Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-03-31

| Improvement in the efficiency of the
police department and good order in
| the city. Under the old regime it was
| customary to have sworn in the first
| of The year about seventy-five special
police and on municipal election days
as many more would be sworn in to
act as ward healers at the polls and
no man that differed with them prac-
tically had any rights which this po-
lice force would respect Under the
| old regime l was called upon to cam
vass as all regular officers were for
the Democratic party and continued
to do political work until the cam
paign closed. all of which the city paid,
| and special officers We're put on for the
regulars at the citys expense. In con-
cluson I will say that many of the
special officers that We're put on duty
at the polls election day got intoXi-
Gated, assaulted inoffensive citizens
and had To be either carried home or
locked up. and have also known some
of those special officers to seize liquor
for their own purpose and got drunk
with it.
JAMES MOGAN.
| STATE OF MAINE.
| YorlisS March o. 1909
Personally appeared James Mogan
and made oath to the above statement
ov him signed
| Before me-
EDGAR A. HIBBARD,
| Justice of the Peace.
Biddeford, March 81, 1909
J, Thomas Cullinan, wish to make
| this statement of facts in regard to
the condition and character of the po-
| lice system of 45iddeford at the present
| time as compared with the time under
| the old system before there was Il po-
| lice commission in Biddeford | have
been for period of more than
| twenty-five years a police officer and
am at the present time Before the
time of the la" that established
police commission in 1899 | have known
it to occur frequently that policemen
would be absent from their duty be
| cause of intoXicatfon and gambling.
Every policeman had to be engaged in
political work to retain his job and was
assessed $l23 per year to hold his po-
Sltlon. On election days policemen
would commit assaults on citizens and
be intoxicated in public places. None
OF these conditions have existed since
the new police commission law of 1898
There has been a great Improvement
and change since that time and | have
served under both systems | am now
at the present time retired from active
service. No man could obtain a posi-
ton on the police force under the old
police regime unless ne first paid sips
Tor his position. Under the present
conditions no man IS assessed or re-
CURED to do political work.
THOMAS CULLINAN.
STATE OF MAINE.
Y"rk.ss March o. 1909
Personally appeared Thomas Culinan
and made oath to the truth Of the above
statement by him signed
Before me, .t1e
EDGAR A. HIBBARD,
Justice of the Peace.
Gentlemen. those are the sworn state
ments of two Democrats. policemen of
BiddefOrd under the old system and I'M
der the new system What was the re-
suit of that old system? They system
got in debt to the extent of $3.50 900
How much beyond he debt limit I can't
say. but away beyond the debt limit
What has been the condition since in
the finances of Biddeford? From 1908
to 1905 the city of Biddeford has paid
and retired over $500, 900 Of her indebt-
edncss, The population of Biddeford i'm
1898 was about 1000. today it is 49,
600, In 1898 the population was COM
posed largely of American stock all
quiet peaceable people comparatively.
Now there is a horde of the off-scour-
ingS of southern Europe. Greeks Poles.
Armenians. Turks. Russian Jews and
every tribe of people of southern Europe
is represented there. a turbulent and
| rebellous people The cost of the police
force is today less than it was under the
old system by many thousands of dol
lars. and they had practically the same
force then. The gentleman has said
they do not want to repeal the police
bill, they want it placed in their hands.
The mayor is ey-Otiicio member of the
board under he present system and the
three men who today constitute the po-
lice board are all men above reproach
Now. what do the people of Riddeford
think of this? There is now on file with
the judiciary committee Il remonstrance
signed by so of the best citizens of
Biddeford, the best business men up and
down the streets of that city, remonS-
trating against any change in the pres
ent system. Coming down to the pres
ent hearing before the judiciary COM
mittee there were three men only that
they were able to Scrape together to
come before the committee asking for
the passage of this bill. 80 men from
Eiddeford appeared in opposition.
merely want to say in conclusion that
this is a Democratic measure; it is con-
ceived in Democratic councils and has
been backed by Democratic influence: it
is a political question and a policital
measure pure and simple and ] want
the members of this House to take it
into serious consideration.
Mr.. SMITH of Biddeford Mr.. Speak
err, ask for simple even-handed justice
from the members of this House The
gentleman speaks of 800 men, illegal
voters being struck from the voting list |
| want to say that those men procured |
their papers from a court. They thought |