The independent-reporter., 1910-04-28
SHERIFF MOOERS
STILL v|G|lANT
Another Spot Likely to
Become Dry.
Blair Family OF Jackman Seems to
Have the Liquor-Selling Habit.

nave Inc LluuOEs6CthhE
Deputy Charles S. Adams says that
, there has been deal of liquor sold
up in Jackman within the last few
months--not barrels of the outlawed
beverage of course, but goodly num-
Der of single sales" have been nego-
tiated. This illegal program is being
revised considerably, ard no doubt
Jackman vii soon be as dry as all
other places in Somerset county that
come under the vigilance of Sheriff
Mooers and his deputies. One family
in Jackman has the distinction of
having had six members sentenced
for illegal sale of intoxicating liquors;
six of the Blair family have been
drawn in by the strong arm of the
law and squeezed" bit, too. Yes
terday afternoon Joseph Blair and his
wife were each given a sentence for
single sale; Dorias and Clifford, sons
of Joseph, and serving sentence now
in the county Jail after trial on a
search and seizure process; and
John, another son, and his wife, have
stood for sentence because of their
yielding to the apparently inherent
desire to sell whiskey.
Joseph Blair and his wife were CIV
en- trial on the charge of single
sale, yesterday afternoon, before
Judge F. F. Lawrence in the munich
pal court Edward F. Merrill appear
ed for the State; Blair refused coun-
sci. Neither Blair nor his wife could
speak or understand but little Eng
lish, and an interpreter was en-
ployed TO make it possible for French
and English to understand each other
Joseph Blair was charged with hav-
ing sold one quart of intoxicating
liquor to one Gideon NORM on the
23rd day of April. NORM testified
that he lived in Jackman and was
employed by the kellogg Lumber Co.
s and lived In a small hotel managed
d by the respondent He said that he
had bought liquor of Blair right
9 along, and that he bought of him on
: the 23rd day of April as alleged in
g the specific sale named in the war
rant He payed 81 for one quart of
e whiskey on that day. In the absence
t of any counsel Blair stated through
the Interpreter that he was absolute
e ly innocent, and that NORM was
0 moved to testify against him by per-
: sonal malice. NORM, he said, had
threatened to burn his buildings but
t NORM in turn denied this and there
|, was not enough weight to Blair's
e statements to so much as shade the
: veracity of Morins testimony.
: Mrs. Blair was charged with SELL
d ing one quart of liquor to Peter Dujet
n on March "a. Dujet testified that he
: bought whiskey of her on the Goth of
e March and again ON the oath The
2 respondent had NO statement to make
d other than that Dujet was drunk to
buJCl HulNhiy aCPliCOs hh
n nor!" The respondent answered this
n with a most convincing declaration
that when Dujet called she was max
: ing bread and didn't look at him"
Judge Lawrence in finding both
It parties guilty said that no evidence
= had developed to impeach the wit
II nesses and there was sufficient evil
o dence to warrant him In finding them
: guilty.
Before giving sentence Judge Law
renee asked for suggestions from the
: State concerning the nature of the
u sentence to be given. Sheriff Mooers
u declared that the Blair family had
It been making 80 much trouble for the
e authorities that it was high time for
L something to be done that would i'm
press them a little at least with the
o fact of the Maine prohibltory law. The
: respondents were sentenced in the
q municipal court for Illegal selling a
= few weeks ago and appealed the case
~ 'i'> SAiAN N'biA - anu ptlOiC bhC
case came to trial were again found
guilty Of selling on another charge,
and the sheriff thought that such ac-
r tion showed contempt for the law
4 that should be punished severely. He
said that Jaekman was distant and
. following up cases of illegal selling
: there entailed large expense, and for
!. this reason more than a reprimand
should be included in the sentence;
that members of the family whose
sentences had been mitigated had
: sold in the face of the leniency the
court had shown. and that sentence
should be heavy enough to make a
real impression upon them.
Joseph Blair was sentenced to pay
$50 and costs and to serve 80 days
in the county Jail, thirty days addi-
tional in default of payment. Mrs
Blair was given thirty days