The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-03-20

which they intended to get possession OF
the liquors. But Judge Carter, being in
sympathy with the mayor. gave the
warrant. TO Deputy Marshal Ring. who
was also friendly. Ring with a squad of
police repaired to the basement room in
the Congress street side of the old City
hall, where the liquor was stored. 1t
was the evening of June End, 1855. A
mob had gather ed around the entrance,
and began to stone the door. Ring asked
the mob to desist. The sheriff of the
county ordered them to dispense. Mayor
Dow, who had repaired to the scene
hastily, also gave the same order. But
the mob persisted, and redoubled the
violence of their attack. The police fired
blank cartridges, which the mob in
terpreted as a sign of weakness. Then
the police fired bullets, and John
Robbins the mate of an Eastport vessel,
then lying in the harbor, was shot dead.
Prior to the firing the Light Guards had
arrived at the building, but were stoned
and retired to their armory somewhat
demoralized. Then Mayor Dow called
out the Rife Guards, and led them into
the building through door on the
Middle street side, while the mob were
on the Congress street side. Aldermen
Carleton and Brooks accompanied the
Mayor and the Guards. These militia
men upon getting position in the build
ing,
Fired Through the Congress Street Door
by squads of four. Ten or twelve rioters
were wounded and the mob was dis
persed.
This incident illustrates the bitterness
with which the fight for and against the
law was waged.
Those who intended to hold Mayor
Dow responsible for the purchase of the
liquors did not desist from their attempt
to make the law recoil upon it's author.
They brought him before the court on
charge of unlawfully dealing in liquors.
and he was formally tried. The prose-
cutting attorney was none other than
Nathan Clifford, afterwards Justice of
the United States Supreme court, and
the lawyer for the defence was the still
more famous Willian. Pitt Fessenden.
Mayor Dow was acquitted.
The riot became an issue in politics
that year, the death of "Poor John
Robbins" being feelingly described on
every Anti-Maine-Law stump in the
state. The cry had temporary effect
and Samuel Wells, the Democratic and
| Anti Maine-Law candidate was elected
by 5000 majority. But this reverse was
| only temporary and the Maine Law is
yet on the statute books.
For a time it seemed that all the states
| would follow the example of Maine. In
nearly, if not all of the New England
States, and many of the great Western
states prohibitory laws were PASSED. In
some of them. especially where there
are not large and powerful cities the law
still remains. This is the case in Maine,
| Kansas and Vermont. New Hampshire
also has the law, but it is only a
| "Reminiscences so far as it's potency is con-
cerned. Massachusetts and Rhode
Island repealed their prohibitory laws
after brief experiences. 1t is probable
that the prestige of the law is greater in
| Maine today than i'll any other state in
| which it exists, SIS Kansas be ex-
! cepted; and of the respect which the law
enjoys here no. small share is to be
attributed to the personal influence OF
General Dow himself.