Monday, March 19, 2018

ANOTHER CHAPTER IN THE QUINLAN CASE AND TRACTION COMPANY FRANCHISE




The Cortland Democrat, Friday, May 10, 1895.

THE QUINLAN CASE.
TWO MEN ARRESTED LAST SATURDAY CHARGED WITH CRIME.
Jack McDonald and Louis Clark in Jail Awaiting Examination.
   At about noon last Saturday Sheriff Hilsinger arrested Jack McDonald at his boarding house No. 9 Pomeroy-st., and at 2 o'clock he was arraigned before Justice Dorr C. Smith, on a warrant charging him with murder in the first degree in causing the death of Patrick Quinlan, in the highway, not far from his home about a mile and a half northwest of Homer on Friday night Dec. 21, 1894. John Courtney, Jr. appeared for the District Attorney in behalf of the people and Hon. A. P. Smith for the defendant. The examination set down for this morning at 10 o'clock and the prisoner was taken back to jail.
   Louis Clark, who is charged with complicity in the crime, was arrested by Chief of Detectives Sheppard and Dorner in Syracuse at 3 o'clock, P. M., and was delivered over to Deputy Sheriff James E. Edwards and Detective E. Haldebrant of Elmira, who went to that city in the morning with the warrant for him. He was brought to Cortland on the train that reaches here at 6:27 P. M. and refused to say a word about the accusation when questioned.
   The investigation has been going on for some time. Deputy Edwards of this place, Detective Heldebrant of Elmira and Constable Shirley of Homer doing most of the work. Twenty-four witnesses, three of them from out of the county, have been sworn before Justice Smith within the last two weeks and it was upon these depositions that the warrants were issued.
   Clark was arraigned before Justice Smith Monday morning and the examination was set down for 10 o'clock this morning.
   There are many stories afloat concerning the evidence produced before the justice. but as the evidence was all taken ex parte, without the accused parties having an opportunity to cross-examine the witnesses, it would be manifestly unfair to print any of these stories, as such a course might tend to create a prejudice against the prisoners. The fact that they have been arrested does not prove they are guilty and they are entitled to a fair trial.
   As we stated last week, Quinlan's pocketbook was found a few days since in a field on H. W. Keeling's farm in Homer and on almost a direct line from the place where Quinlan was found to Homer village.
   McDonald is a moulder by trade and was working in the Howe Ventilating Stove Works at the time of his arrest. He has been about town nearly all winter. Clark was a carriage painter and was employed in H. A. Moyer's shops in Syracuse. He had been In that city about three months.

The New Railroad.
   Contractor Bunday of the Erie & Central New York Railroad on Wednesday ordered a contract with Mr. Leman Calkins for two hundred piles to be used in crossing the river at this place closed [sic], and Mr. Calkins will furnish the piles as fast as possible. The party who has the contract for doing the work between the E. C. & N. tracks and the river, has been busy all the week in filling in culverts and putting the road bed in shape for drawing the piles with teams from the E. C. & N. track to the site for the proposed bridge. A tool house has been erected and other conveniences supplied for active work as soon as the supplies arrive. The iron and ties have been arranged for and will arrive within the next week.
   As soon as the iron arrives the track will be laid to the river and a construction train will be put on to haul supplies as fast as the iron can be put down. The road bed is hard and in good condition and the work can be pushed rapidly.

Found Guilty.
   The village of Cortland recently brought a civil action against John H. Howard, who keeps a saloon on Port Watson-st., to recover a fine under the ordinance recently adopted by the trustees, for selling liquor without a license, and the case was tried on Tuesday morning before Police Justice Bull. Witnesses were sworn to prove the adoption of the ordinance by the board on the 25th of March, 1895, its publication according to law and service of same on defendant. Charles White of Virgil swore that he called for beer in defendant's saloon, April 25th, and that the bartender gave him something that tasted some like beer but which the bartender said was not beer. Drank five or six glasses and became intoxicated.
   Dell White, the father of last witness, swore that he was present at the time and saw his son drink liquid that had the appearance of beer. He drank none himself.
   Before any evidence was taken defendant's counsel filed objections stating that he appeared for no other purpose than to file objections to the jurisdiction of the court. The objections were overruled and defendant then interposed a demurrer to the plaintiff's complaint which was also overruled and defendant excepted. The defendant made no further appearance and the justice entered up judgment against the defendant for $100 damages and $5.80 costs. The defendant will appeal. I. H. Palmer for plaintiff, Dorr C. Smith for defendant.

Helen Occupies a Cell.
(From the Syracuse Herald May 6.)
   Helen Jewell, a daughter of Edwin D. Jewell of Homer, sister of Miss Clara Jewell, former contralto at the Reform church and at present a member of the Bostonians, is in Chief Wright's private cells at the Police station. Miss Jewell ran away from home a few days ago and was found in a boarding house in this city on Saturday night by the police. She said she was going east to work.
   Miss Jewell has had similar escapades before, but has always been found. It is thought that her mind is affected. Officer Jones of Cortland came here this morning and will return home to-night with the girl.
  
Sig Sautelle's circus parade.
Sig. Sautelle's Circus.
   Sautelle's 10 and 20 cent circus opened a three days' stay at the north end of the Congress street bridge, West Troy, yesterday. They give a performance which many a high priced show might well be proud of. Several new and novel features are introduced and the performance is all given in a single ring, which is much more agreeable than the big three ring shows.—Times, Troy, N. Y., August 3, 1892.
   Sautelle's circus and trained animal show will exhibit in Cortland on the fair grounds on Thursday, May 16, 1895. Doors open at 1:30 and 7:00 P. M.

Another Bicycle Club.
   The Homer-ave. League Bicycle Club is the name of a new club and these officers have been elected:
   Captain—W. Lincoln Seeber.
   Lieutenant—Chas. Leonard.
   Secretary—Miss May Ranney.

Licenses Granted.
   The commissioners of the board of excise for this town held a meeting in Firemen's hall last Monday. Prof. J. E. Banta was elected president of the board and J. W. Keese secretary. Seven applications for drug store licenses were received and all were granted. The following are the parties who have license to sell on physicians' prescriptions: G. W. Bradford, C. F. Brown, F. E. Brogden, Sager & Jennings, Fred I. Graham, Geo. Watson and the City drug store.

Fire Extinguisher.
   Last Friday morning several of our citizens witnessed an exhibition of the Rex Fire Extinguisher in the rear of the Garrison block where a smart fire had been started in a pile of dry goods boxes which had been the roughly saturated with three gallons of kerosene oil. The fire was an angry one from the start but every spark was extinguished in 55 seconds. Mr. Thomas Aubrey of Scranton is the agent for this valuable little extinguisher.

BRIDGE FRANCHISE.
A LIVELY SESSION.
Report of the Proceedings on the Final Hearing Held Before the Commissioner Last Friday.
   The final hearing before the Commissioner of Highways, upon the application of the Cortland & Homer Traction Co., for a franchise over the new road around the base of Greenwood Hill, between Cortland and McGrawville, held at the office of H. L. Bronson, attorney for the company, May 3d at 2 o'clock P. M. pursuant to adjournment, was largely attended and was a spirited affair, showing that the people have awakened to a proper conception of the value of the franchises, which have been given away without much regard to their interests or consequences to follow therefrom.
   The Traction Co. insisted upon an unconditional franchise while those who represented the people advocated the granting of a franchise conditioned upon the surrender by the company of its right to cross Port Watson Bridge with its cars, which had been previously granted by the town board under the mistaken impression that the road would not be extended to McGrawville without it: That the use of the bridge, for railway traffic, would not endanger those who desired to cross it with teams, obstruct its use by the public or subject the bridge to excessive strain.
   I. H. Palmer opened the discussion by reading the following remonstrance and petition signed by 380 citizens of the town.

To the Commissioners of Highways of the Town of Cortlandville:
   The undersigned, citizens of the Town of Cortlandville, hereby protest against the use of Port Watson bridge in said town for the purposes of a surface street railway on the following grounds:
   1st. The capacity of said bridge is no more than sufficient for the public travel which is required to pass over it without the addition of the traffic occasioned by its use for the purposes of a surface street railway.
   2d. The use of said bridge by such a railway will be dangerous to life and property, and will obstruct the public highway at that point and prevent its legitimate use by the public.
   3d. It will subject said bridge to greater strains than it was intended to bear, and endanger the public interests.
   4th. We further protest against the granting of any franchise to the Cortland & Homer Traction company over the new highway, around the base of the Greenwood hill, between the villages of Cortland and McGrawville, except upon the condition that the Cortland & Homer Traction company shall release its right to pass over said bridge to the Town of Cortlandville.

   He argued that the bridge and its approaches were such that its use by the company would endanger those crossing it with teams and would injure the business interests of Cortland by detering those who would otherwise come to Cortland to transact business. That it was entirely unnecessary that the company should cross this bridge, as the company had secured all the land on the left [east] bank of the river suitable for approaches to a bridge to cross the river at Elm or Railroad streets and could acquire, without expense, proper approaches on the right bank. That the mistake of the town board could be easily corrected by conditioning the franchise, for the use of the new road around the base of Greenwood Hill, upon the surrender by the company of its right to use Port Watson bridge for railroad purposes. That the proposal to have the town board to bear the obloquy and censure, consequent on its mistaken action, in granting to the company, the franchise to cross the bridge, was inspired by unworthy motives and restored nothing to the people, while the conditional franchise proposed would relieve the town board and restore to the people the franchise for crossing the bridge, which ought never to have been granted.
   That the difference in the expense of strengthening the present bridge, to fit it to bear the strain of railroad traffic, and the cost of a new bridge, would be very slight in proportion to the risks to be taken and the damages liable to be incurred in the use of the bridge for railroad purposes. That to suffer the company to use Port Watson bridge, was practically to permit the company to convert the bridge to its own use, to the exclusion of others. That in persisting in retaining the right to use Port Watson bridge, while seeking a franchise to cross at another place, to which there was no opposition, the Traction company, "Like Rob Roy proceeds upon the good old plan of keeping all it gets and getting all it can." He said the commissioner was vested with a public trust and with judicial functions and had no right to listen to suggestions outside of the public hearing for which the statute provided, nor to prejudge the matter before the hearing was finally closed.
   The Commissioner had listened to these remarks with a jocose smile on his countenance which did not comport with their serious character, in the opinion of the next speaker.
   Riley Champlin was called for and took the floor. He concurred in what Mr. Palmer had said and observing the satirical smile still on the face of the commissioner he proceeded to criticise this unseemly levity of the commissioner, until it gave place to greater seriousness. Mr. Champlin spoke of the character of the remonstrance against the use of Port Watson bridge, and its signers. He said that public opinion was practically unanimous against it. That only those who were disqualified to sit as jurors to try the question on the trial before the commissioner, by reason of their interest and bias, favored the granting of an unconditional franchise over the road around the hill. He argued that the conduct of the Traction company had not been entirely candid and sincere in their attempt to acquire franchises for all the practicable sites for crossing the river without surrendering the right to cross Port Watson bridge. That the statement made at a previous meeting that the company would take measures to secure a crossing at Elm or Railroad street had been construed to mean that the company would give up the right to cross Port Watson bridge and this had lulled the people into fancied security, which had been rudely shaken by the persistent and suspicious refusal of the company to surrender its right to cross Port Watson bridge, after it was apparent that another and better…obtainable.
   John H. Kelley was the next speaker. He attacked the motives of those who sought to have the condition, giving up Port Watson bridge, incorporated into the franchise for the new road, around the hill, suggesting that they were inspired by interest in the steam railroad to Cincinnatus, of which he spoke ironically. He urged the Commissioner to grant an unconditional franchise or none. He said arrangements were completed for a right of way around the hill without using the new highway, without expense to the Traction company, and characterized the opposition to the use of Port Watson bridge for railroad purposes as opposition to the extension of the electric road to McGrawville.
   One might infer from his remarks, that if the highway road between Cortland and McGrawville were rendered unsafe for teams, that McGrawville expected to reap a benefit therefrom by retaining traffic, at that place, which would otherwise come to Cortland.
   Mr. J. K. Greenwood was next called upon. He claimed the new highway around the hill had depreciated the value of his property, unless the electric road was extended over it. That his land had been acquired by the town with the understanding and promise that the Traction company should have a franchise over it and that to refuse the franchise, or annex conditions to it, was a breach of faith, and an injury to him.
   Wm. J. Mantanye was called upon. He said he had no doubt that Mr. Greenwood had stated the representations made to him correctly, but those who had made these representations were not authorized to make them, and they should ever have been made, and should have no right in the decision of the question now to be decided by the Commissioner; that he did not blame Mr. Greenwood for feeling that he had been imposed upon by those who had made these representations to him. He further described how the electric cars had driven teams from the streets on which they run, and had diverted traffic to other streets. He argued that the use of the bridge for railroad purposes would greatly diminish the traffic by teams over this bridge, and would result in a practical conversion of the bridge by the Traction company. He said people had been induced to petition for the opening of the new road around the base of Greenwood Hill, in the belief that the company would surrender its right to cross Port Watson bridge and would cross the river at Elm or Railroad street on to their own [park] land, which the people desired and expected would be done, and the people had been induced so to believe, by the Traction company and its representatives.
   H. L. Bronson next took the floor saying he had designed to say nothing in this discussion; he welcomed fair and honorable opposition and was tolerant of those who honestly differed with him in opinion. He complimented Messrs. Palmer and Champlin on their sincerity and fairness in the discussion, but said the lying statements of the last speaker was more than he could endure and remain silent. He criticized Mr. Mantanye's statements with great severity, charging him with falsehood.
   Charles T. Peck took the floor to vindicate Mr. Montanye from these aspersions. He said he had circulated the petition for the laying out of the new road around the hill, which he had always favored as had his father before him. That those who signed the petition for the new road had also signed the remonstrance against the use of Port Watson bridge for railroad purposes. That he had explained to those who signed the first petition that no franchise for the use of this road could be founded on that petition and had then learned that public opinion favored granting a franchise over this road only on condition that the Traction company should surrender its right to use Port Watson bridge for railroad purposes. That the town Board had made a mistake in granting a franchise to use this bridge for railroad traffic which should now be remedied and the Commissioner would be held responsible for the consequence if he failed to do this. He said the people were substantially unanimous in their opposition to the use of this bridge by the company. The only exceptions being [those] who feared their business relations with the company might be strained by signing the remonstrance against it. He gave examples illustrative of this, which were easily understood without mentioning names.
   H. P. Goodrich then took the floor and said he preferred that Port Watson bridge should not be used for railroad purposes, if it could be avoided, but he would rather have the bridge so used than that the road should not be extended to McGrawville. He further said, if he were in the place of the company he would not surrender the franchise over this bridge.
   A question put to Mr. Goodrich by Mr. Peck brought out the fact that he had signed the remonstrance against the use of the bridge understanding its contents and meaning at the time and had since became the owner of bonds of the Traction company. This fact appears to account for his apparent change of base.
   The Commissioner of Highways then announced that the hearing was closed and that he would take time to consider the matter carefully before deciding it.
   We learn that the Traction Co. has since been circulating a counter petition notwithstanding the hearing was closed at the request of the companies attorney.
   It is obvious that this supplementary petition cannot be properly used to influence the decision of the Commissioner who would not only be insulted but would subject those who attempted it to prosecution for contempt. As well might a party to a litigation seek to influence a juror out of court in a case on trial before him, or a judge or referee as the Commissioner of Highways in such a proceeding, after the hearing is closed. REPORTER.


HERE AND THERE.
   The Frazier steam laundry in Homer has shut clown.
   At 3 P. M. Sunday the thermometer stood at 95 in the shade in Homer.
   The E. C. & N. R. R. has commenced the erection of a new car shed just west of the water tank. It will be 500x40 feet.
   George Haskins, who was so severely burned at Preble last week, is considered out of danger by the attending physician.
   The Normals went to Homer last Saturday afternoon to play the Academy nine of that place. Result, Homer 32, Normals 22.
   The magnolia trees in the yards of G. J. Mager and J. R. Schermerhorn are in blossom and are attracting much attention from passers.
   Frank Sheperd of Cortland, who was arrested and taken to Cazenovia for indecent exposure, plead guilty and trial was adjourned until the 22nd, when he was discharged.—DeRuyter Gleaner.
   The Young People's Society of Grace church presented "Rebecca's Triumph" to a pretty good audience in the Opera house last Monday evening. All the parts were well sustained and the performance as a whole was decidedly creditable for amateurs.
   Charles H. Edwards of McGrawville, was brought before Justice Parker of that place Tuesday morning and charged with selling liquor without a license. He plead guilty and was fined $50 or fifty days in jail. He paid the fine and announced his intention of retiring from business.
   W. H. Hall will give a decoration day party at his hotel in Virgil on Thursday evening May 30. Music by Palmer & Guier's full orchestra. Bill $1.50.
   Mr. Lloyd S. Ingalls, son of Dr. C. E. Ingalls of this place, graduated from the dental department of the University of Buffalo last week with high honors.
   Mrs. F. R. Furber of the Pomeroy-st. school and Miss Frances Ellis of the Owego-st. school have resigned and Miss Anna W. Blackmer and Miss Ella Garrity have been chosen to fill the vacancies.
   Regular meeting of the W. C. T. U. on Saturday, May 11. Consecration service conducted by Mrs. P. H. Patterson. Subject for the after meeting—"Citizenship of women or mutual inheritance."
   With Sautelle's circus, to exhibit here next week is Pauline Carri, formerly known as Pauline Wheaton of Killawog and Marathon. Carri is one of the best lady riders in the circus arena.—Marathon Independent.
   Tobias Robarsh, who was charged with permitting a chicken dispute [cock fight] on his premises last week and plead not guilty, withdrew that plea before Justice Smith on Wednesday and plead guilty. He was fined $30 which he paid.
   Nelson Burgess of Union Valley, who was charged before the April grand jury with an attempt to poison his wife and whose whereabouts was unknown at that time, has returned home and it is said that he and his wife are now living together again. The action of the grand jury, which has been criticized for not finding an indictment against Burgess, seems to be justified in the light of the present situation.
   At 4 o'clock last Sunday afternoon box 223, corner of Homer-ave. and Main-st. sent in an alarm. A chimney in B. H. Wheeler's house on Wheeler-ave was burning out and gave some trouble, but the fire was put out without doing much damage. Some of the hose carts were drawn to the Excelsior Top shop on Elm-st., but the hook and ladder boys drove straight to the fire. Almost everybody seemed to be misled as to the location of the fire.
 

No comments:

Post a Comment