The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1907-03-28
PARDON REFUSED.
Edminster to Serve His Full Term.
(SneciaI to the Bangor Daily News

Winfield S. Edminster of Belfast was
aired quite extensively this forenoon
before the governor and council. He
asked for pardon from the Waldo
county JAIL but the governor and coun-
Gil after hearing the case and being in
executive session about 20 minutes,
gave the petitioners leave to withdraw
The three reasons asked for in the par
don petition are:
First-Because we believe by his i'm
prisonment since last October that he
has been sufficiently punished to meet
the ends of justice and purposes of pub
lie policy.
Second-Because we are informed
! that he is sick man whose health is
rapidly failing and if not pardoned he
is not likely to survive the term of his
10 months sentence.
Third-Because we believe that there
is no reason to apprehend any further
| violation of the law by him.
But to offset this petition there was
the following remonstrance:
To Hon. William T. Cobb, Governor of
the State of Maine and to the Exc
cutive Council:
We, the undersigned, citizens of Wal
do county, respectfully demonstrate
against the pardon of Winfield S. Ed
minister, now confined in the County
Jail at Belfast for violating the prohibit
tory law of this State; and for the fol
lowing reasons:
He is an old offender, having run
two places of business, one at Belfast,
and one at Frankfort; has served two
Jail sentences before; has been perSls-
tent and defiant; is now serving time on
thirteen sentences whose aggregate SEN
tence is thirteen months i'll Jail and six
hundred dollars fine, the full penalty
of which might have been forty-fve
months (or nearly four years. imprison-
ment, and $1,000 fine and costs.
We therefore consider his sentence
light for the offences committed. We
do not believe his health to be impair
ed by reason of his imprisonment, but
by lack of exercise, which his physician
told him to take.
He has served five months on these
sentences; and as sentences OF four
months each had no effect we have no
reason to believe he will stop now.
Should this pardon be granted we be-
lieve it would be a severe blow to pro-
hibition in this County, County in
which enforcement has made much pro-
gresS during the past two years.
w lul lllcl lSuOuSbldlC
granting this pardon believing it would
be the beginning of a bad public policy.
This remOnStrance was signed by ID.
H. Smith and Sc others of Winterport
c. J. Farrell and 81 others of Unity, E.
A. Carpenter and 80 others of Brooks,
V. n. Higgins and "a others of Thorn
dixie, Frank S. Dolliff and AZ others of
Monroe and jackson, j. r. Hurd and
Others of Northport, F. II. Brown and
% Others of Jackson, G. G. Winslow
and % others of Belfast, ID. o. Bowen
and p others of Morrill,, G. Nj. HoWes
and 80 others of Liberty, John L.
Adams and 80 others of Searsmont, j. w.
NickerSon and 80 others of Evansville
and F. l.. Written and II others of Bel
fast, making a total of $50 names.
Mrs. Edminster, wife of the prisoner,
was present, as was also her daughter,
Mrs. True G. Trundy, and husband, of
Searsport, and Hannibal H. Lamson of
Freedom, all strongly advocating the
pardon. All of them gave assurance
that if pardoned he would never more
engage in the liquor business. Rep.
Skidmore of Liberty represented the
petitioners and spoke ably in their be-
half.
Rep. Dow of Brooks gave graphic
word picture of Edminster, referring to
him as one of the most notorious liquor
dealers Waldo County everk knew. you
grant this man this pardon, said Mr.
Dow, cit will be a severe blow to pro-
hibition in Waldo County. He weighs
PTS IL pounds and he is the giant liquor
criminal of the County, giant physical
ly and intellectually. | understand
that even when he was in jail year
az nd al
carry on two places, the Hillside House
Belfast. | believe liquor is being sold
in these places, and the lessees are
Walter Deliver at the Hillside and
Robert Logan at the Phoenix, both
liquor tools and lessees of Edminster.
Sheriff Amos F. Carleton, who was
present, substantiated both of these
statements.
Rep. Skidmore took exception to the
statement of Rep. Dow that Waldo
County was practically dry now, as he
said he was home the other day and
saw a number of men drinking indis-
cnmnately, Whereupon Rep. Dow said
that this was due partly to the new
County Attorney, who was not very
faithfully performing the duties of his
office. Gov. Cobb at this point sug-
gested to Rep. Dow that it was un-
necessary to bring the County At
torney into the discussion, and that
whether he was or was not doing his
duty was not relevant at that moment
Rep. Dow was trying hard to tell some
more about the County Attorney, but
finally deferred at the suggestion of the
governor.
How to Remain Young.
10 continue young in health and strength