Oral+Histories

=**Reminiscences, Memories, Anecdotes**=

"Speed Traps"
William Tribble had a reputation for sharp practice with his defense of speeders picked up by the Rindge Police. In Rindge there was a section of Route 12 that went down a steep grade and then up a steep grade. At the bottom there was a small side road, where the police set their radar speed trap. If you started from the top of grade from a stand still and just let it roll, you would be doing 50-55 miles per hour by the time you reached the bottom. About half way down the grade in both directions was a speed limit sign - 30MPH. Unless you road the brake all the way down, they "Gotcha."

Most people caught in this trap just swore, swallowed, and paid the fine ($50). But occasionally a truck driver or someone else who needed their driver's license for living and couldn't afford the speeding points, would get caught. The word got out. If that happened to you, just go see Tribble, for $300 he will get you off.

It worked something like this. The New Hampshire State legislature in its infinite wisdom had empowered the Commission of Motor Vehicles to set the legal speed limits on the state highways throughout the state. In practice the engineers working the Highway Department surveyed the road, made a judgement about what the speed limit should be, ordered the signs, and instructed the local maintenance crew to install them. The only problem was that legislature had never empowered the Commission of Motor Vehicles to delegate the decision making to anyone. Legally he had to do it himself.

Lawyer Tribble began with one truck driver who was in danger of loosing his license. When he brought this discrepancy to the attention of the usual Friday night judge, the judge punted and passed it on to a hgher court. Eventually it got the New Hampshire Superior Court in Manchester. That courts reaction was "That's interesting, we ought to get to it sometime." In fact they didn't want the chaos that would follow if they opened up that can of worms. They buried it deep in the dockets where they would never get to it. After 2 years the Rindge Police had forgotten about it as had the Commisioner of Motor Vehicles and the courts. In the meantime, Lawyer Tribble would receive 7 or 8 of these cases each year. He would wait until he had at least five and bring the batch of them up to Superior Court where they would receive the same service. At $300 a pop, it paid the bills.

"My house ia on fire!"
Was the phone in Martha's room?

"She shot him six times at point blank range and didn't hit anything vital"
The wife hiding in Winchendon.

"Hello this is Liar Sirowski, let me speak to that other Liar"
Any one who worked in the Jaffrey law office has received a call from Frank the mechanic across the street at Hackler's garage. He was the one who would tell Dad the he ought to change the oil in his car, because it has been 12,000 miles since its last change. He was also the hero who came out and hauled the Tribble wrecks back to the garage. In 1967 I was driving the Studebaker that Dad had bought for mother. Coming south on Route 3 in Concord my car blew a head gasket in a mighty cloud of steam. My engine froze immediately and I coasted to a stop on an interchange. I got a ride to a gas station and called Dad. He said to go back to the car and wait, he would be along. An hour a half later I see the big old Hackler tow truck and Frank driving up behind me. As he was hooking up the car he was complaining about his cold feet. He told me "I nearly froze my toes off fighting in the German army at Stalingrad". I could never tell whether Liar Sirowski was telling the truth. It was sure nice to see the tow truck.

It was late. The party had started at 7 O'clock. The bonfire had been lit and the party goers were having fun sliding off the hill by the pool. It was Lucy's 18th Birthday party. One group in particular, led by Alan Leach, was having a lot fun with the toboggan, sailing across the crusty snow toward the fence that separated Caldwell's hay field from the cow pasture. As they approached the fence they leaned slightly and the toboggan turned parallel to the fence giving them a good ride down the length of the hayfield.. Good ride, but then they had to climb back up the hill. They had been at for two hours and were ready to take a break in Nightingale's living room.
 * "Bill Tribble's Tobaggon Ride - January 20th 1960**"

Bill arrives on the seen at nine, having spent the early evening consulting with clients in the office. He had changed clothes from his dark blue suit to his blue and white knit ski sweater and he had put on his 1940 vintage ski boots. He was ready to ride I AM STILL WORKING ON THIS JOHN 1-2-11