Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-04-08

did you A. Yes, sir
q. Spoilers, we call them, | don't
mean the term as a reproach. A. De-
tectiNes. | think is II better name.
q. But not regular detectives-th
were men employed in that particular
Iine of work, weren't they? A. Yes.
sir.
Q And YOU took iii your country
deputies. and used those men with
whom the liquor men were not so
wei acquainted? A. Yes. sir, | think
I" some extent they were used
9 Now then. with all that assist
anee, did YOU find it possible to keep
ihe So liquor saloons closed in Port
land? a. Not all of them
@. y good many of them were open
were they not? \. Well. not open
and in the sense that the barkeepcr
aid not set out when some of us came
in
O. But they sold liquor? A. We
seldom could find any liquor in the
bar room.
g. They sold liquor didn't they l.?
~ They did. think. Couldn't say
positively as to that, but it is my
opihieh they did when We Were not
! there.
q Well, Mr.. skininss. you were
! about Portland a good deal in those
! two Sears. Didn't You see any indi-
cation that liquor Was being sold in
I Portland during those two years? A.
| | did. yes sir
@. Of course you did. | know you
arc going to be fair with me and frank
with the commission on those matters.
| Now us matter of fact, with all the
effort that could be made and that
WAS made. liquor selling was far from
| being suppressed in Portland. wasn't
tit2 \. Why. it was not supre ssed
altogether. There was Il great deal
of pocket peddling.
@ And when some of these places
were closed, other places sprang up,
didn't they? A. Yes, sir. kitchen bar
rooms.
Q. Quite number? ~ Quite a
number. yes SIR.
@. Kitchen bar rooms became pref
iy extensive? A. Yes, sir.
@ And those. as an official YOU
found it practically impossible te
reach, didn't you? A. Not altogether.
q. | don't mean that you couldn't
get an offender here and there, but
TO do anything toward. anything that
looked like supressng them and
stamping them out? Do | make my
self clear? \. Why. | think so ]
couldn't say as to that. know we
found quite q number of places.
G. You didn't by any means sue
coed in eliminating that feature? a.
No sir. we did not.
@. Or in preventing drunkenness in
the city? A No, sir
Q. Do you know where the Cum
berland Club is located? y. Yes. sir
Q. During the last II years. have
YOU known that the Cumberland Club
has heen maintained as an institu-
ton? a. Yes. sir.
.. Ever know of its being disturbed
bv any official A. I don't remem-
Der
q. You don't remember of its ever
having been disturbed? A. don't
remember that it ever has been.
@. Do you know where other Clubs
are located, without naming them,
other clubs in Portland, Social Clubs :?
A. Yes, sir,
IL years haven't they? A. I think so.
q. And some of them have never
been disturbed by anybody? A. j
couldn't say.
@. As far as you know? A. As far
as l know, | don't know that they
have.
Q. AT least they were not during
the time i'll which you We're actively
engaged in the work? A. Well. !
think there were some that were dis
turbed.
Q. And some that We're not? A
Some that were not.
q. You spoke of a place called the
Calf Topsai. Do you know when that
place was first opened? A. don't
remember
q. Now, Mr. Skillings after ascer-
tanning the present conditions i'll Port
land, did YOU make any report TO the
sheriff? a. No. sir
q. Or any request of him? A. on
" in the matter of-No. no personal
request TO the sheriff. matter of
complaint, l complained of this place,
there saw the man purchase q
half pint of liquor.
@. You complained OF that to the
young lady? A. To the young lady
in the sheriff's Office
Q. And he was then in the city OF
| Washington? y. l was told that he
was in Washington.
@ That is during the present
| month? A. In March.
@. And excepting for that one mat
Ter You have never made any COM
plant to the sheriff or his officers,
have you? A. / have talked with the
sheriff about his doing his duty in the
CITY of Portland.
Q. Have you made any specific com
plants of any places to him? A. l don't
know that | have.
Q. Have you made any complaints to
the Court? l mean to your Municipal
Court? A. No. sir.
q. Have you been To the county at
torney in regard to these matters? A.
No sir.
@. You know the county attorney? a.
Yes sir
q. Mr.. Bates? A. Yes sir.
9. You haven't taken any of these
matters to the grand jury? A. No, sir
q. From your experience and knowl-
edge Of affairs in Portland with relation