Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-04-14

showing that there was a regulation
and a compromise with this traffic that
we had in the other cases where the
sherins have been in trial before us
notwithstanding that we may believe
and probably do believe that the sys-
tenn is worse than 1t Is in those other
| counties. but the sheriff Is an execu-
tive officer, he is the one who takes
| the initiative, and the county attorney
| takes the orders as they came from
him and does his duty
Has this man done his duty? | attn
not going to argue that he has. Prob
| ably he has not. Has any other .oun.
ty attorney in the State done his duty.
| so far as you know, in relation to these
| cases? | do not believe in blaming
| this young man for anything that he
has done as county attorney. | do not
believe he has done all that he should
have done as county attorney But
gentlemen, the county attorney, as
was said in the argument here, is
clothed with a discretion; he has this
certain work to perform; the matter
of corruption is eliminated from the
charge. | feel that if we as members
of the Bar if our dockets were open
ed to the inspection of an invcstigat-
| ing committee, our civil dockets III our
own offices. how many cases of neg
ligence would appear thereon, wilfGl
negligence? But ,that is not an an
swer to wilful negligence such wlful
negligence and refusal to perform the
duties required of him. But l say we
should have strong, claar and convinc
convince us beyond reasonable doubt
that this young man in these three
months has wilfuily and Intentionally
prostituted his Office. l do not think
the evidence SHOWS that. | think f
the young man does not do better thar
he has he ought not to be county at
torney, but l do not think that We
ought to remove him from that Office
in order to assist any sheriff that may
be. appointed. 1t is not a question of
whether the evidence in this case con :
vinces us beyond reasonable doubt
that he is guilty of this charge against
him.
AS | said before, believe that
case has not been made out against
him: and Notwithstanding the elo-
quence and the ability and the plaus-
, ability and the convincing nature OF
the evidence and of the argument of
the attorney general and the appeal
that was made, have not changed my
mind. / believe that we should act
upon this case, as has been said. re-
CARELESS as to whether of party, and
l will say regardless as to whether
this man is a member of the Bar or
hA1t "a
yer In this House will consider that
in this case, but l do believe that whea
this vote is called that you will find
the members of the Bar almost as 4
whole against this propositions l nave
taken longer time than | expected
to tell why | shall vote no on this
resolve.
Mr.. MORNEAU of Lewiston: Gen
tlemen, | have not imposed myself
,,pon the indulgence of this House for
the last three months, and / am not
going to do so at this time This
case has been we'll argued by both
sides, but / wish to make an appeal
to you. Gentlemen, this case touches
me deeply because l had practically
at one time the same start, but alt
that has vanished and been thrown
, to the winds by the opposition of the
! party with which / have been iden-
titled, and with which am still idenl-
! fled. I realize how sad it Is for young
man such as William II. Hines, with
whom | have been associated for years.
and he is my pal and | know him,
| he is a good lawyer and an upright
citizen: / cannot tell you whether il
is through the machinery of some plan
why he was brought into it and ex-
posed and talked about. Gentlemen,
many of you are old men here; many
Of you have some of his age, and per-
| hans many of you have sons who are
lawyers and ambitious young men. and
perhaps your son will be placed in a
similar position at the head of great
county. make this appeal to you, gem
tlemen, please do not throw to the
winds the career of a smart and enter
prising young man such as Mr.. Hines
is. (Applause)
Mr.. NEWBERT of Augusta: Mr..
Speaker, | Just want to say WORD. IL
seems TO me. if possible, this Is more
solemn occasion than any that has con-
cronted us n executive session, Tor
reasons which | need not go INTO.
would not for moment presume 10 SIT
in Judgment upon any man coh-
science who votes in this room. can
Justify my own action, and thst IS sui
fcient. At the beginning OF these mat
tiers l laid down for myself 1uho.i-
mental principle, and l said TO myseu'
and I said it TO no other man 'hihk
nor did l ask any other man now ne
would vote-I laid down for myseif the
principle that unless ! could ma eVi,
dence of corruption On the part oi
county officials or some fragrant Nio-
lation of oath, or some evidence u
high crimes or misdemeanors. that
should never vote in this House rec
omn,ending to the Governor Oh eiiis
| state the removal of any of1iciai eject
! ed to office.
voted for John Ballou; voted tor
| the sheriff of Cumberland county; !
would have voted for Sheriff emerson
/ lad I been here, but l was absent on
account of sickness; and l am Wiling
! at any time to go before the good peo-
ME of this State on this principle Whlch
| I have laid down for my own conduct,
/