Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-07-27
FEARLESS OFFICIAL.
Burton Smith, Well Known in Au-
austa, and His Work as U. S. Mar

shall.
1t is always question with many
people whether to address him as
United States Deputy Marshal Burton
Smith" or as Deputy United States
Marshal Burton Smith" Perhaps
either way is right or both may be
wrong but the fact remains that Bur-
ton Smith is and has been for many
years the chief deputy of the United
States marshal of Maine.
No doubt the government may boast
of MANY faithful servants in this part
of the country but there is none who is
more faithful, who knows his duties
better or who does the work he has
to perform more quietly or more eff
fectively than does Mr.. Smith.
From chasing down smugglers and
violators of the internal revenue laws
way up in the wilds of Aroostook
county to serving civil papers on ships
along the coast Burton Smith always
does his work in clean cut and care
full manner He never makes mis-
take. a false move or fails to perform
strictly to the letter of the law any
duty he may be called upon to per-
form. In his particular line he is
thoroughly posted as to the law and
what is required of federal officer
and is now and has been for many
years the reliance of the district at
torney, the main stay of the federal
clerk of courts. the trustworthy and
reliable servant of the judges of the
courts and always a loyal and faith
full friend of the United States mar
shall
He is not laxative man, so few
people know much about him. When
he has anything to do he does it with
out making any conversation about it
and some of the things he has done
would fill the pages of an interesting
volume, could he be persuaded to write
about them.
Mr.. Smith is not large man but he
is powerfully built and has the ceur-
age of man four times as big as
himself Before now he has gone up
into Aroostook county. into the very
heart of the wilderness. has arrested
some burly fighting lumberman who
has been violating the law and has
Travelled with him three or four days
in getting him back into the reach of
the courts and without having a bit of
trouble.
There have been cases where he
men arrested have sworn they would
never be brought into the federal court
alive where Mr.. Smith has tapped the
big DULLES on the shoulder, quietly re-
marked that he was looking for 'um
and had them Immediately follow him
like tame kittens.
Why can he do this? If you knew
Smith you wouldn't ask the question.
He is of the stuff of whom fighters are
made. Like bull dog he would hold
on to the last moment and when he
looks a man in the eye and tells him
what he says carries con-
viction with it. He has been in some
tight corners but has never had much
newspaper notoriety for this is what
the federal officers in his line of work
are not seeking. He has Travelled
of miles in canoes through
The wilderness after bad men and the
records show that he never lost more
than one prisoner.
He wouldn't have lost that one
either If it hadn't been for the self
possession he exercises all the time
and the remembrance of a conversa-
ion he once had with Judge Webb,
hen the United States district judge
mere Judge Webb had, in the course
If conversation. questioned the advis-
ability of federal officer shooting a
nan charged with a comparatively
minor offense who made break for
liberty. 1t happened a little time
alter that Smith was up against just
such case.
He had, after an infinite amount of
rouble, found the man he was after
who was charged with violation of the
internal revenue law. He had this
nan at the railroad station at Vance
ooro with the Canadian country in
sight and to this man, Canada meant
liberty.
1t was in the winter time and sud-
ienly the prisoner wrenched his arm
DOSE from the grasp of the officer and
started on the run up the street. aim
ng for a railroad bridge connecting
he United States with Canada
Smith was wearing a long ulster at
-iic liliit ana liilS Ht QulCkiy S0eQ ana
-ook after the runner. As he ran he
whipped out his revolver and shouted
20 the man to stop or he would fire
But the prisoner kept right on going
Smith is no SLOUGH of runner him
self and he gained on the man but
could not get near enough to grasp
him. At any time he might have shot
him but to fire under the circum-
stances was to endanger the lives of
other people and the officer hesitated
about shooting. 1t was mighty exas-
perating, under the circumstances. to
have this prisoner get away but after
wards when Judge Webb heard of the
case he commended the young officer
for his action.
You did just right said the judge.
You would not have been morally
justified in shooting under the coudi-
TONS"
Any of the people about the federal
court house will tell you stories about
Burton Smith if you ask for them.
They will tell you how he helped to
capture some of the bad men in the
northern part of Maine, how he has
waited for hours in deep snow and the
cold to make captures and of the cool