Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-11-22
owner Has Word to Say
Denies Charges Gives Reasons

SkowheGan, Me-, Nov IT, 1899
n ennebec Journal Co,
Augusta, Maine.
Gentlemen: We notice in your 10
sues OF the 18th and 10th inst of tho
Neliiepec Journal that you have ad-
FUSED our business in good shane.
w at leaS. given lis unjust notoriety
We tllhk your articles exceedingly
unjust TO man who has done b,1si :
ness for over Il years honestly and
faithfully with the public and we want
10 Know how YOU would feel under tbe
same circumstances having such ar
.icieS punished about your business
wi'hout flrst an Investigation as to
me truth of such statements.
NOW 10 explain all the trouble in y
nut shell. The Standard Oil Co, In ST
frldaE AMI Saturday. installed a new
E&sollne pump for public service. the
JoD being finished Saturday after
noon. The same afternoon. we tried
nnSuccessfully to get hold of Joe
murray, the local SeGler of Weights
ana nave him test and seal the pump
SO we might have the use of it over
the two holidays, Sunday and Mon
day. In general, he is a man of
much Importance and independence
ana attends to his duty when he gets
good and ready which has been
plainly shown by his manner in the
past, however, We were in homes TO
get him the next morning, If he saw
fit to come. Bright and early Sun
day morning, Mr.. Murray came to
my house, ashed me to go over to
the garage, open the pump, which
was locked and had not been used
Tor public service Stree it's installa-
ton, and draw him ten gallons of
gasoline ISnfnrn
pump, I asked him If he would test
and seal the same so we could have
the use of it for over the holidays,
whihc he refused. to do. The cans
which he used for his gasoline and
by which he gained his evidence for
shortage of measure were found. to
be leaking freely when filled. He took
the gasoline away with him kithout
paying for it or making any COM
ments wnateverS and returned .ow
minutes after and condemned the
pump. He also condemned another
pump which he had tested end sealed
short time ago. These were left
thus for four days.
Besides the damage he had al
ready done to our business, he added
more by having published such ar
ticles as appeared in your paper on
the above mentioned dates. We no.
tice that your article stated that Mr..
Sibald, Prop. of Coburn Gara"e had
been arrested on two different
charges, one for operating pump
that was not officially tested and
sealed and the other for giving short
measure. These charges are not true
in so far as I did not use the pump
for public service until last Thursday
after being properly tested and sealed
a. d that I did not know I had been
arrested and taken into court to ans
wer to the above charges until read
of 1t in your paper.
We have asked Mr.. Murray If he
gave authority to have these articles
published in regard to short measure
and court proceedings and his ans
wer before witnesses was that he
knew nothing about it. On the other
hand. we talked with Mrs. Judkins.
your local reporter and she stated
that Mr.. Murray gave her the facts
as' stated in these articles and that
she was willing to testify to same
under oath if necessary.
Very truly yours.
COBURN GARAGE,
William II. Sibald, Prop.