The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1855-06-08
VOLUME XI.-NUMBER %.

virtue OF Neal Dow's law, 10 seize Neal
Dow's stock Of liquors and pour them into
the street."
We sincerely hope tha, these journals
were free from any conscious designs
h-;nc NJ, the fatal catastrophe of Saturday
,;,b, bu, IN tho c,lmress ~ solemn con-
y;c.;o, we mus, p,,ce the above pnh''.hed
assertions IN The train Of events which 'eh
.,ep hv stem 10 that catas'ronhe-and leave
every reader 10 estimate their Importance
according io hi. own judgement.
Another fact mus not he overlooked -
The records NJ the Police Court show fhH
the business Of rumselling Is now mainly
confined to our Irish population. As mo
en- nforcemen, OF the law has narrowed tho
number 80 engaged. and threatened tho
probable extinction OF the traffic, they have
begun attempted resistance TO the officers
who were acting in the discharge OF their
duties. And Saturday forenoon there were
three cases of this kind before tho Police
Court, in which the defendants were bound
over to the Supreme Court. The Irish
were pre.en, in large numbers, and mani
tested much exci,emen, Of feeling-'housh
nothing was done to break tho peace a. that
time.
In the afternoon, Immediately on The
opening Of the Police Court, Royal VIII.
liams. Joshua Stevens and Alvin 5. Dyer,
appeared before the Cour, for tho purpose,
as Mr.. Williams stated, OF making COM
plain, aeairs, Mayor Dow for having liquors
unlawiuly in his possession. They were
accompanied by an officer, (AIr Brady) and
there soon appeared in tho Court room
dozen or fifteen Of our citizens, well known
as bitter opponents OF the Liquor Law. But
the Judge looked into this law and satisfied
himself in a moment, ,ha, his duty under
the circumstances was explicit and obliga.
tory. lie Immediately, therefore. put tho
comalainant under oath, and inquired IL
they could conscienliously swear that they
had reason 10 believe and did believe that
the specified liquors were kept by Mr..
Dow and were "in,ended for sale within
the State in violation Of the ldlr" They
hesiialed at first. bn, Mr.. Williams, having
made substantially the sane statements
which appeared In the State OF Maine and
Argus, finally said they were ready TO 'Ako
the requisite oath and sign tho complaint
aud these three men then male tho SOL
emn oath aud signed tho complaint.
The Judge at once proceeded 10 make
ou, The warrant. When il was finished. ho
handed tito Deputy Marshall Ring, who
was present, a, the time, with orders 10 ex-
ecule il. II should here be stated that these
warrants have invariably been given 10 Tho
City Marshall or his Deputies, in preference
% other officers. because the former being
jn salaries, make ou, their co.ts 10 The city.
instead OF having them accrue, as in tho
ease Of other officers, 10 themselves - thus
saving the amount 10 the City Treasury
But in this proceeding, the receip, Of tho
warrant by officer Ring appeared 10 occasion
a sudden Disappointment IN the complain.
,n's and their friends. Mr.. Williams step.
ped forward and demanded the warrant
Tne Court informed him il was given, in
the usual manner, into the hands OF \
competent officer who would no doubt prop.
erly attend to iis execution Mr.. Williams
tglin demanded il, asserting his righ, to II
as one OF the complainanis. He was told
rha, he had made hi, complaint, taken his
oath, affixed his signature, and there was
10 more for him TO do, nn,il trial. Mr..
Williams then demanded the warrant OF
Officer Ring, who referred the matter TO tho
Court, ani the latter made the same expla-
nation as before. Mr.. Williams then began
talking in boisierous manner, bu, was in
formed that he would bc expelled from tho
courtroom unless no desis,ed. Tho com.
plainants and their friends soon quietly dis.
appeared. Officer Ring then wen, 10 tho
cellar Of the Cit, Hall, whcro tho liquors
were deposited and took possession Of them,
under the warrant, which hs now retains
lie would have arrested Mayor Dow on
Saturday afternoon il ,h,rc had been time
Il
for trials MIR. Williams also suggesting 10
The Court ,ha, ample time should be given
for trial. As sool as the officer arrived a,
the City Hall, a large crowd began 10 as.
'emble round the building with all The do.
ncns,ra'ions Of disturbance. They wcrc
mostly Irish, aud active among them wero
many Of those who had been hanging round
The courtroom in tho forenoon. AT tho
fact OF officer Rings having tho warrant,
they manifested tho same indignant dislp-
p,inlmeni which had been displayed by
the compliments. Whether this largo
crowd, so m,io up and so assembled Al that
critical moment, evidences preconceried
novcmsn, TO rioiously &c, possession OF tho
liquors. in the avcnt Of officer Brady's exc.
cutting the warrant = we leave every fair
mind to decide. The facts arc undeniablc.
Certain !, is, that ,ha, boly Of disorderly
men were there for no good and lawful pur-
pose, and The fact thi, they assembled in so
short period of time alter Tho waran, was
issued, would indicate iha, they mus, have
had some previous knowledge or iniima.
lion OF the proceedings. II the complain
ants had succeeded in placing the warrant
IN Mr. Braly's hands, and he hal under
taken TO have removed the liquors, tho
reader can judge, from the Subsequent pro.
ceedinys, what would have been the result.