The Portland daily press., 1891-12-18


Make His sCharges-sharply Questioned
by MIR. Coombs, He Fails to Convince
the Council that the Judge Is Not
Worthy of Continued Confidence-As q
Result the Confirmation Follows.
Especial to the Press.l
AUGUSTA. December 1.-THE executive
council decided tonight by a unanimous
vote that Judge Nathan Coombs of Bath is
an honest man, and entitled to the respect
and confidence of his fellow townsmen by
confirming his re-appointment by Gov.
Burleigh, as municipal Judge of that city.
The hearing on the appointment set
down for today promised to be very spicy
and interesting affair on the part of the
opponents. who secured Hon. O. d. Baker
OF this city for counsel, while Judge
Coombs was represented by his son, Ardon
w. Coombs of Portland. Mr.. Coombs ad-
ded the interest of son to that of legal
counsel and managed to turn the scale.
Judge Coombs's opponents came with
witnesses and any quantity of documents,
letters and affidavits and other things en-
dorsing Mr.. Duncan and occasionally
throwing side-light on the judge. Mr..
Coombs came all alone without witness
and with scarcely document. He took
the ground that the hearing as to his
fathers alleged wrong-doings was closed
Nov. Both and that all that was before the
council today was to permit Mr.. Wakefield
to reply to the remarks made by Mr.,
Coombs at the session on Nov. 30th to
which Mr. Wakefield had taken exception,
Mr. r.C0ombs argued that the postpenement
had been granted at Mr.. Wakefeld's
request for that purpose only, and the
council sustained Mr.. Coombs's position.
This decision rather staggered Mr.. Wake
field as he saw his witnesses and docu-
ments becoming useless. Mr.. Baker put
In batch of letters from Gen. T. w. Hyde,
Mr. G. I'll. Mcclellan and other citizens of
Bath, endorsing Mr.. Duncan for judge,
but the Governor sustained Mr.. Coombs's
objection that these had nothing to do
with the case and they were not used
ln this connection, it may be we'll to re.
call that on November 80, Mr.. Coombs, in
the course of his remarks before theGover-
nor and council, spoke substantially as fol-
lows In reference to Mr.. Wakefield: st
has come to my knowledge that some per-
son clandestinely sent TO every member of
this council copy of the issue of the Bath
Times under date of November 10Th, con-
tanning an interview wiSh j. w. Wake
field. In that interview, although profess.
ing to be spectator merely, he takes occa-
sion TO inflict what IL seems to me is cruel
stab at the character of Judge Coombs. If
his opinion has, therefore, any weight
with the members of the council, you have
1t before you, and feel justified in allud-
''The first knowledge which had as to
this Bailey matter was derived from let
tiers which l received alyear ago from Mr..
Wakefield.
81 received from Mr. Wakefield. under
date OF December 10th, 1890, letter, in
which he says:
II beg to assure you that no one has a
kiigher appreciation of the honesty and in
tegrity of your father than myself. He
has no closer friends than Hogan and N.Y.
self"
Mr.. Coombs continued his remarks as
follows: a"The motive of Mr., Wake field in
W ritlng to me was not apparent upon read
In his first letter, but it would appear from
tn 3 second letter that his real purpose was
to procure the testimony of Judge C0ombs
IN the pending case against Bailey. Judge
C0ombs did so testify and the testimony
thus given is what Mr.. Wakefield referred
to in the interview and which he says he
has not forgotten; and sthat testimony is
the evidence introduced here as the basis
of tt,is opposition.
"I replied to Mr.. Wakefield's letter of
Dec. 10TH, thanking him cordi0lly for the
assurance OF confidence 10 my fathers hon.
esty and integrity and for the assurances
of friendship contained in his letter. Inow
wish to express my high appreciation Of
bis methods OF showing that friendship as
evldep ced by the interview to which have
referred and can only compare the esitus-
ton with the story of Damon and Pythias."
Mr. Wakefield was given chance to re-
ply to Mr. COombs's attack which he made
use OF TO do that, and to get few blows at
the Jnd ge, all Of which are an old story.
Briefly recapitulated, however, the charge
is this: That Judge Coombs winked at a
process by which when man was arrested
by the k'0lice, the city marshal, could, if
the man didn't want to stay in the lookup
ever night, collect the amount of fine and
costs whicn would be imposed If the man
were brought before the court in the morn
Ing. 1t Is further charged that Marshal
Bailey and Judge Coombs. between them,
got away with about 5000 thus collected
and never accounted for.
Mr.. Coombs Joined issue just as to the
amount tleged to be missing. He said
that his ifather went before the county
voluntarily anh shoMed by
his books that Bailey had deposited with
alm \ as an individual ard as Judge, about
S55, which he still held subject to Bailey's
order. ready to dispose of when that gem
,leman saw fit to direct it, Mr.. Coombs
Questioned Mr.. Wakefield sharply as to
when it was that he after endoring the
honesty of the judge he experienced
change of heart and commenced opposing
lim. Mt. Wakefield fixed date upon
which he said the judge fatty denied hay
ng taken dollar from Bailey,
when it appeared that he
had hree weeks before made
4 voluntary statement before the county
admitting that he had done
80, acting oRly as depository, and pre-
luced his book as evidence. Mr.. Wake
field also admitted to Councillor Smith
hat when he was mayor of Bath in 1856
1-8, he 0rdare his marshal in so many
words to do the very thing he objected to
u the case of C0ombs and Bailey. When
asked as to the number Of times this had
,een pone, Mr. Wakefield could come no
learer than ~ great many times"
The council net again after dinner. when
Mr.. Coombs addressed the council. He
tated that the council having sustained
lis position anC confined Mr.. Wakefield to
reply to the n ,marks made by Mr. Coombs
IN November 81 to which Mr.. Wakefield
lad taken exc option, he should. In turn,
espect the ruin of the council and con-
inc himself to - reply to Mr.. Wakefield,
md that, althoul ID he might like to discuss
he question of his fathers confirmation,
le should refra In from doing 80 unless
0me member of i;he council should desire
o ask him any q nestions in relation to 1t.
Mr. Cotmbs tllen maintained that