Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-09-04
HONEST JOHN MOOERS
NAILS THE FRAME UP.


Confined from Page One)
t~affic, he having been aggressive as
grand juryman for the veaf past,
and as traverse juryman before that
in the prosecution of liquor cases.
Mr.. Burke did secure evidence in
liquor cases. He acted op my advice
as sheriff. and he also used his own
Judgment All went WELL and Mr.
Burke proved to be an efficient and
satisfactory officer, until the Demo-
cratic machine learned he was a dep
uty, then came trouble for him.
Burke told me that threatening letters
were sent him. / am also informed
that prominent Democrats denounced
him and demanded his resignation,
and finally he did resign
So much for the matter of Burke S
resignation. The question of his bill
for services is an entirely distinct
matter the bill not having been pre-
scented until some weeks after he had
resigned As to this bill, Mr.. Trafton
informs me that Burke told him that
on Aug. 6, Mr.. o. z. Libby, the junior
and Democratic member of the board
of county commissioners, called at
Mr. Burkes house very early in the
morning, and asked Mr.. Burke to
accompany him to Fairfield. They
proceeded to the office of S. T. Bawry,
who is county treasurer, and there
the bill in question was drawn up,
and a copy of ii given TO Mr.. Burke.
This is the bill against the county to
which the Waterville Sentinel refers,
and which is the subject of public
discussion.
Libby then hurried to Skowhegan,
according to Mr.. Burke's story to Mr..
Trafton, where he arrived before s
A. NJ, and a little later telephoned
to Burke at Shawmut to come to the
courthouse at Skowhegan. This Burke
did and / was asked by phone to
come over to the courthouse. Arriy-
ing, | found the commissioners in SEES
sion, and Burke the only other per
son present. When | asked what was
wanted, bill was handed to me, pur-
porting to be a legitimate one. AS
soon as l saw this bill. l repudiated
it, 1t was faerantly wrong. | asked
Burke why he had done this, and he
said he was told to bring it, / asked
why he Ulu not lHls Dili ioi
approval to me and to the county at
torney Burke was confused, and
looked blankly at Mr.. Libby.
| told Mr.. Burke that when his bill
was right, both in price and items,
it would be approved by me and the
county attorney. Commissioner Lib
by knew or should have known that
this bill could not properly come be-
fore the board until approved by the
sheriff and county attorney.
This is the story of the bill If the
voters of Somerset county see in it
frame-up and peanut politics to
discredit an honest county official,
who has done his duty and who has
| refused to be the tool of that class
of men who now seek TO carry out
| their threats of political annihilation.
| their conclusion comedies with my
own.
One thing more. | quote the fol-
| lowing from the Waterville Sentinel:
| How many more deputy sheriffs may
have been appointed by Sheriff
| Mooers, and how many more bills
| may be presented TO the county of
| Somerset is not known to the county
| commissioners.
| If the county commissioners do not
know who my deputies are, it is their
| fault and not mine. There is no law
| which requires the sheriff to go to
| the county commissioners flor their
| consent to his appointment of the
| deputies. Neither is he required to
notify them of his appointments. The
| law does require, however, that the
| appointment of every deputy shall be
recorded by the clerk of courts, who
is also clerk of the county commits
siOners, before such deputies can
serve. The record of the appointment
of deputy sheriffs is in the county
commissioners vaults with other rec
ords of county commissioners, the
volumes being plainly marked ZAP
/ pointment of Deputy Sheriffs" This
: is a public record and open to every
one who is interested and the com
missioners could easily have ascer-
! tanned who were deputy sheriffs hat
: they so desired.
,, The statement that John E. Tayloi
! signed a return on a road petition al
, | a deputy sheriff is absolutely false
| as is shown by the papers on file il
the county commissioners office. HI
: never was deputy, never wanted t
y be, and never played the role of ;
!, deputy. AT the request of the clerl
:, of county commissioners, Mr.. Taylo
posted some road notices in Starks
an act which does not require tn
= services of q deputy sheriff He mad
r. cath 20 his returns before the count
: clerk, and while he Travelled 40 miles
he WAS allowed only the same trave
the constable or deputy sheriff i