The Portland daily press., 1873-05-12
Contemplate.

has published respecting gambling on tn,
trains OF the Maine Central and like matters
1t has been actuated by no other purpose
: than the public good. 1t is duty incumben
upon us, and however unpleasant, one that
we shall not shrink from and if the humbug
Is unmaskel and the knave held up to view
in either case they are responsible for Their
own disgrace.
1t was simply this view of the matter that
led us to notice the Bridgton affair Saturday.
Since that time several gentlemen who have
been in various parts of the State have called
on us and made statements which show that
for nearly year pair of graceless scamps
have been travelling through the country
known here by the names of Hickson and Ap-
plegate, and who have been claiming to be-
long to Col. Whiteley's secret service for the
detection of counterfeiters. When making
their raids through the State they profess to
be runners taken ill or having lame horse
for which they beg little liquor. Their real
business is to prowl about the country and
purchase liquor where they can in order to
secure witness fees on making complaint Tn
making tour they secure as many cases as
they can by practicing all manner of deceit
and then report to United States Commits
sioner in this city, who issues warrant for
the arrest Of the parties, which of course it
Is his duty to do if the case seems to be i'm
portant The matter is put into the hands of
the United States Marshal, who is obliged to
serve it, but which the District Attorney, it
is said, in many cases, considering the severe
penalties of the revenue law, has authorized
that officer to settle with the technical viola
tor for the amount of the license and costs,
where the violation appears to, be rather I'M
intentional than deliberate.
Against this procedure in general there can
be no complaint, though the internal revenue
department has its own officers, whose duty
it is to attend to this matter and collect these
licenses rigidly but with as little hardship to
the dealer as possible. At least those who
violate this revenue law through misconcep-
ton or ignorance, should not be harrassed
with expensive suits, and never be preyed
upon by spies and pimps. But when these
cases are brought to the District Attorney
and United States Marshal they have no al
tentative but to proceed with the suits. There
is, however, complaint that Mr.. Commissioner
Rand should issue, except in extreme cases,
warrants at the instance of two such men as
Hickson and Apologize, when he ought to
know that they make it their business, and il
Is for their interest to make as many CON-
plants as possible.
In the case of Mr.. Hill of Bridgton, we
have learned since our last issue that he has
once in a while let his neighbors have alcohol
or whiskey in case of sickness and is accord
ingly answerable to the law, and though
undoubtedly very respectable man it is no
reason that he should be allowed to violate
the law, even if his sales in year do not
amount TO qaalterof the cost of a license.
The officer that visited him was deputy
marshal in the discharge of his duty, and off
cred to settle for the license and the costs,
though the latter were double the sum he
would had to have paid for the former.
But now we come again to Messrs. Hickson
and Apologize. We might add one or two
more names, and will if we hear more of
their dirty tricks. We do not know whether
these men were the two nice young men who
travelled through Somerset county last winter
with lame horse for which they attempted
to purchase so much..alcohol, but presume
they are the same. Nor do we know if they
are the same pair that have troubled so many
parties in Oxford of late, but believe they are.
In every case they obtained alcohol or whis-
key by pleading the urgent necessity of sick
ness-by lying and protesting in their lies.
But we have number of cases that were
reported to us Saturday where Hickson and
Apologize operated down east recently that
will show how inconceivably mean and per-
fidious these follows are. In the town of
Robbinston lady named Kerr keeps public
house but never sold rum. This brace of
worthless marked this woman for victim, as
real cases were not plenty, and applied to her
for brandy, pretending violent sickness. She
told them she had none and did not keep it;
but as they were very persistent and she was
oblging, she agreed to send to st. Andrews
the next day for bottle of brandy, which
she did, and let them have it for the same it
cost. The average o. mankind can hardly
bring themselves to comprehend that two men
could be found so lost to decency as to bring a
complaint against this woman under the cir
cumstances; but they did and warrant
was issued, but the officer in this and
several like outrageous cases, was so disguised
that he would not make service upon them.
though several parties were victimized in that
locality.
We are informed that Hickson and Apple
gate are not United States officers, though
they claim to belong to the somewhat mystic
rious department Of Col. Whitley, and re-
Gently put the government to considerable
expense in counterfeit money matter where
they failed to make case.
The length of this article rrecludes a pen
and ink sketch of these fellows. They dress
well, talk professional slang, but have such
marks of the genus blacklcg that one instinc.
lively feels relieved when they leave his pres
ence and he ascertains that his pocket-book
issafe. These undesirable marks NAV per-
tain to all the detectives of Col. Whitley
force, but the public will be sorry to believe it
xyTr Is andy fair deal &c that CT ass of men
who serve the State perforce and without
pay. ~.
THE seventh annual report Of the State
Board of Harbor Commissioners for Massa-