The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1907-03-07
TWO SIARSPORT HEARINGS.

Electric Lighting and the Police Court.
Harry Eaton, Esq, of Watervllle ap-.
peafed before the legislative committee
vi regal affairs in Augusta FeD. 27th
III opposition to the bill amending and
94tenolng the charter Of the Union
night q Power Co. of Searsport. he
Salu thls bill was for company which
would go into opposition with the Sears
PorC Light & Water Co., which had In
testeu los of money in their plant and
S SnaS Chls company now came forward
oecause they wanted to go into Stock
Son springs where there was going to be
some business and get it away from the
oealsporG Light & Water Co.
non. W. Il. Haines of Watervllle also
opposed the measure, giving the early
uhls.ory OF the company and he said he
thougnt 1t was unfair for this company
w 20 into Stockton Springs and COM
pote Win company which had been
struggling for years and now saw a
chahGe TO get onto paying basis.
.. W. Black of Searsport, one of the
stockholders of the Searsport Co., spoke
Ia opposition to the measure. He said
he was interested in both companies
ouI uid not see any reason for the
renewal OF the charter.
nep. DOW OF Brooks said he appeared
ny request of residents of Stockton for
me , Union Light & Power Co. and he
saiu lhey wanted to control the indus
slies III Chelr own town, but that they
liau oeen SO busy with other things that
U'ey nau mad no chance to attend to
electrlc lighting, but that they were
ready to take it up and they objected
W companies from outside coming in.
H.. n 1c r>fS Co, NfNFfc sold
the company was practically ready for
business, poles set, wires lung, dynamo
installed and that the current was to
De turned on in Searsport in about two
weeks.
representative Dow then appeared in
Dehalt OF the act to amend the act estab-
llSnihg municipal court i'll the town
OF searsport. He said there had been
uemand for court in SearSport for
tne reason that no one in that town
Couid get warrant or do any civil
business IN the courts unless they went
TO BELFAST. He said that often it was
necessary 10 take out warrants for the
prosecution of illegal liquor sellers in
oearSport and that it was impossible to
get warrant in Searsport without the
whole town knowing it and he thought
Cnat there ought to be concurrent iuris-
dlctlon between that court and the court
at Belfast.
Amos F. Carleton, sheriff of Waldo
county, said that there was no doubt
out that there was a demand for the
concurrent jurisdiction from the fact
that he was unable to get warrant to
search the hotel in Searsport without
the proprletors knowing it, and that he
was unable to get to Judge Blacks Of
nee and get back to the hotel before
they had a chance to clean out liquors
if they had any.
Judge Black appeared in opposition
and said that this is biennial visit:
that he had been to every session of
the legislature defending the Searsport
court. He said this bill was the out
come OF a political feud between him ,
self and W. c. T. Runnells of Sears
port, and that Mr. Runnells had writ
ten articles for newspapers alleging
that there had been brutal assaults,
threats cut, murders, rum murders,
and that one man was killed and one
had lost an eye.
This Judge Black said, sis false.
The parties concerned in the murder
were Italians and there was no
rum IN the matter in any way" Judge
Black read letters from the selectmen
of the town Of Searsport, Sprague &
Sons of Searsport, by John Sprague,
superintendent, and others, endorsing
the court.
Judge Black said in cases where he
was unable to sit that he called in
trial justice. He said he had done this
once IN a case where his daughters hat
was stolen.
'The act gives you exclusive juris-
diction doesn't it?" asked Representa-
tive Dunton. Yes, sir,' replied Judge
Black. How could you cali in another
judge?" asked Mr.. Dunton 81 did,"
said the judge.
"What became of the prisoner"
asked Representative Dyer. He was
discharged" replied Judge Black
amidst laughter.
'Why, look at this bunch of war
rants" said Judge Black, land we got
rum on every one" GIN how long
time?" asked Senator Mills.
"Oh, last summer, the sheriff will tell
YOU answered Judge Black.
After general discussion Judge
Black agreed to the concurrent juris-
diction with the understanding that
the jurisdiction of the Belfast court
should be concurrent with the Sears
port and that the Searsport court
should be concurrent with that of Bel