Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-09-15
!! Lengthy !l TESTIMONY IN CASE AUGUSTA
v WOMAN Being SUED FOR S953 PAYMENT
DuE CONTRACTOR FOR 0USE.REPAiRS
defense Started Tuesday At
ternoon In Superior Court
Defendant Claims Work Was
Unsatisfactory

The defense in the case of Charles
haynes contractor of Augusta, VS..
Mrs. Ann B. West. also of Augusta
the first case to come to trial at
the september term of the Kenne-
pee county superior court. had inst
gotten we'll under way Tuesday aft.
ernoon at the time Of adjournment
and 1t is probable that it will &C.
cupy much Of today. 1t is a case
in which Charles Raynes sues for
the sum of $953 claimed to be due
him for labor and materials in reno
waiting the house at Sc Grove street
owned by Mrs. West, which work
was done in the summer Of 1923.
Mrs. West, on the other hand.
claims that the work was very poor
ly done and was not such that she
could accept it. She claims that in
view of this fact the bill presented
is excessive. Mr.. Raynes is repre-
sented by Attorney NJ. E. Sawtelle
and Mrs. West by Attorney Ernest
Goodspeed of Gardiner.
Mr.. Raynes testified as to the work
which was done on the house and
declared that Mrs. West had wanted
him to send her some men to work,
she to superintend the operation.
He had sent her some good work
men who had done the work as she
directed and if she is not now salts
fled with the work. that is purely
UP to her. He testified as to his
method of keeping books and ex-
planned that after rendering a bill
to Mrs. West he had found that sew
eral weeks wages for one man had
not been included. A second bill ha 4
been rendered later.
He had beers in conference with
Mrs. West about the payment of the
bill and she had offered him $500,
which he had not felt like accepting.
Mrs. Ida Freeman was called to
testify out of order and identified
time slips which she had kept for
her brother, Fred Cyphers. She had
taken them to Raynes at the end
of the week and had received her
brothers pay, which she had turned
over to him. BY agreement of coun-
sell the facts with regard to the time
put in on the job by Mr.. Cyphers
with regard to the other men who
worked there.
Frank H. Leighton. one of the car
penters employed at the West house.
testified as to the work done there.
He declared that he had taken or
ders from Mrs. West and that he
considered that she was bossing the
job. He told in detail of the work
which was done. Fred Cyphers also
testified along similar lines. and
Warren Thomas told of time put. in
by him which had not been included
on the first bill by Mr.. Raynes but
which was substantiated by his per-
sonal ledger. Miss Eleanor Thomas
was called but facts about which
she was to testify with regard to her
fathers time slips were admitted
without contest.
Mrs. West took the stand in de.
tense and declared that she had
hired Raynes to fix the place over
after she bought it. She had told
him what she wanted to have done
and he had told her that he would
have her part of the house ready fol-
occupancy by July first and the re-
mainder. which she intended to rent
by September 1. She had no, idea
of the number of men he would
put on the job and was not concern
GU Will II DIT ITSt, lS6ilIlS lHdl He
would boss it and do a first rate jot
as he had promised. Later noticing
things which she could not accept
she had complained and had been
obliged to complain frequently. She
then gave detailed list of the
things that she had found wrong
with the way the house was repaired
and was on the stand at the close
Of court Tuesday afternoon. Court
will open this morning at 10 o'clock