Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-02-20

After comparatively quiet period
covering several weeks the municipal
court began the week yesterday morn
| ing with seVera; cases and of a varied
character the docket including two Ii
quor cases, two intoXication cases and
one IN which the charge was larceny,
! and in each case there was a convic-
/ ton.
| The case in which perhaps center
ed the greatest amount Of interest was
that of Herbert YeatOn, who was ar
! raigned on the charge of illegal pos
/ session of intoxicating liquors with in
/ tent to sell the same in violation of the
{ laws of the State This case grew out
I of visit by the police Sunday after
room to Mr.. Yeaton'S residence near
/ the Augusta dam. the house being the
same that has for years been known as
the Dam house" and which has in
the past made history, which is prin
cipally recorded in the books of the
municipal court
At the time of the visit of the police
there was another member of the
Yeaton household. known locally as
Monte Halves" and it developed dur
elsewhere Sunday afternoon it might
have been better for Mr.. Yeaton, and
very much better for Monte himself,
all of which is explained later. When
the officers arrived at the Dam house
Monte was lying on bed and evident
" under the influence of some stuff
that is out of courtesy called whisky
and is sold by the pint at 81 per.
- 10 e
ficers saw no evidence of liquor, hut
as they wanted Monte. whose presence
was desired before the court on ac-
count of a certain Illegal transaction
which he was alleged to have consum-
mated Il few weeks ago, they prepar-
cd to take him with them on the re-
turn trip to the police station. 1t re-
quired some strenuous massage move
ment on various parts Of MOnte's an
atomy to get him into shape for the
walk down town. but finally he was
able to walk, and upon reaching the
cutter air he repaid Mr.. Yeaton's
hospitality by telling the officers that
they would not find anything in the
house but to search Yeatcn, as he mad
the stuff in his pockets, which they
did and took from him a pint bottle
and two half-pint bottles. each filled
with whisky. After this Mr.. Yeaton
and Monte were brought down town
together.
Wien arraisred before the court
Monday morning Yeaton pleaded not
guilty, but the evidence was against
him and at the end Of the hearing the
court found him guilty and imposed
sentence of 500 and costs and 90 DAYS
in Jail, and in default of payment of
fine and costs 50 days additional no
appeal was taken and later in the dav
tho respondent was committed to Jail
Following the Heaton case was that
of Monte Halves. Monte was first ar
ralgncd on the charge of intoXication
ana as he was in no position to deny
the charge he admitted it and was
thcreupon given a sentence Of 90 DAYS
in Jail. But his troubles did not end
there for the court had been holding
something in reserve for him in case
he should appear. Monte had been the
subject of moro or less gossip among
his friends of the social set since
about the middle of January, and the
glst of the gossip was that he had
worked the triple cajinkS on one of
Augustus iumbermen and incidentally
some men whom the latter had hired
him to take up into the lumber camps,
the misplaced confidence costing the
lumberman SIS. Monte could not DENY
that this latter charge was true and
the court promptly pronounced him
guilty Of larceny and gave him a SEN
tence of 60 days in jail, the sentence to
begin at the expiration OF the sentence
first given.
The third liquor case of the morn
ing was that of Joseph Bellavance
whose house at 81 Washington street
was visited Saturday night by Deputy
Shcriffs McCausland. Dutton, Hunt ,
and Nash, and who took a quart bot
tie filled with whiskcy. A portion Of
the whiskey in the second bottle was
drawn into a smaller bottle at the time
of the visit of the officers and given to
Mrs. BellaVancc she being i'll.
When arraigned before tho court /
Bellavance was represented by James
Boyle and by advice of his counsel
waived a reading of the warrant and
pleaded not guilty. The sherlffs told of
their visit to the Ballavance house, de- |
scribed its interior arrangement and
told of the finding of the liquor So
erected in a drop head sewing machine
in a storcroom which room was off the
kitchen. Some time was devoted to the /
description of the closet or cupboard.
Mr.. BclIavance, the respondent, also
took the stand in his own behalf and
the major part of his testimony was
devoted to criticism of the action of
the officers on their arrival at his
house, saying that they came in like
fools, with their flashlights turned on"
As the man is stone blind the court
took occasion to ask him how he knew
their flashlights were turned on. to
which the respondent replied: well. |