The Republican journal., 1914-04-02
Civic League Sunday.

Civic League Sunday.
Rev. Wilber F. Berry Addresses Union
Meeting on Excluded Evidence"
Rev. Wilbur F. Berry. Rev. C. E. Owen and
Mr.. E. F. Emery Of the Maine Civic League
were in Belfast Sunday and spoke from the
local pulpits. In the morning Mr.. Berry spoke
at the Methodist church. Mr.. Owen at the Bap-
tist and MIR. Emery at the Universalist. each
taking up the general work of the League and
speaking in particular of present conditions
and the attitude of the three parties on the
prohibitory law.
At union meeting in the evening in the
Methodist church DR.. Berry spoke on Eek
cIuded Evidence to a large and representa-
tive audience that included many men not in
the habit of church attendance Rev. D.
B. Phelan presided; Rev. Charles B. Ames.
Unitarian, had the responsive reading;
Rev. Haraden S. Pearl. Congregationalist.
read the Scripture-"The fall of Babylon
and Rev.Walter F. Sturtevapt, Bal tist, offered
prayer. The regular church choir and the au-
dience furnished good music. Mr.. Owen after
a few general remarks spoke of the organiza-
ton of the Civic League in Bath II years ago
as "child of the churches"; placing special
stress on the need OF financial assistance,
which comes largely from the churches, and
the ushers distributed pledge cards, which were
later collected. In introducing Dr. Berry, Mr..
Phelan referred to him as personal friend and
spoke of the interest all law-abiding citizens
felt in the arrest and trial of DR. Berry on charge
of libel by Justice Haley. DR.. Berry began by
saving that he was not delivering this lecture
thr roughout the State of Maine for sympathy,
for he did not need or care for 1T. He bore no
special enmity to Justice Haley and would will
lingly do him kindness if opportunity afford
ed; but was telling the story to illustrate the
injustice done in excluding the evidence in the
Superior Court at Portland last January when
he was tried for libel for an article in the Civic
League Record charging Justice Haley with
protecting the Bangor rumsellers and the null
lification of law. He told of his arrest in Octo-
Der, 1913, and of his trip to Portland and of
spending the night in the Cumberland county
Jail in the sheriff's Office through the courtesy
of that official. At the trial Justice Haley sat
just behind the County Attorney and many
times touched him to object to evidence and at
one time was heard to say "no. no. no" before
the County Attorney could object 1t was al
presiding judge for over an hour while the full
court was in waiting for his charge. The two
came into court at the same time and the pre-
siding judge read his charge from manuscript.
He urged the jury to agree and in case some
should differ to go with the majority, which is
said to be an unusual sentiment for pres i'd
ing Justice. DR.. Berry said that the jury un-
der these conditions could do nothing but con-
vict as the court records and other evidence in
his behalf had been persistently ruled out.
He read reports of the September term of the
Penobscot County Court. Justice Haley pre-
siding. as published in the Waterville Sentinel
and The Bangor Daily News, and referred to
severe than those of the Civic League. DR..
Berry said he had never charged Justice
Haley with corruption, but did criticise the
public acts of a public official who is a serv-
ant of the people of Maine and who had
taken his oath to do the work he was paid for
by the people of this State in imposing the
penalties the avs call for in certain cases.
The penalty against stealing is to stop stealing
and the penalty against liquor selling is to stop
liquor selling, and the dictionary power of
iu6ge is not the right to set aside the States
penalties but to his judgment as to the
degree and to make the sentence within the
limits as the individual case may demand. A
persistent violator of the liquor law with seven
or more indictments deserves more severe
penalty than one accused for the first time. 1t
is the duty of the judge to enforce penalties
and it is the duty of the people of Maine to
put out one who is unfaithful or incompetent in
the work ne is paid to do. Withholding names
he told of officials who had shared profits with
rumsellers and in few years become wealthy
He alleged that one judge had said at banquet
that he "never would send man to Jail fol
selling rum" He also told of the Leagues
part in the hearings before the Legislature in
the c. ses Of unfaithful sheriffs.
Perhaps the most convincing of the exclud'
ed evidence was the attitude Of the Bangor
|
and Haley. There were LAG cases on the crimi
nal docket at the terms presided over by thu
two first named and every rumseller was il
hiding with the exception of one from Brewer
who was caught, and he defaulted his bail anc
has never returned to the business. They
feared Judges Cornish and King for they ex-
pected the penalties the laws called for. Wher
it was known Judge Haley was to preside they
came voluntarily to the court room. all plead
ing guilty. and every case called was settled
with fine and costs, just as they had said they
understood they would be- The Bangor News
report of the days proceeding was interesting
in view of the fact that DR.. Berry was arrest
ed and charged with criminal libel for what tn
League had said. The evidence excluded b!
the Superior Court in Portland is being giveI
from nearly every pulpit in Maine. with the
thinking people Of the State to judge Of th'
justice or injustice of DR.. Berry's article. o.
his arrest and of his trial. DR.. Berry had the
close attention of the audience throughout his
address. The meeting closed with the bene
diction by Rev. Arthur A. Blair of the Univer
| salist Church.
NEWSPAPER NOTES.