Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-04-28
NOT A CITIZEN,
Lawyer Hovey Has Held Sew
eraI Important Offices
Including County Attorney, Legis|a-
tor and Trial Justice.
And All the While, 1t Is Said, Was Not
Even a Citizen.

Bangor. Me, April PA somewha
startling discovery has been made il
prema court just held in this city. II
the list of names of men who wer,
naturaizcd by Justice Emery, week be.
fore last, appears that of Frank w
Hovey of Biddeford. The incident ex.
cited no comment, except among a few
who knew him, and for them the nat
uralization process had a peculiar sig
niiicance. Leading Bangor attorneys
who We're present in court affirm that
this is the same Hovey who has prac-
ticed law in Biddeford several wears
and against whom accusations were
recently made by his fellow-attorneys
1t is understood that Hoyey was
born in New Brunswick, and removed
TO pittSlieid. this State, with his pa
rents. when 4 young man. When he
grew to manhood he failed. it is said
to take the necessary steps to become
Il citizen of the United States. Not
Withstanding this, he was admitted to
the Somerset county bar, and after =.
time became prominent figure in the
politics of the county. He was elected
to the Maine House of Representatives
from Pittsfield, and subsequently,
served term or two as State senator.
He then sought the Office of county
attorney and, after a hard campaign,
was elected. He served two or more
terms, and performed the various acts
of the office without apparent hesita-
ton. He was trial justice in Pitts
field many years, and no doubt tried
many cases, and perhaps solemnized
narria ges.
1t would now appear that he had
done all these things without being q
citizen of the country, for, SO far as is
known. he was never naturaliZed until
last week i'll Bangor. Attorneys here
to whose attention the matter has been
called are discussing the effect which
his status would have upon the legality
of the acts which he has performed in
his various capacities during the last
20 years. The opinion is expressed
thai, if HOvey was not a citizen, his
acts Were all illegal, and therefore
void. 1t is suggested that it would be
necessary in such case to pass a
special act of the Legislature to avoid
possible troublesome complications.
Biddeford, Me-, April 27.--The news
from Bangor that naturalization pa
pers have just been issued in the su-
premc court of Penobscot county in
favor of Frank w. Hovey, who is
thought to be the same Hovey who is
a lawyer of this city, created some
thing of a sensation here. Lawyer
Hovey's office associate, Anthony Dwy-
er, says it is great surprise to him,
as Mr.. Hovey had never mentioned the
matter to him. and he had supposed
that Mr.. HOvey was born in Maine.
Lawyer Hovey has been receiving
much notoricty of late, in consequence
of an attempt to disbar him on a
charge of unprofessional conduct. A
committee Of the York County Bar.
this week, filed a scathng report of it's
investigation of his professional career,
and recommended the filing OF formal
charges.
Mr.. Hovey came here about six years
ago from Pittsfield. 1t was known to
some of the attorneys here that his
acts in Somerset county had been Sc
yerely censured. but no one here seemed
disposed to raise a hand against him.
He and his wife and son became reg
ular attendants at the jefferson Street
Free Baptist church. Mrs. Hovey, an
estimable woman, took an active part
in the church and Sunday school work
When the question of remodelling the
church came up, two years ago, Mr..
Hovey was made member of the
special committee having charge of the
alterations. He has been identified
with the Free Baptist summer camp
meeting and Chautauqua work at
Ocean Point.
Soon after he began the practice of
law here. he became prominently iden-
tilted with local politics. He was a Re-
publican, but took an interest i'm the
administration of the Citizens party,
which has had control of municipal
affairs since 1896. He was elected city
solicitor and served during the admin
stration of Mayor Levi w. Stone.
During the Legislative session of three
years ago he urged the passage of a
bill to reimburse the city of Biddeford
for an overcharge of State taxes, due
to an error in the State assessors' val
uation of the local water works. The
measure was passed. Mr.. Hovey then
city solicitor, put in a bill for special
services, which the city council con-
sidered exorbitant and refused to pay.
He then brought suit against Mayor
Stone, alleging that the service was
authorized by him. The case was fin
ally settled by a compromise.
After his retirement as city Solicitor.
Mr.. Hovey, who had established quite an
extensive practice, was retained as de-
Tending counsel in numerous liquor cases.
While acting in this capacity last fall.
he got into the trouble that terminated
in the disbarment proceedings now pend
ing against him. A Biddeford woman had
brought civil actions against two saloon
keepers charging them with deprivinG
her family of support by selling her hus-
band Intoxicating liquors.
When the case was called in the SUI
preme court, last January, Lawyer HOY