Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-02-19
The De Forest Keyes
Resolve Up Before
Claims Committee

A hearing before the. claims commit
tee, Tuesday afternoon, on the resolve
in favor of De Forest Reyes to re-
imburse him for the payment 10 the
State of $4,000 for worthless tax
deeds featured. a lengthy session of
that committee. Charles j. Staples,
his attorney, who has been fighting for
Keyes. FOR 10 wears was again on hand
from Buffalo to carry on the fight for
his client E.x-Attorney General
George NJ Seiders. of Portland, and
Judge Wing of Auburn also made
ELOQUENT pleas in behalf of Reyes.
Another hearing of considerable in
terest before the committee was that
Reporting co. of New York city and
there were also hearings on resolves
favoring the towns of Belmont, Tai
maya, Milbridge, Milo, Limestone.
Ashland and Carthage for aid given
to State paupers. There We're two
hearings on resolves in favor of
Storm Messell of Stockholm and f.
Mcfarland, Forest Station
The resolve in favor of DeForest
Reyes calls for the reimbursement of
Mr. Keyes in the sum Of s25,S43.35 in
payment of interest, taxes and worth
less tax deeds.
Ex-Attorney General Seiders moved
that the claim of Herbert l.. kimball
for s22276, which was a parallel case
be considered at the same time.
Attorney Staples introduced himself
to the committee as being the man
who has fought for 10 years to obtain
Justice from the State of Maine and
has in all travelled 10000 miles during
his fight, part of which AT his own
expense. He said the case he was
fighting for involved the financial ruin
of one American citizen and the in
tegrity and honor of the State itself.
He pointed, out that according to all
traditions Maine would he the first to
repudiate just debt of this sort. He
told of the invitation of Young Reyes
10 come to the State of Maine and
purchase these worthless tax deeds
and said that from beginning to end
the transaction of which the State
was n part was nothing but a farce.
that the State has the money and had
the use Of it in return for which it
has given absolutely no compensation
W. c0ntlnl1eQ- ne mas iIti SoI
what the State said they Were giving
him and the pathetic thing about 1t
is that he can bring suit against no
one 10 recover his money. He must
depend entirely upon the honesty and
justice of the Maine Legislature.
He showed that it was no longer a
question of law as it had given the
stamp of fought to pass in the judici-
airy committee. He quoted well-known
legislators in the State who upon the
floor had cried ont that the honor of
the State Of Maine was involved.
He concluded by saying that a
square deal was the ideal of our fore
father and that as the foundation OF
our government had made II the
sturdy nation that il is.
Judge Wing of AuDurn advocated
the paying hack of the money to Mr..
Reyes and gave n brief history of the
| fight that has been made with no
| avail in this state. He cited public
opinion as expressed through the col
ums Of the newspapers and many pre-
vious resolves of similar nature that
had been passed. He stated most en-
phatically that he was not paid te
appear in the matter.
| Mr.. Soldiers spoke of the justice OF
the resolve, the honor Of the State
that was involved. the great good thai
had been done the State by the con
treversy. He also stated that he was
not to receive any compensation what
| ever and that he had no contract WITT
| Mr. Reyes or his attorney of any
kind. ts&
Joseph Williamson Of Augusta APP
peared for the Law Reporting Go
and stated that the resolve was tn