the combination of the outside
door of the safe, and that the combination of the inside door,
which should also have been used, was not used from the time Mr.
Selby started work (October, 1893) until June last; that Mr.
Smith was often absent from the office during the day, frequently
remaining there only half an hour.

"You will remember also that Mr. J. O'Regan, the operator at
Sutton Junction, stated in writing that he had at the request of
Mr. Smith, who desired to absent himself from duty, worked in the
latter's place on the afternoon and evening previous to the
assault, and that on several occasions he had been left in charge
of the station during Mr. Smith's absence. In this connection
you will remember that I informed you that on the occasion first
referred to, and that on some, if not all, of the previous
occasions, Mr. Smith had absented himself from duty without
permission. I believe that it was admitted by Mr. Smith himself,
at the trial, that when he was assaulted he was asleep, although
at that time he should have been on duty as operator.

"You will also recollect that Mr. Smith, having applied through
Detective Carpenter to Mr. Brady for leave of absence to go to
New Marlboro, Mass., for the purpose of identifying one of his
assailants, and having obtained such leave of absence, and a pass
to Newport and return, remained absent from duty for ten days
after his return from New Marlboro, without communicating with
Mr. Brady, and that it was while he was so absent without leave
that he delivered a temperance lecture at Richford.

"It is not customary with this Company to discuss with persons
not directly interested the reasons for discharging, punishing,
rewarding or otherwise dealing with its men, but you will
recollect that in this case an exception was made, and that I
offered you every facility, including free transportation over
our line, if you would, by visiting localities in which Messrs.
Smith and Brady were known, satisfy yourself as to the propriety
of Mr. Smith's discharge, and it will also be within your memory
that I offered to arrange a meeting between yourself and Mr.
Brady, or, if it was desired, to meet your committee myself to
discuss the matter. None of these offers was taken advantage of,
and, so far a