History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 174

Author: Williams, Chase & Co., Cleveland (Ohio)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Cleveland, Williams, Chase & Co.
Number of Pages: 1100

USA > Maine > Penobscot County > History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches > Part 174

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The Bangor Theological Seminary, at this time under Professors Enoch Pond, George Shepard, and Leonard "Woods, was in a flourishing condition. The number of students was forty-eight. It had an excellent library, consisting of about four thousand volumes.

The Bangor & Piscataquis Railroad Company re- !

quested the city government to authorize them to lay their track from their depot to tide-waters. Authority was afterward given, and the cars ran in the centre of Harlow and Exchange street, drawn by horses, and greatly to the annoyance of street travelers.

After the discontinuance of the United States Bank the People's Bank, of Bangor, was selected as one of the deposit banks of the General Government. From some cause the Mercantile Bank this month became a deposit bank.

There was not harmony among the friends of the Ad- ministration in this city at this time. Their organs were the Eastern Republican and People's Press, and a war- fare existed between them. The history of the party in power is usually a history of selfishness and greed. While there is unanimity in maintaining the integrity of the National organization, much division grows up among local politicians from jealousy on account of the distribu- tion of the "spoils," which threatens utter disorganiza- tion, and ends in-harmonious enthusiasm at the next general election.

December 31st. The year closed with the temperature at fourteen degrees below zero.

CHAPTER XXX.

Year Opens Bad Financially-Bank War-Court Dockets-Vaccina- tion-Teachers' Association-Municipal Judge Excitement-Amos Davis Case-Productiveness of the Soil-Total Abstinence-Edward Kent Elected Mayor -- Aldermen and Council-Surplus Revenue- Otis Small, Sheriff-City Officers-Lyceum-Post-office Affairs- Theatre-Taxation Avoided-Population-Eastern Credit-Specie Payments Suspended-Geological Survey-Bangor Journal-Habits of the People-Suffolk Bank System-City Appropriations-Fiske's Grievances-Boundary Trouble-Greeley Arrested-Military Pronun- ciamentos-Bangor House Difficulty-Surplus Revenue Question- William Lloyd Garrison-Anti-Slavery Society Organized.

1837. The year opened in Bangor with a financially bad aspect. The banks were at war with each other. The Eastern and Mercantile had severed their connec- tion with the Suffolk Bank, and would keep no funds there; and wished the others to follow their example, which they were not inclined to do. And, it is said, their antagonism prevented their making discounts and accom- modating the merchants. These banks had a circulation at the opening of the year 1836 of upwards of $350,000, and money was easy; now their circulation did not exceed $175,000, and there was great difficulty in doing business because of the stringency occasioned, as, it was alleged, by the "manner of conducting business," and not, as has been supposed, by "the inability of the banks to sustain themselves through the pressure." It is hardly supposa- ble, if the banks could have, in their belief, accommo- dated their customers and at the same time sustained themselves, that they would not have done so. The fact

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

is that there was a general dearth of money all over the country, occasioned by a want of confidence, as there always is after a period of inflation and crazy speculation.

What confidence could be had in a business commu- nity like that of Penobscot county where the court dockets were laboring under the burthen of from three to five thousand actions, and increasing?

The Penobscot Agricultural Society held its annual meeting on January 2, and before adjourning considered this sentiment: "Eastern Lands : Like good cider or beer, must undergo the process of fermentation. The scum having worked off, farming friends will not object to it."

By the Circular of the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, issued January 3, 1837, the amount of surplus revenue to the credit of Maine was $1,274,- 451.02.

Mrs. Lemon and sister, with friends, "gave a concert of sacred music at the Baptist church, for the benefit of the poor and needy of the city of Bangor," on the 16th, which was well attended and complimented. Receipts $134.50. The tickets to the concert were twenty-five cents each.

General Samuel Veazie, of Bangor, was elected by the Legislature a member of the Governor's Council.

The City Council paid $986 for the vaccination of the inhabitants. The number of inhabitants on which the operation was successfully performed was 1,972.

The Penobscot Association of Teachers held a meet- ing at Exeter. An able address was delivered by Hon. S. H. Blake, of Bangor, and a copy was requested for publication.

In this winter of "no currency," many persons who usually had no trouble in paying their rent were at their wits' end as to where they could possibly look for the means. While two tenants were ruminating over their situation, their landlord appeared, and witnessing unmis- takable signs of want in their houses, he relieved them somewhat of their trouble and won their gratitude, by bidding them give themselves no anxiety about the rent, for he should not require it of them during the continu- ance of the hard times. Another gentleman sent a load of wood to his debtor.

The Mechanic Association elected John S. Sayward President, Joseph Kendrick Vice-President, Joseph Wing Treasurer, Samuel Reynolds Secretary, Samuel Ramsdell Librarian.

The Bangor Classical Institute, connected with the Theological Seminary, was under the charge of Louis Turner, A. M., Principal.

Charles Stetson was appointed Clerk of the Courts, and Albert G. Jewett re-appointed County Attorney of the county of Penobscot.

On the morning of February 3, Edward Kent, Esq. announced to the court then sitting, the death of George Starrett, Esq., last evening, at the age of thirty-nine years; and added that "perhaps no man has ever more fully se- cured the respect and esteem of his brethren of the Bar, and of the whole people, by unbending integrity and in- defatigable attention to his duty, aided by talents and ac- quirements of highly respectable order, and sound, prac-

tical good sense." As a token of respect, the court, as usual in such cases, adjourned.

A case of unusual interest was tried at the January term of the Court of Common Pleas, Judge Perham pre- siding.

The foundation of the case was an indictment against Charles Burlingame, John T. Howard, William Tums, Stover Rines, and his sisters, Mary Ann Rines and Sarah Lane, for conspiracy to destroy the fair fame of Julia W. Rines, the wife of Stover Rines, with a view to deprive her of her interest in her husband's estate.

Rines was a strong, athletic man, of abundance of will, a resident of Oldtown. He had acquired some promi- nence on the river as a lumberman, speculator, and cap- tain of a military company of millmen, river-drivers, and raftsmen, who wore an appropriate uniform, and called themselves "The Rackareebos." Though an ignorant man, he assumed an air of superiority that gave him a sort of influence among rough people.

This man, having lost his first wife, became enamored of a young lady in Portland bearing the name of Julia W. Talbot, a respectable lady, handsome, without means, and, having been educated in the refined city of Portland, with tastes dissimilar to his. He married her, however, and took her to his home in Oldtown in July, 1835. So far as appears, the first year of their married life was passed pleasantly enough. She was well dressed, and he was proud of her.

After the expiration of a year trouble arose and the case developed the following facts : Rines's first wife had a niece-Sarah Weston-who had lived somewhat in Rines's family, and he had sent her to school. In July, 1836, Rines took his wife to Portland. There he saw his protege, Sarah Weston, who had grown to be, to him, an accomplished and attractive young lady of eighteen. Instead of remaining in Portland with his wife, he took Miss Weston with him to Bangor, where he left her and went to his home, which he had left about a week before; but Miss Weston appeared there the next day. After- wards Rines returned to Portland and brought back his wife. On their way they stopped at Augusta over night. After they had retired to their room Rines wanted to see a letter that his wife, while in Portland, had written to a young lady acquaintance. She declined to show it to him. He insisted upon seeing it, whereupon she tore it to pieces. At this exercise of her rights Rines became inflamed with rage and told her that if he had a suitable instrument he would "take her very heart out;" he threw himself on the floor as if unable to control himself be- cause his wife dared resist his will in not showing him a private letter that she thought it not proper for him to see. He, however, succeeded in getting possession of part of it, which he meanly read, and, as he afterward declared, found nothing improper in it. After this there was not any manifestation of affection by Rines toward his wife. The day after they reached home she was taken sick. · Her sister told Rines that she must have a physician or she would die. He replied that she would not die; that he would not see her until after she had re- covered, (he had seen her the day after she was taken

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

sick), and then he should take an "eternal farewell" of her -that he did not care if she died; that he loved. her once, but now he hated her with a perfect hate, and said he would never live with her again, and gave as a reason that she had been unfaithful to him. She recovered. From the time of their return they occupied adjoining rooms and did not live together as husband and wife. She was deposed from her place as mistress of the house and Mrs. Lane established in it. His study seemed to be to mortify her. One Sunday Rines and his wife and Miss Weston prepared for church. Rines took Miss Weston and left his wife, who did not follow them. In the afternoon they all got ready to go, when Rines and Miss Weston conferred together and concluded not to go, and he left his wife to go alone. After August Mrs. Rines confined herself to her room during most of the time. She was enciente. In September he had heard she had said something about him and Miss Weston, and he told her that if she went out of the house and mentioned his or Miss Weston's name he would horse- whip her within an inch of her life. He said he would sink his property and go to the end of the earth before he would live with her. The others of the accused were at his home, and he was on pleasant terms with them. In December he went to Portland and left his room and bed in possession of Burlingame and Howard, who oc- cupied them during his absence. Mrs. Rines had a sleeping companion-Sarah Elkins. One day during Rines's absence Howard and Mary Ann Rines enticed Miss Elkins to go on a sleigh-ride to see her sister, promising that if she would go she should be brought back early in the evening. In the evening no one went for her, and she was obliged to remain over night. When she returned she complained, and could get only trivial excuses for the violation of their promise. On that night Burlingame had taken the key from Mrs. Rines's door, and she, not finding it, fastened the door with her scis- sors, and left a light burning when she retired. About midnight she was awakened by a violent breaking in of her door, and to see Burlingame standing beside her bed. She jumped over the foot-board, and, in escaping from the room, encountered Howard at the door, who exclaimed: "Now I've caught you!" She broke away from him, however, and escaped to Mrs. Lane's room in a state of alarm and prostration so great as to excite that lady's sympathy. Rines soon after returned, and his intimacy with these fellows was so marked, and his conduct in regard to his wife was of such a character, as to leave no doubt of a conspiracy between them to ruin her character. There was a great deal of testimony im- plicating all the accused, except Mrs. Lane, who was ac- quitted. All the others were convicted.

Several points of law raised by the counsel for the de- fendants, Messrs. John Appleton and Frederick Allen, were very ably argued pro and con by them and by the County Attorney, Albert G. Jewett, and Edward Kent, for the State, and overruled. Mrs. Rines was admitted to testify, contrary to objection. Exceptions were taken and afterwards sustained by the Supreme Judicial Court. The verdict was set aside, and a new trial granted.

The trial of the case commenced January 18 and closed the 13th of February. During a fortnight the court-room was crowded almost to suffocation. The in- terest was intense, and the verdict of the crowd sustained that of the jury.

The case was never again tried. Some arrangement was effected, and the case was dismissed. Mrs. Rines removed to Portland, and was divorced, She is now dead. Rines married two wives afterwards. In the war of the Rebellion he got into the Commissary Depart- ment at Washington, where he died.

The speculation in breadstuffs was at this time exciting much indignation. A public meeting was held in Bangor "to take into consideration the condition of the flour market, and see what measures could be adopted with regard to it." A committee of five of the best citizens was appointed to report resolutions. The resolutions were long forthcoming.

But "the people" were not indignant merely about the flour speculation ; they wanted F. H. Allen, Esq., for Municipal Judge, and had a meeting and nominated him. Unfortunately, they could not vote on the nomination after it was made. The Governor and Council had con- trol of the matter ; and the Democratic Bangor Post flew into a passion because "a few rich men," Demo- cratic taskmasters, had got up a petition for Samuel Farrar, Esq. It shouted :-

Democrats, will you tamely submit to this? Has it come to this, that none but rich men, the President and Directors of Banks, are capable of discharging the duties of any public office? Look at your Sheriff [Carpenter], your County Attorney [Jewett], your Clerk of the Courts Stetson], your Postmaster | Trafton! - all exclusive Democrats and VIOLENT opposers of Banks! Yet all of them are Bank Directors. Come forward, then, if you are men, and resent the indignity cast upon you. If you are SLAVES, stay at home.

But the Governor and Council paid no attention to this; the Governor appointed and the Council confirmed Judge Farrar, and he proved an acceptable Judge.

Amos Davis was at this time a citizen of Bangor, but having been in Boston for some time, he was summoned before G. G. Hilliard, Esq., to give his deposition in an action then pendiug. To the surprise of the summoning party Mr. Davis refused to testify, whereupon the Justice imposed a fine of $20 for contempt. This he refused to pay and was committed to jail. Mr. Davis's next appear- ance was before Judge Wilde on a writ of habeas corpus. His discharge was claimed on the ground that he was a citizen of another State. The Judge said that any man might be summoned to give his deposition within twenty miles of his abode. It appeared that Mr. Davis was a citizen of Maine and his family resided there. It does not appear from the papers of the Justice that he had his abode in Boston for any length of time. If it did, whether he had his family with him or not, he would be held; as it did not, he should order his discharge.

It was mentioned as creditable to our soil and farmers, that Mr. Nathaniel Burrill, of this county, raised on "rock upland " sixty bushels of sound Indian corn to the acre, and forty-one and a half bushels of beans to the acre ; that Mr. Heman S. Jackson, of Corinth, raised seventy-four bushels of oats to the acre this year; that

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

Reuben Hall, also of Corinth, had raised on two acres and 142 rods of land, eighty-eight bushels and three pecks of tea wheat; and that Reuben Gordon, of Dutton, had obtained 789 bushels of ruta-baga from one acre; and these were spoken of as specimens of what could be raised in this section.

The Licensing Board of Bangor refused to grant licenses for the sale of ardent spirits; a fact deemed worthy of note by newspapers far and near.

The principle of total abstinence from all that intoxi- cants was adopted by the State Temperance Society.

The Committee on Building Market-house Founda- tion reported that they had expended for furnishing and laying stone, $8,291.62; for filling with earth, $2,295; iron work, blasting rocks in the stream, etc., $204.22- $10,650.84, and the contract for laying the foundation was not completed.

The Committee on Building High school House re- ported the expenditure of $4,800 in the erection of the house, and there remained of the appropriation $200 for fences and grounds.

It was announced that B. B. Thatcher, Esq., a former citizen of Bangor, a lawyer by profession and a literary man, was on a visit to England, that he was at Newport, on the Isle of Wight, at an agricultural festival to which he had been invited, where he was toasted in connection with the United States, and made, a suitable reply which was received with great applause.

Besides the movement for a railroad between Bangor and Portland, and another between Bangor and winter navigation, there was a movement for a railroad between Quebec and Belfast via Bangor ; and for another be- tween Quebec and Boston via Bangor. Connection by railroad between all the places now exists, but not by the routes contemplated in 1837.

There had been much feeling in regard to the appoint- ment of Colonel John Carpenter as Sheriff, as well in his own party as out of it, and every lapse in his career while in that office was carefully watched. At last an op- portunity came to extinguish him. He was taken before the Municipal Court on a warrant for crime. He ap- peared in the official costume and with the official " presence " he assumed upon taking the office. But the end of the affair was his official extinguishment, to the gratification of many good citizens.

The American Magazine, in an article appreciative of Maine, said that " more and larger fortunes have prob- ably been amassed in Maine since 1829 than have been won, in the like space of time, in any other State."

Joshua Chamberlain, Jr., was appointed County Com- missioner by the Governor and Council.

The canvass in the election of Mayor this year was brief and exciting, but there was little of that personal bitterness that characterized the elections a decade of years before. Edward Kent was elected over Amos M. Roberts by a vote of 719 to 376. The Aldermen elected were : Ward I, Charles Hayes ; Ward 2, Cyrus Goss ; Ward 3, George W. Pickering ; Ward 4, John Wilkins ; Ward 5, Nathaniel French ; Ward 6, Bradford Harlow ; Ward 7, Samuel L. Valentine.

The Councilmen were: Ward I, Isaac S. Whitman, Hollis Bowman, Charles Cooper ; Ward 2, Joseph Hen- drick, Cammillus Kidder, Benjamin Tainter ; Ward 3, John A. Poor, Richard Condon, Gamaliel Marchant ; Ward 4, John Godfrey, John R. Greenough, Thomas Finson ; Ward 5, Andrew W. Hasey, Henry Little, Robert Boyd; Ward 6, Nathan Perry, Eben French, C. B. Holmes ; Ward 7, John Short, Samuel Thatcher, Jr., Nathaniel Lord.

The Whigs carried the city, and the Democrats the county in the election of Register of Deeds, Stevens Daias being re-elected over John S. Sayward.

Hollis Bowman was chosen President of the Council. John Williams was elected City Treasurer, William Abbott City Solicitor, John G. Brown City Physician, William Emerson, second, City Marshal, and Ebenezer French Chief Engineer of Fire Department, Richard Condon Street Commissioner.

The Legislature provided that the "surplus revenue" should be paid to the towns and cities of the State in proportion to the number of inhabitants therein respect- ively. The city voted to receive its share, and appointed John Wilkins, the City Treasurer, agent to receive it. The appointment of this agent was made a party ques- tion, and the Democrats voted for Levi Bradley.

Otis Small was appointed Sheriff of the county, in place of Joshua Carpenter, the high-stepping, demi-mili- tary Sheriff, whose services had been dispensed with after his unfortunate criminal adventure.

The Street Commissioner of 1836, John Brown, was quite severely criticised because he did not keep strictly within his appropriations; at which he felt aggrieved. The criticisms, doubtless, were of much benefit as a warning to the disbursing officers of all the departments thereafter.

A convention of the Whig members of the Legislature nominated Edward Kent as their candidate for Governor, and appointed James Appleton, of Portland, Elisha H. Allen, of Bangor, and Samuel P. Benson, of Winthrop, to inform him of the nomination. On their doing so, Mr. Kent replied, that if he consulted his individual wishes and private feelings, he should unhesitatingly de- cline the nomination. It was an office he should never seek, and would most reluctantly accept. But feeling the obligations resting upon every man to shrink from no duty assigned him, he should waive all private objec- tions, and consent.

The nomination was favorably received by his party throughout the State, who felt that the prospect of elect- ing him was not discouraging, notwithstanding the Dem- ocratic party was understood to be in a majority.

There was an effort made in the last Legislature to increase the number of judges, that the business of the county might be disposed of. While the subject was under discussion a member remarked that; "If the people of Bangor did not pay their debts, the fact proved their dishonesty, rather than any imperfection in the courts." This led to a consideration of the "credit system," which was alleged to be inseparable from our institutions; doubtless it had been abused; it could not be abolished

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HISTORY OF PENOBSCOT COUNTY, MAINE.

if it was desirable; it must, therefore, be regulated. "Give us good and wholesome laws in relation to this subject, and let them be impartially and promptly and cheaply executed."

The citizens of Bangor were proud of their Lyceum. In their report of its doings the past winter (1836-37), the managers could not forbear to congratulate their mem- bers upon the unanticipated success "which had crowned all its efforts." Ten lectures had been delivered, and five questions debated and finally disposed of. The subjects had been varied, and to all appearance had se- cured very general interest. The audiences had been full and attentive.

The exercises had been of a high character, and were contributed to mainly, if not wholly, by citizens of Ban- gor; and the managers affirmed that "few cities of recent growth probably could boast of a greater number of ed- ucated men." There were "gentlemen distinguished both for their literary and scientific attainments," who would be willing to contribute to the objects of the insti- tution. The finances were in a prosperous condition, and the Lyceum bade fair to be of great benefit to Ban- gor; and it proved to be. There are now, probably, as accomplished scholars in Bangor as there were then, and a larger number of them. If there were a similar oppor- tunity, would they not be willing to follow in the foot- steps of their predecessors for the entertainment and im- provement of their fellow-citizens?

There had been great complaint of the management of the post-office in Bangor. One cause of the com- plaint was the delay in opening the mails. At length there was a disturbance in the entry of the office of a violent character, that drew from General Trafton, the Postmaster, a long statement in the Whig and Courier, under the head of "Outrage upon the Post-office," in which he called for the names of the rioters, set forth the mischief and injury they had done, and expressed his obli- gations for "the courtesy and civilities" which he had uniformly received from a very large portion of the citi- zens of Bangor. The editor of the Whig pronounced the statement a "tissue of falsehoods." That there was some noise in the entry of the post-office he admitted; but it was because of the refusal of the clerks to open the office after the mail was distributed, and the "larger number of our most respectable citizens" who were there became impatient, and, as was natural, somewhat demon- strative. General Trafton was not there, nor his chief clerk, and all seemed to grow out of the tardiness of the boys. There had before been much complaint of the delay in the office in distributing the mail. There was doubtless a lacking of help. This was a difficulty that was not soon remedied. It was a long time before the service attained its present perfection.

The theatre that was opened with so much eclat last year did not come up to its promises. It was announced that it would be re-opened this year. The Whig affirmed that "it was a source of evil last year," and regretted that its pernicious influence was again to be exerted. "We hope, at least, the company will not be such a miserable set as the last. One thing further: Last year the theatre

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History of Penobscot County, Maine; with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 174

Author: Williams, Chase & Co., Cleveland (Ohio) Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Cleveland, Williams, Chase & Co. Number of Pages: 1100

Author: Williams, Chase & Co., Cleveland (Ohio)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Cleveland, Williams, Chase & Co.
Number of Pages: 1100