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

today he had heard no criticism of
| the county attorney.
The attorney general-Did you hear
no unfaYorable comment upon the way
he handled the Snow case Did YOU
ever hear of a rape case where a. L.
yearold girl was involved and the
man confessed his crime To deputy
and was allowed to go free.
Witness-I never heard any criticism
about these cases.
Judge Cleayes was on his feet a mo-
nlent later with the declaration that he
was counsel for the man mentioned
who was under $1,000 bonds, that the
county attorney "hollered homself
hearse" for trial of the man at the
January term and that it was only
prevented by a sworn statement of
physician that the condition of the
mans wife was such that a court trial
might endanger her life. George L.
Emery, Junior counsel for the defence.
arose moment later and Informed the
convention that DR.. Fred E. Snow,
who was a client of his. was in Thorn
aston.
DR.. Frank NJ. Ross of kennebunk.
WHO stated that he WAS in favor OF
enforcement of the prohibtory law,
said that he had heard no criticism OF
County Attorney Richardson. Witness
admitted on cross examination, that
he knew that the county attorney had
not asked for jail sentences, Had
heard that Old Orchard was quite wide
open the previous summer. especially
during the automobile races.
The Arguments.
Counsel on each side Were given an
hour apiece for argument Judge Benla-
min f Cleaves closed for the defendant.
The unusual precedent of the two cases
of trial by address following eacn other
so closely was alluded to by counsel
Counsel read the single charge to which
the testimony was confined:
Second: Because the said Asa a.
Richardson did, at the September term
of the supreme judicial court, a. d. 1911,
in and for the county of York, procure
an Indictment against William L.. White
for violation of the prohibitory law,
which said Indictment was presented at
the said September term and the case
against said White continued to the jan
| uary term of said court. at which time
| the said Richardson requested permission
court had refused to grand said permits
| sion. said Richardson produced in place
| of the indictment in question paper
purporting to be an Indictment, which
was unsigned either by him, the said
Richardson, or by the foreman of the
grand jury, whereupon the said White
went free and that because of said ig=
| noraHt and corrupt act of the said Rich
| a4rdson the said White was not punished
| for his said violation of the prohibitory
| law
| Judge Cleaves charged that the state
| ment in regard to Richardson producing
| in place of the Indictment a paper, pur-
| porting to be an Indictment" was a false
| statement, that there was no substitution
| of any other paper upon the files of The
| York county court IT was for the cor
| vention to consider whether those who
| drew the resolve We're guilty of culpable
negligence or corruption or a mere mis-
| take Ike the unsigned indictment.
| There was no appreciable difference
| between the number of cases mol pressed
/ by the county attorney in his first term
| and the number mol pressed in his last
| term. If he was corrupt during the last
| of his term of Office he was corrupt at
l
| 1t was for the convention to determine
| whether or not the fact that County At
| torney Hobbs did ask for Jail sentences
| and County Attorney Richardson did not
/ ask for Jail sentences was evidence Of
| corruptness on the part of County Attor-
| ney Richardson. He alluded to the fact
| that three liquor deputies were allowed
to remain at Old orchard for the pur-
| pose of enforcing the prohibitory law,
| and asked if, under these circumstances,
| the county attorney did not go to Old
/ Orchard to enforce the prohibitory law it
/ was any evidence of a corrupt purpose
! in his not signing the William L. White
| Indictment.
| Matters are frequently continued in
| the Biddeford municipal court for one
| reason and another and sometimes for
no particular reason whatever. When
ever a brother attorney asks for such
an accommodation he is usually ac-
| commodated. 1t is done in every well
| regulated court in this State
And when Attorney Hurd asked for