The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1907-01-17
John Black of Frankfort had case no


pressed last September by Mr.. Fostsr on
me 4 condition that he should not again sell.
A Iull mol pros was granted him this term
Dan Magee of Stockton Springs mas nve
Eases pending: His attorney, Fred W.
Brown. argued with County Attorney Eos
Yer naoh last 81 September that Magee was going
Dack to New Brunswick, his home, for all
Time and asked for a continuance. Magee
went away for about two weeks ana has
Oeeh at Cape JellisOn ever since. NOtnlDg
was done with his cases. Bail not detauited.
Inc Orren B. Woodbury. cases were mol
No liquor cases were tried at this January
term. SO far as an unskilled observer could
iearn no liquor cases were before the court
In the regular way. At one time the county
attorney and the attorneys of the rumsellers
were hovering about the judge, apparently
arranging ."atters, but this consultation
was carried on in such subdued tones that
nearby intent listeners could not tell what
was being done. The rumsellers who came
to ARRANGE" their matters or pay the little
nneS were not arraigned in court. so FAR
as the writer could learn, they came up into
the law library, the way the judge and
court dlgnitaries do, and there did business
why should they be put to this lncon-
yemence? Why could they not "arran1ge"
by telephone. Surely we do not want these
people prosecuted. Nothing was done with
any liquor case in open court, so openly that
a person OF average intelligence WoulGknOW
that any person was being prosecuted for
selling rum. Evidence is available to prove
nearly every case now on the docket, as In
deed it was ready and present in the court
room to prove the Hanson, Dalton and Lo-
gan cases.
In all the 80 cases now on the docket
only two of the respondents are under bail
!hey were under bonds to appear at the
January term. but Mr.. Thompson neither
defaulted the bail nor had it renewed ex-
cept IN two cases of renewal. Party pro-
hlpltlonists and strong temperance Re
publlcans with whom / talked in various
parts of this county during the campaign
last fail, who had heard Mr.. ThompsOn's
campaign speeches were convinced that he
would enforce the prohibitory law most
vigorously and declared their full purpose
to vote for him, and the fact OF their doing
so accounts in part for the fact that he was
the only Democrat elected on the county
ticket. l believed he would enforce the
law, because when he was a candidate four
years ago he wrote me as follows:
Belfast Me-, Aug. 10, 1902
REV. JOHN w. HATCH, WinterpOrt, Me-,
Dear Sir: am in receipt OF your letter OF the
llth INST In which you ask me what my attitude
toward the enforcement of the prOhibitory law
will be in case l shall be elected county at
torney. Without unnecessary circumlocution !!
will that in The event hasf 4 will
ability.
Signed. ". P. THOMPSON.
This letter was not private, and when
plans for its publication in the press failed
l secured many type written copies and
sent them to temperance people, many OF
whom voted for him then, as l did.
Mr.. Thompson has arraigned and con-
demned, unsparingly, Republican officials
for notification and hypocrisy regarding
this law and has been prominent in that
party which in resolutions and platforms, of
late particularly, has condemned nullifca-
tiOn and demanded enforcement.
Some complain that our sheriff does not
stop liquor selling. Sheriff Carleton has
been faithful and efficient in marked de-
gree He has done Sheriff's work. He
can not usurp the powers of County Attor
Dey and arraign these criminals in court,
compel them to plead guilty or go to trial
and then ask for sentence when convicted,
nor can he usurp the powers of judge and
pronounce sentence upon them. See the
cases now on the docket with evidence to
convict, enough if given full penalty to put
from $4,000 to $4,000 in the treasury of
the county and every rumSeller in Waldo
County in Jail, and if such course should
be pursued in each county in Maine what
would become of the rum traffic? The fact
is the people of Maine have been, and still
are defeated in their effort to protect them
selves from the curse of the rum business.
1t may be that some glad day the people OF
Maine will find way to have their will
carried into effect. Let every good citizen
stay by the staff. j. W. HATCH.