Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-01-01


The commissioners in commenting
upon this work say Gases enough
have heen brought before the
courts by our deputies in each of
the counties, where they have been
at work to have practically put
an end to the liquor business in these
several counties, had the. full penalty
provided by law been imposed. I'm
doubtedly a wide margin might have
been allowed for the first offenders and
| for special circumstances requiring
leniency, but when the liquor business
is Analysed any liquor seller stands in
the position of violating the law simply
for what profit he can make out of it.
The conclusion seems irresistible that
the responsibility for the continuance
business of these offenders lies with
the courts and the court officials"
Continuing the commissioners say,
'ln Penobscot county there have been
AZ persons before the grand jury on
the testimony of deputy enforcement
commissioners for offences against the
liquor statute, and there were in addi-
ton As persons, VINO had been convict
ed in the municipal court in the inter-
val between the February and the Au-
gust terms, making a total of Sc. The
number of indictments found against
any of these persons, all for nuisance
was II.
"All the indictments as common sell
Ter found at the February term, nine
in number, were continued to the Au-
gust term, three on the special and six
on the general docket. Three on the
special docket remained there, two of
the others are further continued. scire
fecias having been issued in one, but
dismissed at the August term. Two
We're mol pressed and two filed At This
term only one offender was brought
before the court for sentence. which
was to Jail. The II new indictments
found at the August term We're dis
posed of as follows: mol pressed L. in
dictment filed 1: continued Il.
"In Knox county 90 cases We're be-
fore the grand jury on the testimony
of the enforcement deputies against
81 individuals. Four indictments for
nuisance were found, three Of these
cases We're continued. and the fourth
offender was sentenced to 60 days in
;ail. This was the only Jail sentence
imposed and no fines We're collected.
The new appealed cases originated by
the deputies We're all mol pressed or
continued, with the exception of three
search and seizure cases against one
{ offender. which We're defanlted the
judgment of the lower court affirmed
and mittimus issued. The RESPONSE
bility for the disposition of cases or
the criminal docket by mol pros. con-
tirI or Iacnu an, c,acio1
ket rests primarily with the county at
torney unless in special cases the court
sees fit to icterfere."
The commissioners state that on
Dec Is. 1907. conditions We're such in
Somerset county that the commission
recommended to the Governor for the
appointment of special attorney for
that county. January 4. 1908 Amos *
Butler OF" SkoWncgan was appointed
special attorney for that county and
has acted i'll that capacity since tina.
time. The county attorney began quo
warranto proceedings to test the valid
ity Of this appointment. This case is
now in the law court.
In July 1905 the sheriff of Washing
ton county failing to enforce the law
against liquor selling. the commission
CT sent deputies into the county and
raids at a number of places in Calais
We're made, large amounts of liquor
were seized and it was found that the
law WAS openly violated. Deputies
have not been sent into other counties,
except in Franklin county at Chisholm
ard in the Rangeley region. In other
counties Of the State conditions for
the most part were found to be salts
factory.
Complaints came to the commission
in regard to six localities. 1t was
claimed that the law was disregarded
at Rumford- Falls. The commission
took up the matter with Sheriff Hub
bard and County Attorney Barnes and
an investigation was made. 1t was
not thought necessary to send special
deputies there. In York county it vas
asserted that the law was not proper
~ enforced. After a consultation with
the county attorney and sheriff meas
ures We're taken. which produced an
in provement.
In speaking of Cumberland county
the commissioners say: Until about
Jan. /. 1908 the sheriff assumed to en-
force the law, and did so to such an
extent that we did not feel called upon
to interfere. During the latter part of
1907 and the first part of 1908, how
| ever. it became manifest that condi-
| tions were changed and we found that
| liquor places We're opened up and that
| generally the sale of liquors was be-