The Washington herald., 1912-08-04

Boston, Aug. 3.-Fate has smiled once
more on George F. Plaisted. 1t II seven
ty-two years since fate began smiling at
him down in York County. Me-. and has
smiled with nattering regularity ever
since. Perhaps one reason for her COM
plaisance Is that Mr.. Plaisted always
smiles back. This latest smile resulted
in the appointment Of Mr. Plaisted TO the
deputy sherifship of York County.
Probably Mr.. Plaisted is the oldest dep
uty at date Of appointment in the country.
Almost half a century ago. when he
was twenty-three years old. fate beamed
at him SO conspicuously that he became
the youngest deputy sheriff ever appoint
ed In the Pine Tree State. Since his ac-
ceptfng the commission as youngest dep
uty. and accepting 1t as Oldest deputy at
date Of appointment. Mr.. Piaisted has
found time to accept nearly~every Office
in the town Of York. beside founding and
publishing the York newspaper and PEN
Ing and maintaining the chief York cor
ner store. At present Mr.. Plaisted Is
town clerk Of York, an office which he
has held since 1900
What he may do now that he Is sheriff
once more depends largely on what the
law-breaking portion of York County do
But he had not been sheriff more than
eight months back In 1854 before he laid
the foundation for everlasting fame by
arresting the to-be hero of Manila. Ad-
miral Dewey was only a lieutenant then,
and the people down in York have such
faith in their town clerk that they are
almost convinced 1t was Mr.. Plaisted who
really gave the Admiral his first impetus
toward renown.
That Young Dewey.
Young Dewey was three years older
than me, and he felt pretty fine" Mr..
Plaisted explains. his bright blue ewes
a-twinkle- Down in the navy yard he
nit carpenter with a speaking trumpet
SO got after him My. He was mad
der'n wet hen. You can't arrest me"
ne says. Tn a United States officer.
and this is government land But
showed the warrant to the commodore
and the commodore says to Dewey: This
young fellow (meaning mel is right.
You're arrested and you'll have to go
along with him. / recollect he got fined
-. Kind of went up like a rocket and
come down like a stick. But I didn't
hold IL against him"
1t is because of his passage at arms
with Dewey that Mr.. Plaisted is best
known outside his own State But he
lasting service for posterity than serving
a warrant on any one. In his capacity
OF town clerk he unearthed the historical
documents of York and copied them in
his beautiful writing. clear as print, from
the record Of the first event some
800 years ago till the first record
at the institution of the present
State system in 1892. He also copied
the records of the neighboring town of
kittery, the vital statistics Of which
began to be set down about as years
before Mr.. Plaisted commenced his task.
Wouldn't Live There.
Among Maine politicians Mr.. Plaisted
is known as the man who wouldn't live
in Georges" Some enterprising towns
people Of York built a bridge which the
town did not want Then they tried to
make the town pay for it.. When the
town refused the bridgebuilders attempt
ed TO get the town divided into two vii
lages-York and Gorges-and Gorges was
to have the privilege of paying for the
bridge. The dividing line between
Gorges and York was to be so placed
that Mr.. Plaisted would become a resi-