The Portland daily press., 1899-03-10
and shsr. were only three arrests III about

Mr.. Stearns-w they seize half
pint of rum, do thsy make another seizure
the next day to get more fees?
Mr.. Chenery-l have heard so. butt do
not make the allegation.
Mr. Merrill-Is the bill for the better
enforcement of the, law or the protectlen
Of the treasury
Mr.. Chenery-Both.
Mr. Merrill-They would get the eame
fees as now II they secured . conviction.
Have you ever considered that II you got
an interruptions deputy be might use uu-
fair means to secure . convictionf
Mr.. Cheuery-That's . pretty hard
thing to do, but II you had man % un-
scrupulous as that 1t would Be eaaisr for
him to get t96 or $50 from the rum seller
BY an agreement not to prosecuta
Mr.. Drummond-Doesu't the bill open
tn, door to practioal blsckmails
Mr.. Chsnsry-Wsll, It's pretty wide
open now.
Mr.. Chsnery was asked to describe the
process BY whIoh liquors are ssised under
the arrangement he had mentioned where
only small amounts arc taken and no ar
rests made He said: Whom an on1cer
goes 70 place to make ssisure the
crowd runs out and the bartender goes
with them. ifsSsu tell Of . case Of which
I was told. There was . crowd In rum
shop and the cry of sheriff was raised. As
. rush was made for the back door one Of
the crowd grabbed bottle Of whiskey.
drop that" sholted tho bar tender.
When they were outside the man asked
the bar tender what he meant "You
damned fool" said the bartender, If they
hadn't got that they could have taken q
lot more. -
Mr.. Merrill-Do you have that class of
men for deputies In Cumberland county,
Judge Stesrns-Hs Is not telling what
he knows but what he has heard.
And so Mr.. Chenery was not CALLED up
on to give his estimate of the character Of
the rum seizere. Then the discussion
branchsd Oh to the subject Of fees again.
Mr.. Chenery said that the deputies took
the twenty cents on the dummy warrants
when they could not get more. II they
made a sci cure without making an arrest
they got tt.45. II an arrest was made
they got three to 1--WE dollars in fees,
travel. etc. Mr.. Merrill then put one or
two questions as to the course pursued by
Mir. Chenery in the matter.
'"You were conversant with this state
Of things when you were county treasurer
Did you make 1t known by publicstionr
Mr.. Chenery-No, i didn't, but have
published it to the members Of the Cum
berlsnd county delegation down here un-
til am tired and sick Of 1t.
MIR. Merrill-It ought to have been pub
lishsd broadcast in the papers.
Then Mr. Seiders Joined the question
srs. Referring to statement made by
Mr.. Chsnery In bis opening remarks he
saiu: "You said, MIR. Chenery, in open.
ing that this bill was to4bs presented by
somebody else. Who-was that somebody
elses"
Mr.. Chsnery-I don't care to answer
that question. was told that number
of people would be here to speak, but
don't see any of them.
Next came a series Of question as to the
amounts received. Mr.. Chsnery had the
figures, but he could not say what pro
portion of the cost was due to the liquor
business. Neither could he say what ex
penses the deputies paid out OF their re-
ceipts, but thought that beside the cost OF
keeping the team their bills ware moi
heavy.
Mr. Seiders-Now Mr.. Chenery, We are
not trying the last administration. This
is for the future. Supposs the law war
enforced according to its spirit. would
not the amounts paid be propsrs
Mr.. Chsnery-No, l think not. There
10 NO man who has ever been on the
liquor deputy force who could earn $1,000
. year elsewhere, and don't see any
sense In paying them four thousand.
Mr.. Seidsrs-But II the law was en-
forced In accordance with its spirit would
the charges be sxcessivef
MIR. Chsnery-We know how 1t has beer
enforced In the past. and judging from
the way rum has bseu sold In Portland
since the first Of January / think 1t is te
be enforced as 1t has been. There have
bean no rumshops shut up that hsv'
heard Of. All We can do is to judge tn,
future by the past
Mr.. Seiders-Was there not an hones
attempt to enforce the law In Mr.. Cram
administrationr
Mr.. Chenery-I think 90 for the FIRST
two years, but when he fouLd that thu
people did not support him he got tirst
and gave up.
Mr.. Merrill-Do you mean to say thai
the sentiment in Cumberland county il
against the enforcement of the laws
MIR. Chenery--I say that the ssntimen
in Portland Is against u rigid enforce
msnt as was shown BY the vote atAth'
time OF the reelection Of Mr.. Cram.
In reply to further questions, Mr.
Chsnery said that the purpose Of the bii
WAS to stop the making of small seiSlre
without arrests and the piling up 0e fee
and that iva might have what you woult
| call q respectable enforcement of the Law