[NOT FOR PUBLICATION]



                            United States Court of Appeals

                                For the First Circuit

                                 ____________________



          No. 97-2005



                                   JOHN E. GIFFORD,



                                Plaintiff - Appellant,



                                          v.



                             BRUCE STRUMPF, INC., ET AL.,



                               Defendants - Appellees.



                                 ____________________



                     APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT



                              FOR THE DISTRICT OF MAINE



                     [Hon. Morton A. Brody, U.S. District Judge]
                                            ___________________



                                 ____________________



                                        Before



                               Torruella, Chief Judge,
                                          ___________



                            Bownes, Senior Circuit Judge,
                                    ____________________



                              and Stahl, Circuit Judge. 
                                         _____________



                                _____________________



               Thomas R. Watson and McTeague, Higbee, MacAdam, Case, Watson
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          & Cohen on brief for appellant.
          _______

               Richard W. Mulhern  and Kelly, Remmel  & Zimmerman on  brief
               __________________      __________________________

          for appellees.







                                 ____________________



                                  February 10, 1998

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               Per Curiam.   After due consideration of the  record and the
               Per Curiam.
               __________



          briefs in this case, we affirm the order of the district court.



               Costs to be assessed against appellant.



               Affirmed.   
               Affirmed.
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