Daily Kennebec journal., 1902-01-22
STATE HOUSE.
How Senator Frye Happened to
Be Made Attorney General.
Interview With Maine Lawyer on Tax
alton Of Corporations.
What Is Gainn m in The Various neparlMentS
What Is Going on in the Various Departments
at the Capitol.

1 bosy geCilCS "CIc CHdNtVN - 49,
| tol. yesterday. The painters. having
| finished their work of painting the
walls and ceilings of the rotunda ana
| the Railways leading thereto. Col steN-
ems had his force of employees engaseu
| in re-hanging the large portriaNs Oh
distinguished Maine men in their lor-
mer places. The effect of the new color
upoE the walls is TO bring out more
rleasiDgly the beauty of the paintings.
thus demonstrating the wisdom ana
judgment of Col. Stevens in selecting
terra Gotta IS n background Tor OIL
paintings and gold frames.
Gel NJ v y. Chase of this city, VINO
! is now engaged in examining the ac-
counts OF the State treasurer, IN COM
rany with other members of the special
committee on accounts, was full of
"reminiscences concerning some OF the
gentlemen whose portraits are included
in the State House collection. 9ester-
day. as he stood looking at the portrait
If the late Hon. Reuel Williams, who.
50 years ago, represented Maine in the
United States Senate. said:
4 often think when ] see the great
passenger and freight trains moving up
and down the Maine Central Railroad
tracks IN Augusta of an incident that
] witnessed when | was a boy. / came
dc wn from Sidney one day and visited
the court house. A case was on trial,
in which Samuel Titcomb. Mayor Tit
combs father. and Reuel Williams fig
ured as opposing counsel. 1t seems
that man named Richardson had sued
MIR Williams for so cords of wood
which he had supplied the old Portland
G kennebec Railroad Company. The
company had not paid the bill and
Richardson claimed that Mr.. Williams
" hen he purchased the wood agreed to
b. responsible for il. | can remember
bow Mr.. Titcomb. then comparatively
young man, handled the case. He put
in evidence to show that the company
was in financial difficulties and said
| that his client knew the company's
credit was not good for so cords Of
wood, and, said Mr.. Titcomb, with
great force and energy: 1T probably
never will be-. The jury rendered a
| verdict for the plaintiff and Mr.. VIII
| liams had to pay.
There's splendid picture Of Sena-'
| tor Frye" continued Col. Chase, as he
| pointed toward the painting of Names
| junior senator. Did you ever hear how
! he happened to be elected attorney
| general Of the State? No? Well, I'll tell
| how it was. In 1867 I was member
Of the Legislature from the town of
| Sidney. We had a young man UP there
| ramed Charles Avery. who had lost an
| arm in the Civil War. He wanted to
| be elected an assistant messenger of
the House. To help him in his canvass
had written letters to members and
! NJ fore the caucus I interviewed many
members in his behalf.
| Frank Drew was clerk of the House
that year. I had spoken of Avery to
| him and he said to me.
| Have You seen Bill Frye of Lewis
tcn?'
| No, said l. where is he?'
Frye was a member of the House
in my calculations.
| Drew took me into the secretary of
states office and introduced me to him.
FRYE didn't seem to say much while
kept talking about my man Avery.
That night the caucus was held. have
heard Senator Frye make a good many
speeches. but | never heard him speak
more eloquently than he did that night.
senger as well as myself, one-armed
nan too, named Bradford of Turner.
Well. the Speaker and clerks were
chosen. when Frye got up and made his
speech. II was so soon after the war
that he was able to refer to the patriot
ism of his candidate in going to the
front to save the nation and he hadn't
spoken long before he had the caucus
with him. Then when he moved that
bradford and Avery both be made
messengers there was a tremendous cry
of aye from all over the hall.
AT that time the attorney general
ship was to be decided. George F. Shep-
ll,y OF Portland, was the choice Of the
older men of the party and athere was
no strong candidate against him. The
Younger me embers OF the Legislature
prevailed upon Frye to be candidate.
iT'horc was a few hours to do the cleo
ltionecring in, but we went to work.
The result was that at the caucus Frye
was nominated and was later elected
He served through the session. how
ever. and after adjournment resigned
his seat i'll the House and qualified as
| attorney general
, ..Fryes speech for the One-armed sol
1iers won for him the office of attorney
general" g.