Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-05-16
Sheriff of PenObsC0t
Opens Campaign
For RenOmina=
ton in June
Defles Any Man 10 Show He
Has Not Fulfilled Oath

OConneu opened III hIiAoAu
night his campaign for the hepuDii-
can nomination for sheriff of Fenoo-
scot county before the June prima-
ries. Although the meeting was one
of the regular fortnightly gatherings
of the Republican organization IN the
town. and the fact that the sheriff
was to make his opening speech there
had not been widely advertised, there
were over 100 in the Town hall wheh
the sheriff made his appearance.
Albion Cakes. chairman of the board
of selectmen, presided and Harry
Bartlett was the secretary. The chalF-
man spoke but briefly. introducing the
sheriff. who was greeted with APP
plause. -.
Sheriff O'Connell spoke for half an
hour. combining himself to his recofa
since his appointment to the ONCE OF
sheriff by Gov. Haines a year ago
last April. There were many present
who looked for considerable comment
on the part of the sheriff upon the
recent action of the Governor IN ask
ing for his resignation on the charge
that he had not properly fulfilled the
duties of his office, but beyond SUD-
Knitting his record in comparison with
other sheriffs of the county, and re-
counting some of the difficulties that
he has had to overcome. the sherld
touched but lightly on that phase OF
the present political situation in the
county.
ct came to Milford tonight" said
Sheriff O'Connell, because 1t is nat
ural that a man should start his cam
paign in his home town. II that town
isn't with him, it isn't much use for
him to start. When l was elected to
the Legislature this town gave me al
most enough majority to carry me
through all the other towns of the
class went to the Legislature, and In
four short months l found myself on
April 80 of that year sheriff of Pc
nobscot county.
ST found myself in an Office that
men have sought hard to get, have
spent money for, and for the first
time in the history of the county there
was sheriff that had not been dep
uty, had any of the experience that
goes with such an office, or even worn
a constable's badge.
There were men that didn't like
the appointment; they may have had
friends they wanted to see appointed
or may have been candidates them
selves, and some of them said that
could not get the bond of $4,000 that
was staring me in the face. I had
eight days to get that bond and APP
point my deputies-only eight days to
do the work, while other men who
have held the Office have had from the
time of the September election until
the first of January to accomplish it.
Yet did it,
Here the sheriff paid a tribute to
the men who have served under him
as deputies during the time that he
has held the office.
This campaign and election are GO
ing to be a fight all the way. There
are three candidates for the office, and
1 will say in the opening of my cam
paign that I am going all through Pc
nobscot county submitting my record
since / have been sheriff with any
other man that has ever had the Of
flee.
Il will submit the record that l
have made with the little force of
five deputies that / have had and
will put 1t against the days of the
Sturgis enforcement with their Is dep
uties in this county or the stirring
days of Simon Jerrard. l claim that
have done as well as the last sher-
iff or those before him. If | have,
am entitled TO the same consideration
that has been given him.
"No sheriff that has been elected
in Penobscot county has been asked
to give the record of what he has
done, yet l shall lay mine before the
people of the county, and the compar-
ison will be in my favor.
"On assuming the office / found the
memory of the Sturgis enforcement
still fresh in the minds of the people
the enforcement that with Is men
couldn't make Bangor dry. The senti-
ment was against me. The city coun-
Gil Of Bangor sent a committee of three
men TO the county commissioners ask
ing them to discharge my deputies be-
cause they were costing too much.
But that wasn't so much of a blow as
the law court handed out when they
cut the salary of my deputies from So
To ~ day. The men We're placed on
ices, and then the county commits
sloners bluepenciled those. If a dep
uty worked all day and served as aid
on several warrants he was allowed
but 81 In other words they asked MIN
to work for 10 cent an hour"
The sheriff said that since he has
held the office he has seized 1882 gal
Ions of whiskey, and he told of the
countless barrels of ale and beer that
have been taken.
We have collected $26,581 in fines
and the cost of enforcement has been
$76s2.15. Penobscot county is better
off by $4,000, and there are 5000 gal
Ions Of liquor in the rum room today
waiting for the court to decide wheth
er it is legitimate to have 5000 gallons
of liquor come into this State in one
car.
There has been cut of two-thirds
Of the number Of men in the county
Jail. Take the daily average The re-
port for 1911 shows an average of 102.
for 1912. IS; for 1913, 81. have saved
the county $4,000 in boarding prisoners.
Sheriff O'onnell does not claim that
he is enforcing the law in Old Town
50 effectively as to make the town