Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-05-07
Auburn for murder on the

Williams at Auburn for murder on the
high seas.
Many interesting stories might bc
Written of the experience Of these Of
ficCrs. They must hold themselves in
readiness ut all times to start on short
notice to any portion Of the State.
Papers in civil cases are often re-
uuircd t. he served immediately Yes
sells. in port for Il short time. may
hav, to be lihclcd. and til" officer must
move quickly To get them before they
sail a:;ain. often this means a night
ride in Il train or 4 pull down Il har-
int AZ midnight. Drives over long
roads through the woods in winter,
through snow drifts are frequently
made and before tile Bangor 4 Aroos-
took aiid Washington County Rail-
roads were built. the officers some
times drove as many as 100 miles to
get II man wanted for some crime.
Onc notable instance is the long trip
ri Deputies Noah i. Prescott of Gin
ton aud Edward II. Emery OF Sanford.
under Marshal John i. Donovan, to
Seven Islands, in Aruostuoll county
ncar the line which divides Maine
from the Province of Quebec. The Of
fccrS started from Portland and went
t" Caribou where they took 4 team AMI
dr"Vc to Fort Kent, a distance Of Is
miles. II was in the middle of win
tor AMI from Fort Kent they had to
tramp - miles through the snow. Hnth
officers We're excellent WnodsmCu and
did not lack for courage or they never
Wuuld have begun the TRAMP alone
- l...,tt
ncnt.
The snow was deep ANA without
1EoWShocs the deputies floundrrcG
about in the deep drifts, often sink
ing to their waists and losing their
way frequently Although they had
started early III the morning from ST.
Francis, at dark they had accom-
nis!rcd but half the distance They
were nearly exhausted and to add to
their troubles their food had given out
ana they were ravcnousiy hungry.
Fortunately they came across Il
shack in the woods. and in searching
about the rubbish found Il box con-
tanning a dozen hard biscuits. They
had evidently been there several
months for they We're 50 hard 40 to he
uncatablc in their then condition. The
deputies built a fire. melted the snow
ana in the hot water which resulted.
soaked the biscuits. Six of them they
ate that Eight. ana in telling Of the
lrXncricmrc afterwards Deputy Prescott
said that II" never ate anything that
tasted 50 good. Ecforc rcsuminG their
| journey i'll the morning the other six
We're eaten.
An that ,l1y- tho Identifies St y 4
| through the deep snow. hardly know
| ing whether they We're ON the right
road. With persistence and courage
| that is remarkable they pushed on and
on. Gound"ring in the deep snow aud
| nearly exhausted.
| Tho six biscuits eaten before tho
start from the shack in tn" morning
| is al the food they had had that day
and ut dark they had not reached the
settlement. They thought that they
| must he near ii and determined to
push on. Their progress WAS slow for
thci" weary and tired limbs all but
| refused to carry them. Shortly be
| fore daylight the next morning, when
| ready to give up and build q brush
| camp for the night, they hcar! 4
| rooster crow ana knew that Seven
| ISLAM Is was not far off. Waiting I'M
| til daylight they then reached tho set
Element and found food. rest and thor
men. Borrowing snoWslocs The re-
turn was easy but it was one Gf tho
hardest trips matic by United States
| officers to make arrests for 50 small
| y crime as smuggling.
| Chief Deputy smith once had q
trying experience in Hancock County
while @ervinG Subpocnas for witnesses
He had all the experiences Of an ac-
tual hold up without being held Vi
ana told the story afterwards as {;
good joke On himself Eut it was not
50 much Of a joke at tn" tim" and tho
story as modrstly told by the office
som" years later shows tn" stuff nc is
made Of and his readiness to meet
anything Ill the line Of his duty.
AZ the writer remembers it, il wa:
lahout seven or eight years; ago. in thu
m"nth of December that Deputy Smitl
started out from old Town to drive
to tn" Hancock Tanucry, in Township
2S. situated in the northern corner OF
Hancock county. Tine Gistin"" wa:
- Wil"' over 4 rough road. which ~
N good Part Of tn" diStanc" RAJ
thlnTGh deep woods. ~" started c1rlS
in tho morning with 4 two hnrs-" team
ana 4 young man frr Il driver. II To-
gan "a snow before 10 reached Inc set
tl"nrrt and was showing hard WhcI
Ii" had served his papers and >tnrtc'
on the return trip. Th" sun hnd s."
when he reached the thick stretch -
woods about seven miles from th'