay the sum of So
per week for six months and to come into
court on notice. The Judge has the au-
thority to increase that on hearing to
any amount he wishes