Daily Kennebec journal., 1916-09-28

peared before the Governor and Coun-
Gil at their meeting Wednesday at the
executive chamber at the State House
and presented its views on subjects,
upon which The Governor and Council
rad expressed their opinion Tuesday
evening. Chairman Philip J. Deering
stated that the commission had its or
ders and had tried to live up to them
He stated that II had been ordered not
TO exceed any of its appropriations and
all the actions of the commissioners had
been based on that idea.
In regard to the Thomaston road, upon
which the Governor and Council had
passed an order authorizing the expen-
diture Of $4,000. Mr.. Deering stated that
there would be barely sufficient money
from the maintenance in accordance
with the law and that the commission
could not touch the automobile fees un-
Ill January ], next. He also spoke of
a job in Prospect under the Haines ad-
ministration, upon which the commits
sion had thought 1t best not to follow
the order of the Goevrnor and Council
at once because the appropriation had
not been large enough
Governor Curtis criticized the meth
DDS of bookkeeping in the Office of the
Highway Commissioners.
Councillor John c. Scates of Westbrook
stated that the commission has $780,
600 that it can use and he criticized
the commission for not expending $4,000
upon the Thomaston road, which he
said, is disgrace.
1t is rumored about the State House
that in view of tie disturbance owing
to the differences between the Governor
and Council and the Highway Commits
sion there may be proposed at the spe-
cial session Of the Legislature an
amendment to the Highway law placing
the commission and the appropriations
more directly under the control Of the
Governor and Council.
At the Tuesday evening session Gov
ernor Curtis had intimated that he would
recommend to the special session of the
Legislature that the State Highway
Commission be abolished, and among
other things he said:
Its ridiculous the way this commits
sion has acted With over 100000 on
fend the Highway. Commission would
not allow $1,000 for work on the Thom-
aston road where one man had spent
nearly $4,000. The Governor and coun-
Gil have no more authority than set
Of monkeys as to how this road money
shall be spent. The State Highway Com
mission sets itself up as czars over the
Governor and council and the whole
state. There is no question as to the
Justice of the order
IF you get the Highway Commission
TO do this work you ought to be con-
gratulated.' said the Governor, ad-
dressing himself to Mr.. Bass. After
the order was passed for the work to
be done. the Governor said that the
Governor and Council have no author
ity in this road business. but they get
the blame for it just the same.
The whole State is disgusted with
the commission and l don't make any
bones of saying it," was Gov. Curtis
parting shot, after which the council
adjourned until Wednesday.
The members of the State Highway
Commission are Philip j. Deering of
Portland, William NJ. Aver Of Oakland
and Frank A. Peabody of Houlton.
Messrs. Deering and Peabody are DEM
ocrats and were appointed by Governor
Curtis. The commission was created
during Governor Haines' administration.
PARDON hearInSS
Pardon hearings were commenced at
the opening of the meeting at 1920 A.
NJ. The hearing upon the petition of
Giuseppe Castiglio, who is serving
life sentence in the States prison at
Thomaston for murder, was continued TO
the October meeting upon the request
of the counsel, Jacob H. Berman Of
Portland
Hearing on Avery's Petition
The next hearing in order was on the
petition of Harry Avery. who is serv-
ing a sentence Of not less than IS
months nor more than three years for
bigamy. He was sentenced by Judge
Fred Emery Beane Of the superior court
for kennebec county at the september
term, 1915. Merritt A. johnson of Rock
land appeared as counsel for the petit
toner,
Attorney Johnson went briefly over
the case, stating that everything went
well with Avery until 1913, when Avery
noticed that his wife was keeping COM
pany with other men. Avery then be-
gan to drink. He landed in ST. Louis
and there he was arrested for intoxi-
cation. He gave checks under the old
partnership name and as there were
no funds he was convicted for forgery
III the fourth degree. Later he went to
Detroit to find his wife and she told
him that she was .all done and was
free. The counsel brought out that the
point that when Avery married the
second time he believed by his first
wife's statements that she had obtain
ed divorce from him. Avery had re-
ceived a letter from Adrian, Mich,
signed Fred W." which told of the
death of his first wife and had sup
posed that this letter was written to
him by his old friend. Fred Willett Of
Adrian. Mich. After Avery had mar
!ied his second wife he heard rumors
that his first wife was living and had
not been divorced from him. He went
West to investigate and found that
these were true. He returned to Au-
gusta. Upon his arrival in the city NE
was arrested.
The counsel read letters from the
following asking that Avery be pardon
ed: w. B. Williamson, F. L. Weber,
R. G. Goodman, G. A. Ellinwood Co.,
B. F. Maher, Frank Hewins. Charles
E. Davis, Burleigh Martin, Byron