The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1912-04-11
Conditions in Waterville.

Conditions in Waterville.
Rev. Cyrus F. Stimscn, Pastor of Congreg
tional Church. Tells Story of Last Week
Raid ard Riot.
VAUDEVILLE, April 3. Rev. Cyru
Flint Stimson, the Waterville clergyma
who attempted to assist local polio
officer and Revs. Pringle and Berry in
raid for liquors at % and % 1-2 Map
street yesterday, when all three gentle
men,were assaulted and Mr.. Pringle we
on the face and head, came OF
in signed statement today in which b
neglect of duty on the part {
City Marshal Charles H. Barton in pre-
serving the peace, and alleges that thu
official went to funeral instead OF a
tending to the incipient riot. Mr.. Stin
son makes the further point that he hs
ascertained the result of taking Mr.. Pa
tangall, mayor of Waterville and attol
ney general Of the State, at his word, t
"swear out warrants and accompany o.
fcers to see that they do their duty.
The statement follows:
Mayor PattangaIl has publicly in
timated that law enforcement is
impracticable in Waterville, unless
citizens will "swear out warrants,
and accompany officers to see that
they do their duty"
The public should know the result
of such action on the part of citl-
70
gether with Rev. H. N. Pringle and
Rev. W. F. Berry, to assist Officer
Lorenzo Davis serve two search and
seizure warrants. We were all four
resisted forcibly, in varying degrees
of violence, in our official and legal
action, by the Wolman brothers and
vicious mob of sympathizers which
grew rapidly to small riot.
The delay at the front of the sa-
loon from resistance offered a chance
for rem oval of the liquor stock at
the back door, so | went to the rear
to stand guard, but was forced from
the yard and before the searchers
were permitted to enter the liquors
were removed.
The resistance to the searching of
the house at % Maple street was
more determined and vicious, and /
was requested to ask aid of the city
marshal to preserve order. inform
ed him by telephone, fully, of the
circumstances and asked immediate
aid to quell the small sized riot which
was on. He asked the name of the
officer holding the warrants, stated
that he had but two officers on duty
as it was noon time. asked if he
could not give personal aid, but he
said he had not had his dinner and
wished to attend funeral at two
o'clock. | then requested him to get
in touch with some officer near the
scene of disturbance as immediate
action was needed. He said he would
try. | returned and found things
rapidly growing worse, the crowd
larger, more excited and uglier in
temper. The searching party had
not been permitted to enter the
premises. The crowd numbered
nearly one hundred. was Informed
that the liquors were being removed
at the rear. | telephoned the city
marshal again, describing the in
creasing gravity Of the situation. |
was Informed that he had directed
an officer to go there. 1t was then
after one O'Clock. The searching
party began operations at 1890. |
hurried back to the scene, found the
crowd larger and the searching party
had been forcibly elected from the
house, and threats of violence in
creased. The police officer had not
arrived. I tried again to get the
city marshal by telephone, but for
fifteen minutes the marshal's line
was "busy." 1t was nearly 1.30, so
l called the mayors office and sent
word to the marshal through that
office asking immediate aid. At
about the same time got the city
marshal's office and was told that
the marshal had gone to dinner. |
waited for his car at the junction Of
College and Maple streets, boarded
the car and found the city marshal.
l described the situation, informed
him that the searching party was
being roughly handled and that more
serious trouble was brewing and that
l thought it his duty to 90 in person
and asked him to go at once, with
me, to the place of disorder. He
said: "All right" but kept his seat
and rode on to his home. l left the
car and a half hour later was con-
Quoting a funeral service where the
city marshal was present, so l knew
he had completely ignored my ap-
peal.
had informed our city marshal of
a situation bordering on riot and fully
explained the peril Of life of citizens
called upon to assist an officer of the
law in doing his duty, and, finally,
made apersonal emergency call upon
him to gowith me when he was with
in two short blocks of the riotous
scene. confess that l feel profound
Indignation at what appears to me to
be an intolerabie official carelessness
and neglect Of duty.
Let it be remembered that the final
assault upon and beating up Of Mr..
Pringle and brutal kicking of DIR.
Berry did not occur until after the
marshal refused to go at my request
to the scene Of disorder. But for
that funeral at two O'Clock should
have been beaten up with Pringle
and Berry. 1t was perfectly evident
that this vicious group of thugs and
their friends feared no interference
from the police. Why?
CYRUS FLINT STIMsON.
Waterville, Me-, April 2, 1912.
MR.. PRINGLE'S STATEMENT.