Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-03-17
CONSTABLE CREATES
EXCITEMENT BY A
SHOT after FUGITIVE

Constable B. O. York of Oakland
was in town for about an hour Mon
day forenoon but though his stay was
short he created more excitement than
anything that had stirred the atmo-
sphere of the peaceful and quiet city
for many moons. The mission of the
constable was the commitment of a
prisoner, one George F. Douglass, to
the county Jail to serve a sentence of
80 days, which had been imposed upon
him by the Oakland municipal court,
on a charge of intoxication.
1t is no unusual event in Augusta to
have prisoners committed to Jail from
Oakland, and although four others
from that town had been committed
earlier in the day it excited no COM
ment. The constable arrived with his
charge on the II o'clock car from
Waterville, it is said. and had the
committal of his prisoner been accom-
plished with the CELEBRITY which char
acteriZed that of the four who had
preceded i'm in cargo OF deputy sher-
iif it is doubtful if any one with the
exception of the Jail officials would
have known that he had been in town.
But that was not 10 be. When Con-
stable York and his prisoner arrived
in the city they laid their course up
over Winthrop hill toward the jail, and
everything went we'll until when part
way up the hill the prisoner changed
his mind and decided that he would
not go to Jail With him to think was
to act, and in less time than it takes
to tell it he had left the astonished Of
ficer and was speeding down the hill
even as a bullet leaves the muZzle OF
a rife.
Constable York was not slow in
starting in pursuit, but it was age
against youth and by the time that
the officer reached the foot of the hill
the fugitive was speeding up Dickman
street. The officer kept on, however
until on reaching a position in front
of the Wright blacksmith shop ne saw
his late prisoner skip down the stone
steps at the foot of Oak street, across
the railroad tracks and make his way
along the driveway at the west Oh tne
White coal office and still increasing
the distance between himself ana MS
pursuer.
Realizing no doubt that his man was
about to escape, the constapie hai'eu
and hastily unlimbering his pocket ar
tillery. he sent a shot after the fusi-
tive. intending no doubt to halt MIN III
his flight. but it did not and the man
kept on until further up Commercial
street. when out of wind from his rum
he slowed down to a walk ana was
stopped by two men who had hearo
the shot and saw him coming. Ihe OF
ficer soon came up and after Douglass
had been ironed he was once more leu
IN the hill and to the JAIL
The sight Of the two men coming
down the hill, followed by the souno
of a pistol shot soon collected crown
and furnished the subject of plenty Oh
conversation for an hour afterwaro.
Just where the constables bullet went
has not been determined. 1t is pnder-
stood that at the Jail he allowed ina.
he discharged his pistol in the air put
some of those who saw the act di1er
materially with him regarding the ol-
rection of the shot. AS no one was nui'
| II does not make any material diHer-
ence where the bullet went. but to tne
| average person it would seem httie
bit careless to say the least.