The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-06-24

total inability to maintain an endur-
able government in time of peace is
what marks the Spaniard as hopelessly
unfit to rule. c. KAY.
ARRESTED DEWEY.
Story Of the Famous Admiral in His
Younger Days.
To George P. Plaisted, an old and
highly respected resident Of York, Me-,
belongs the unique distinction of being
the only man who eve placed Rear
Admiral George Dewey under arrest.
An absurdly inaccurate and misleading
statement as to how this came about
has been going the rOunds of the press,
but the facts are set forth tersely and
interestingly in a letter as follows:
THE story Of my fining Lieutenant
Dewey for assault some thirty years
ago, which has appeared in many news
papers of late, was not authorized by
me, and is incorrect in it's essential
parts. In the published story it was
said that Lieutenant Dewey thrashed
a United States marine at the Kittery
navy yard, and that Justice Plaisted
heard the complaint and fined Dewey
$25. The fine, SO ran the story, was
promptly paid, the lieutenant remark-
ing with a chuckle, as he paid over
the money, that it was worth $25 to
have had the pleasure of thrashing such
a disgrace to the United States navy.
"Now the law of Maine gives a trial
justice jurisdiction only to the extent
of a $40 fine. In the next place, if
Lieutenant Dewey had assaulted a
United States marine he would have
been ~courtmartialed if tried at all, and
no civil authority would hav had juris-
diction. Thirdly, I never was a trial
justice.
"The facts, however, are these: I
was at that time a deputy sheriff in and
for the county of York, and as such
arrested Lieutenant, now Rear Admiral,
George Dewey for an alleged assault.
He objected to my making the arrest
as he was a United States officer, and
claimed lat I had no authority in the
premises. I did arrest him, however,
and, as you will see by the photograph
Of my sheriff's docket, he was fined
SIS and costs of court, the costs amount
ing to $3.50, a total fine of $3.50.
Lieutenant Dewey was then a young
man and felt quite grand with his
stripes. He has doubtless learned a
great deal since then.
H looked Upon me with diSdain.
and thought a country deputy sheriff
wasn't anybody. He was not satisfied
that I could legally arrest him, so at
his suggestion we repaired to the CON-
modore's office to have that point set
tied.
1.-The commodore listened While Lieu
tenant Dewey stated his side of the
case. He then asked me if I was an
officer, and if so what kind. I told
him. He asked for the warrant. I
showed it to him. Then, after prodding
me with a few more questions, the COM
modore turned to Lieutenant Dewey
and said: Lieutenant, the young man
is right, and you had better prepare for
trial.
THAT rather took the wind GU of
Dewey's sails, and in due time he was
tried with the result shown on the
docket.
Garland, the complainant, was q pri-
vate citizen, and Lieutenant Dewey had
hit him a lively rae or the head
with a speaking trumpet.
Thirty years have elapsed since
became acquainted with Lieutenant
Dewey, and but for his unparalleled
I probably would never ave been re-
minded of the episode of Sc long ago
which led up to hat acquaintance.
GEORGE F. PLAISTED."
The town of York, in which Mr..
Plaisted lives, adjoins that of Kittery,
in which the so-called Portmouth navy
yard is located. The old lime assault
Case, WIl1Cu NIL. Ild1oISu AOW 1CCdllS,
and as to the disposition of which his
sheriff's docket is a silent but posi-
tive witness, took place in Kittery, near
the nav yard. The defense was that
the assault was justifiable. From the
point of view Of a high spirited young
officer who had no use for a loafer and
would not take back talk from a fresh
civilian it doubtless was; not SO, how
ever, in the eye of the law.
The sheriff of thirty years ago is
now, by the way, one Of the busiest
men in York, and vigorous for one of
his years. Besides editing and publish
ing the York Courant-'a bright, lively
local newspaper, devoted to the best
interests of York n surrounding
towns'-he practices law, writes insur-
ance, deals in general merchandise and
acts as notary public.
Money could not buy the old docket,
which shows that it's owner once placed
the great admiral under arrest and
made him step into court and toe the
mark. 1t is likely h a the valued relic
will be kept in the Plaisted family and
be handed down from generation to
generation. There is but one other pos
if may present it to Rear Admiral
Dewey, when, at the first opportunity,
he calls upon him to renew the acquain-
tance of thirty ears 6 AS a re-
minder of the days when he was a
smart feeling young lieutenant and
shifted the salty air of the Piscataquis
meadows the telltale sheriff's docket
miral nightly.
The war department finally closed the
charters for the steamers Victoria,
Olympia and Arizona, which are to be
used in the transportation of troops to