Waterbury Democrat., 1901-06-27
LAUGHS AT THE LAW.
And For It's officers She Has No Re

spect Whatever.
 Washington, June 27.-"What shall we do with Dame OuilletteY is a question that is bothering the United tSates government.
 Dame Ouillette lives under the hill in Portage Lake plantation, Aroos- took county, Me. Past her door rum- ble the big mill wagons, "toting" down to the railroad station at Ash land. Past her door, also, streams the travel over the main turnpike road between Ashland and Fort Kent, on the northern Maine border. All this traffic is good for the business of Dame Ouillette. She sells liquor. Her cupboard is full of it. There is Geneva gin in the black, hump-shoul- dered bottles; there is amber wat ted" Scotch whisky; there is cherry rum in jugs, bits of the hulls and pulp of the black. cherries hecking it, as its purple black jets come "honk- honk" from the jugs mouth; there is 'smorson," or the white rum of the section, the favorite beverage of the French Canadians. Dame Ouillettc sells all tGse tipples to all corners.
 There is nothing remarkable in the fact that the old French woman is in this business, for selling liquor is q favorite employment of the danes of northern Aroostook in certain sec tions. Dame Ouillette, however, stands unique among them all. She defies both the United States government and the laws of the state of Maine. She pays no United States internal tax, or, as it is termed in Maine, 'sshc has no license" She never has had one. Furthermore, she openly de- clares that she never will pay cent to the government. She smilingly says there is no need Of her doing so. She believes that the rich govern ment should not bother old women who are trying to get living.
 The old woman is not molestcd when she makes this declaration, and she settles back in her chair. The fact is, she weighs nearly 400 pounda and is as unwicldy as q hippopota- mus. For years she had been unable to walk. One of her sons has built for her special chair on rollers. In that chair she propels herself to and from the cupboard and the kitchen table. When customers stop at the house they sit at the table and she supplies their needs. When the officers come, as they have some times in the past, she rolls her chair before the cupboard and brandishes her cane. She threatens to crack the skull of the first man that ventures in. her reach. The badge and author ity of a United States marshal have no terrors for her.
 Various plans have been made for the disposition of Dame Ouillette. At one time new deputy United States marshal came to the house with full determination to take into custody this doughty old defer of Uncle Sam. When he looked at her weight and then looked at his buggy his resolu- tion weakened. But he told her that she was under arrest and must go to Portland with him. Dame Ouillette smiled amiably and told him to take her. She declared that she was ready to 20 just as she, was. The deputy walked. first on one side of the huge chair and then on the other. He lifted cautiously. HI He could not budgsI her. She only grinned at him. He ordered neT tO St1uu up dhu .Vhlh bcst0C bhBS SJ- She explained that she had not been able to walk for years. The neighbors verified her statement. The marshal used his authority and obliged several of the men standing around to assist him in carrying the woman to the car- riage. But once out of doors at the side of the conveyance, the impossi- oility of getting her in made itself manifest So she was conveyed back to her kitchen, still smiling. Since that time no United States officer has made any determined attempt to move her. The other man was laughed at too heartily. No officer wants to be seen carrying that mass of avoirdupois across Maine to Portland, boosting her from one change of cars to another. And once in jail she would be even more of an incumbrance.
 The county officers of Aroostook would not have her in their jail for ten dollars day. Therefore Dame Duillette only smiles when the officers pay her occasional visits to see if she will not cease posing as determined outlaw. Some of them threaten to break her bottles. but she brandishes her thick stick, and no officer wishes to engage in an undignified scuff1e with the determined old woman.
 So Uncle Sam simply shakes his fist at Dame Ouillette, and she answers by shaking her stick.
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