Daily Kennebec journal., 1902-09-27
ARGUMENTS MADE
In Famous Plummer Bribery
Case at Portland.
Case Will Go to Jury About II O'clock
This Morning.
Warrant Issued for Richards. Who
Built the Liquor Hides"

Portland, Me, Sept. 26.-AIl the evil
dence both for the State and for the
defence in the now famous Plummer
bribery case was completed this noon
ana at $50 this afternoon. General
Mattocils began his argument for the
defence. Only one new witness was
placed on the stand, this morning, the
deputy clerk Of the superior court, Nj.
Thompson, whose evidence related en-
tirely to the records in the case of the
civil suits brought against the Plum
mer brothers and upon which suits
the Scarboro farm was attached. In
rebuttal, Deputy Sheriff Stackpole.
Deputy Buckman and Former Deputy
Melville Trefethen testified The only
thing of Importance brought out was
the admission from the respondent that
he had received the papers in the suits
and knew about them. He had pre-
viously denied that he knew about
these suits or that he had been served
with the summonses.
The attorneys agreed to argue an
hour and Il half apiece. In the morn
ing, Judge Bonney will deliver his
charge and the case will be given to
the jury at about II o'clock.
Gen. Mattocks argued that if Plum
mer intended to do anything criminal
he would not begin by publishing il
by spreading it on the records
He reviewed the testimony given
concerning the mortgage transaction
and admitted that Plummer first men
toned TO Ford his need of money, but
that he was then a private citizen
and it was merely legitimate busi-
ness deal. Even if he had accepted
$500 from Ford at that time without
the slightest particle of security there
would have been nothing criminal in
! the act. but he gave good security. He
claimed that Plummer knew not at
| the time that he was to be appointed
| a deputy sheriff Whatever Ford
| thought was immaterial. Ii Plummer
was intending to sell himself to Ford
| he would rot have borrowed money
and given q deed which was TO be
spread on the records.
| Gen. Mattocks argued that the prin-
| cipal witness for the State after be-
| traying his friends, after confessing
himself a perjurer, had the brazen ef-
| fronterv to come before the jury ana
testify.
! County Attorney Whitehouse pre-
| sented an able and convincing argu-
| rnent He explained frequent remarks
| that the States witnesses We're only
| runsellers and conspirators, by asking
| who would be expected to bribe tht
officers of the law, surely not law
abiding citizens. only the rumselleff
! youId have an interest in bribing thf
| onicevs and these men are the ones
who have testified against Charles =
| PIummer In closing he deinahdel
| that mercy be shown where mercy Is
due and cautioned the jury to remeni-
her that Justice must be done.
warrant for the arrest of CharleS
Richards. who i'm the preliminary near
ing last June testified that he DUH
the Iiouor hide for Frank Ford was
issued. today. Richards has been II
attendance ut the trial as a govern
mont witness and il was expected ina
h would be used in rebuttal, but n
| was not called to the witness stthu
His arrest is based on his acknoWledse
ment III the preliminary hearing. Ih'
charge against him is aiding and ahe'-
,ino d. Iiuuor seller.