Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-09-14

he and Maltais had gone to Lewiston.
Witness thought it was the following
Monday that he had sworn out a
warrant for Maltais' arrest, but he
7 TESTIFIED he did not know the road
master had told Maltais he needn't
come back to work until the TRANSACT
tlon IN question was settled.
Ralph Nichols of Lewiston. mana
ger OF an employment agency, testi-
ned about Maltais' coming to his Of
flee for work and getting the job with
the Maine Central Railroad.
John =. Scully of Lewiston, assist :
ant roadmaster, testified regarding
Nichols calling him up either on a
Saturday afternoon or a Monday
forenoon. before any action had been
| taken against Maltais He said Mall
tais had upon different occasions
come up to his office, telling him he
intended to go to work. Scully had
told him he could go to work as soon
as he got ready.
CHARLES Parker of Livermore testi-
ned that he was a member of the
work crew at Monmouth Mt that time
but he had not been there at the tina
Oh the collision. AS he was return
ing from North Monmouth where no
mad passed the evening, he heard the
Train Whlstling and heard the crash
George Lancaster of Auburn
member of the work crew, gave tes-
timony regarding the collision.
Defense
The defense in t,.2 case, as stated
by Attorney F. w. Clair for the de-
ferdant. was general denial of the
charge. The points were brought
out by Attorney Clair that the re-
spondent is a French Canadian and
is by trade cook. He had had no
trouble with the men of the railroad
work crew or with Mr.. Marcque, the
foreman, until the matter of a dis
pute over a grocery bill. Maltais had
been hurt in the cident. and had
gone to Lewiston with Mr.. Marque
for the purpose Of settling I'D the
transaction. Maltais had saiG he
had paid the amount of the bill to
n. Dupont, but had also said that
rather than have any trouble over
the matter he would pay the bill
a ain If it was necessary And the
n tier had been practically settled
hearing upon the matter followed
h ~eVer, and Malta:s was DISCHARGED
Maltais' lameness had prevented him
from going back to work after the
accident.
Respondent on Stand
The respondent, Divide Maltais OF
Lewiston, then took the witness
stand. He testified that he has a
wife and four children he is % years
old and was born in Lewiston. Re
spondent said that since the accident
he has been sick. but never had been
sick before that. On that night he
had not been feeling well and had
gone outside of the car He had seen
the engine of the freight train COM
ing upon the side track. After the
collision he had run into the cook
car and had thrown the burning
lamp out of the car and had asked
the cookie if he was hurt. The
cookee had replied that he was not
hurt. Respondent had hurt his knee
in the accident The day after the
collision he and Mr. Marque had
gone to Lewiston to see about the
payment of a certain bill On the
Monday following Maltais' knee
had felt SO bad he could not go to
work and had given notice to that
effect. That afternoon a warrant
was brought for Maltais' arrest in
that transaction, but after hearing
he had been adjudged not guilty. He
had felt better on Friday of that week
and had planned TO go back TO work.
Respondent had found a spike on
the track and had reported 1t to the