Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-04-06

vention. where Asa A. Richardson
county attorney of York county, was
brought before the bar of the House
| ia answer to the charges of solicit
| ing bribe, substituting a blank in
| dictment for a regular one. commit
| ting perjury at the hearing in the En-
cry case, using improper methods to
obtain testimony in that case, and
| through incompeteney and Ignorance
| of lie law bringing the office of coun-
| ~ attorney for the county of York
| into disrepute and contempt.
Attorney General Pattangall APP
peared for the State, While Judge
Benjamin L. Cleaves of Biddeford and
George l.. Emery of Saco appeared for
the respondent.
The attorney general declared that
he would offer no evidence unon the
| first charge, the soliciting of brihc
from Charles T. Read of Biddeford.
nor upon the fifth charge. that of
bringing the office of State attorney
for the county of York into disreputc
and contempt He said that Officers
Stone and Doyle were the only wit
nesses that would be used by the
stare and that AN official transcript
III 1tQlilF AllelntS INiNbdi bStii = ~
tifnoay in the previous case would be
introduced.
Chief of Police Thomas Stone of
Biddeferd testified in regard to the
White case. The seizure at Whites
place at OLD orchard was made, July
%. 1911. Friday, the last day that the
grand jury was setting at the Sep
tember term at Alfred. the county at
torney said that he had taken UP all
the cases. Witness said What about
the White ease2?" Richardson brought
his fist dowr upon the table and said,
with an oath: If You indict White. BY
Cd. III indict Cleaves."
Witness on cross-examination stated
beer was cooling in tubs at the White
place Wnen he made the seizure and
| about 300 bottles of beer were behind
| the screen. Had never made a pre-
xiols seizure at this place Went to
old Orchard on complaint, having re-
ceived several letters.
Did the letters mention any other
place. asked Judge Cleaves.
They did net?"
Did YOU know the persons who
signed the letters
No, they We're anonymous.
"Ycu we're not liquor deputy at
that Iime2"
No. sir
Witness had only been in the White
place 4 few minutes before the liq
uor = as found. The Old Orchard po-
lice were searching the Cleaves place
at the same time. Saw one of the LID
uor deputies Mr.. Watkins when he
went out.
Witness had heard a runner that
there was an agreement with the sher-
if that his liquor deputies should not
raid Che dealers at Old Orchard, he
did not know whether it was so or
MT. Did not think that 1t was strange
that the letters were sent to him in
stead of the sheriff. Had received let
tiers from ian. l. 1911, in regard to
various places. Witness had read of
a difficulty between CleaVeS and
White in which an axe figured. Could
not say whether it was previous to
this seizure. Had searched the Casco
Club and tho other places gust before
the White seizure. Had never re-
ceived any suggestion that ne had
better attend to his business in Bid
detord and that il would be better to
leave Old Orchard to the liquor squad
Could never get the White case tried
the county attorney did not EN- to
be willing to prosecute the case. For
this reason and because no complaints
We're received, witness did not go to
OLD Orchard again. Witness admitted
that he did not ask the judge of the
municipal court that iinmetiiat e acc
ton be taken in the case. Served pa
per upon Deputy Sheriff Watkins,
Feb. O. removing him from office.
President Clifford at this point ask
ed Judge Cleaves what point he was
saafing to bring out Counsel explain
ed that in order to prove that the
sheriff's mind and environment was
of such a nature as to make the story,
told by the county attorney quite prob
able, and that he wished to show that
Sheriff Watkins had been removed
from office but q few hours after he.
had made a seizure at a place where,
the sheriff did not wish a seizure
made.
Witness asked the county attorney
about the White case while it was
pending in the municipal court and
he said he would attend to it. Did
not know that anyone except the
county attorney impeded the case.
Captain of Police Fred S. Doyle of
Biddeford. Il former deputy sheriff
corroborated the testimony of Chief
of Police Stone in regard to the con-
troversy with the county attorney
over the Cleaves case and the White
case substantially as he had told it
onthe preceding day.
a portion of County Attorney Rich
ardson's testimony in the Emery
case in regard to the Indictment
against White was read at this point
This concluded the states evidence
Clerk of Courts Lncius c. SWEET of
York county testified that the num-
Der of indictments brought for liquor
cases since January, 1911, was IS ut