The Portland daily press., 1883-08-03
LIQUOR CoNsTAeLEs.
Hearing on Petitions to Appoint Special
Of1cers in York County.

Wednesday afternoon and evening the Gov
ernor and Council gave hearing in the Coun-
Gil chamber at Augusta, on the appointment
OF special constables for the enforcement OF
the liquor law in York county. Two petitions
signed by 1913 Of the citizens and members OF
the Ladies' Christian Temperance Union OF
Old Orchard and another from the same town
signed by John Jameson and 70 others were
presented in favor of the appointment of con-
stables. Rev. W. III. McAllister of Old Orch
ard appeared in favor of the petitioners; +. M.
Higgins, county attorney of York county op-
posed.
Mr.. McAllister in opening the case said:
The peculiar difficulty.in contending with in
temperance in Old Orchard is with the sum-
mer hotels We claim that the liquor law is not
enforced in Old Orchard by the local or county
officers. We claim that liquor is sold in our
town in open defiance of the sprohibitory aw.
We charge that an organized conspiracy has
existed in the town in opposition TO the en-
forcement OF the law. The temperance people
have no redress through the local authorities
1t has been the purpoSe of the hotel keepers
of Old Orchard to defy the probibitory law.
They all hold United States licenses, which is
confession that they are violating the | liquor
law. We are left, as far as our local authori-
ties are concerned, in the hands of our city
marshal who is an foDen violator of the law.
We asked Mr.. Getchell, sheriff Of the county,
some two months ago. to appoint Mr.. Lyon Of
Old Orchard, deputy sheriff for the enforce
ment of the liquor law. This he did not do.
Liquors are sold openly in Old Orchard. /
have the bill Of fare of the Old Orchard house
on which is wine list. Cases Of intox ication
are very frequent in our town.
Mr.. Lyon of Old Orchard stated
Mr.. Whittier has not had the reputation of
being in favor Of enforcing the liquor; went
over to see the sheriff about appointing dep
uty sheriff for Old Orchard. He said he would
come to our town and look after the matter.
Said he thought it was best to look after the
hotels alone. / can remember when a rum
seller came into our town to set up rum shop
he had better order his coffin. believe there
is no town in Maine where there is so much
rum sold as in Old Orchard. There is very
little done TO meddle with the liquor traffic
there. Have no doubt that liquor is sold in
the hotels of Old Orchard. ksee intoxicated
people quite frequently in our town. There
are hotels that woold sell liquor to residents as
well as guests.
Sheriff Getchell, of York county, made a
statement in relation to the appointment of a
point any man except Mr.. Lyon, provided he
was temperance man and one suitable for the
position. He wanted temperance man.
Letters were read from r. NJ. Stevens, jailor
of York county; Amos L. Allen, ex-clerk of
courts; Judge Hobbs, VIM. II. Deering, chair
man of the York board of county commission
ers, and others, the tenor Of which was in or
position to the appointment of constabes.
The record of the Saco municipal court since
February was read figures we're also presented
showing that from January 1st to July LIST 173
had haa,
from the Municipal Court OF Biddeford and 67
seizures of liquor made in that city.
Sheriff Getchell held up the wiue list of a
certain hotel and said it was worth something
to replenish the treasury of York county. The
prohibitory law had been enforced in York
county to the best of his Judgment in the past
and should be in the future. Tho temperance
people of Old Orchard had first asked for the
appointment of Mr.. Lyon rs deputy sheriff. 1
would not appoint him. Next rendered the
appointment TO John Jameson and Mr. Jelli-
son respectively. Neither of these gentlemen
would accept. l appointed four deputies for
the especial purpoee of enforcing the liquor
law in the county. instructed these deputies
and all my deputies to clean out any place
where liquor was sold. In my judgment I
consider the appointment OF special constables
q rehtction on mylelf II the prohibitory law
is not enforced by the local officers think it is
the duty of the Chief Executive to appoint
special constables.
j. e. Hewey, Clerk of Court for York coun-
ty, read statement taken from the docket of
the Supreme Court covering the past eight
years, showing that large amount of fines
aud costs had been collect ID through the court
and put into the treasury of York county.
Sheriff Getchell stated that his liquor depu-
ties were constantly at work throughout the
county, and that he intended to stop the sale of
liquors st Old Orchard
No decision was reached, IS another petition
from Biddeford, for the appointment Of a con,
stable in York county, had been presented and
q hearing ordered for the 2Sth inst.