Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-11-25
The Police INSTRUMENTATION
Case Remains Unsettled.
Continued Once More, This Time
Until Tuesday, Dec. 5.
The Mystery Of Additional Charges Adds
Much Interest to the Case.

,;c tho charge of INSTRUMENTATION
~. urrfnrred against Police Officers
t,,,it, l.. White and Frank w. Chad
- lex and hey were notified to appear
l., fore Mayor Hichborn, for a hearing
,b.reou. the meeting was adjourned
Ia = future date, without the matter
t.iug brought to a settlement, or even
.,,. tangible progress being made, ami
e.. tL,sr whose interest in the matter
tas prompted them to be present on
,..,h occasion, the solution of the
t,yohl4m is as much in the air as IL
,,as in the beginning. What the ul-
t,matjc outcome viii be. remains to
t,.. seen. but be that as it may. the at
fair will go down on record as the
mast remarkable, in n legal sense, OF
ANYTHING in the history OF the city.
II was not however, the expecta-
1inn of those most directly concerned
in the matter that a settlement would
he reached, last evening, as an ar
r;,ngement had previously been made
for Il continuance, by the counsel on
both sides, as Mr.. Williamson, counsel
for Mir White tMr. Chadwick having
Withdrawn from the easel, expected TO
be- out of town, and 1t was only
ii rough circumstances that he was
:.b.r 10 be present, 50 it WIS but mai
ulal that no further progress was
made. but during the brief time which
the meeting was in session, state
Isents were made by the mayor, and
by Mr.. Fisher, the city solicitor, thar
.irV4d to hIaI-:. tilr atmosphere OF
iayatcry which has eIishrouded the
natter from the first even more d"nS.'
ti!;,n ever.
The interest which the public feels
Ia the matter Was evidenced by the
} uni er Of citizens present. The. pub
lc space in the al'icrlncn'S room was
filled, and the overflow occupied the
committee room at the rear, AMI also
the hallway in the vicinity of the en-
trance. Probably there We're 100 peo-
tlo present Previous to the opening
Of the meeting, tn" mayor took occa-
zion to thank those present for being
there. as il WAS to him evidence of
their interest in the transaction of the
affairs of the city.
lie then went on to say that since
hc had been chosen to the Office of the
city's chief executive, it had been his
wish and intention to work for the
Leg Ilterssts of the city; that he had
discharged Ills duties % the best or
his ability, so far as he had been Civ
cn light. ANA should continue to do
SO as long as he should remain in Of
flee. He said that he could only plead
wisdom. and very human wisdom at
that. but that he did plead absolute
conservation to the duty that devolved
upon him, as far as lac WAS given
light.
He also touched on the matter of
the reduction of the polio" force, say
ing that less expense was desirable in
IT," administration of the city'S affairs.
lie did not believe in less service. but
in less expense. He thought that the
oiicr force was larger than WAS nee
',5Iry. and that as good service could
kr secured with six men as with eight
1h,. reduct ION had been made. and he
thought that the police service in the
city today, was as good as it ever
was before
He thought that the movement
would be productive of good results
hut that if it proved otherwise, it
could of course. be corrected. In con-
Guiding his remarks, he spoke of the
passage OF the order. and said that in
consequence of its passage. and act
inS on his own discretion ana judge
rrcnt only. the city marshal had made
ihc changes out of which had grown
iii" present situation.
Al the conclusion of the mayors re-
marks. Mr.. Williamson, counsel for
officer White. came ill., and the mat
Ter OF the hearing on INSTRUMENTATION
Was taken up. Mr.. Williamson said
tE;t he understood that other charges
thln INSTRUMENTATION would be taken
~ at some time. and that as no evil
d"ncr on that charge had been forth
coming. the charge should be dropped.
Mr.. " hite. he said. WAS anxious to
lear any charges that might be pre-
1crreG against him.
In response thereto. the mayor stated
that he preferred to hold the charge of
INSTRUMENTATION in allegiance 1t was, he
said. his purpose to notify Mr.. White
that he had other charges against him
in hand. ana that they would be pre-
scented in .iue time, by the officer who
has them in course of preparation, and
that then he would be heard.
This was not satisfactory to Mr.. Will
hanson at ALL and he said that the
charge Of INSTRUMENTATION should be
disposed of first and settled before any
other charges We're taken up. The may
~ WIS not. however. to be shaken from
his determination. and passed on to the
matter of the other charges which
We're. he said. of n serious nature. If
true. the officer should be punished and
if they were proved untrue, the officer
should be eXonerated. He would. he
continued. hear the evidence and if the
charges were proved untrue. no one
would be more pleased than himself.
Mr.. Williamson. however. kept on the
original tack. and said to the mayor
that he thought it unfair to Mr.. White
to keep putting him off. He was ready
ut the first hearing and had remained
ready and why would it not be better
to get through with the present charge
before taking up any others. as would
be the course in any court. In reply. the
mayor said that he did not want to go
on with the case. because those in
charge of the legal end of it were not
present. Mr.. Williamson then wanted
him to designate some definite time for
the continuance of the hearing. to
biob ,,ronncifio,, tho ,,,oypr