Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-06-25
Editors Letter Box
Thinks Public OUGHT "a Know.

uefstdhu tue same. and In thus mah.ie
known these facts. 1t is my earnest de-
sire that ] shall be taking a step to- !
ward the betterment Of deplorable
condition which exists at the present
time in an important department of our
Government. which has as its one ana
wrongful and criminal acts AS il Is
well known the National Home at To-
gus so far as the criminal jurisdiction
Of courts is concerned. is within the
jurisdiction Of the United States. ami
all acts of criminal nature taking
place therein are. or should be, prose
cuted by proceedings instituted through
the office Of the United States attnrney'
which is now located at Portland
Maine. The act of which l particularly
complain took place on the 30th day of
November, 1917 and from that day
down to the present time | have ex-
pended every effort in attempting TO
bring about fair and honorable deter
mination of the matter at hand, and al
though / have lost no opportunity IN
bringing the facts Of this case before
those whose duty 1t is to see that the
matter is judicially determined. | have
been delayed until the perpetrator OF
the crime has now died and the crirni-
nal deed has passed forever. so far as
the courts are concerned, untried and
not punished.
Previous to the above date one Mar
National Home, because he had been
reprimanded for making certain dis
loyal and disrespectful remarks con
corning our Government. particularly
against our President and others hav-
ing to do with the prosecution of the
present war. armed himself with long
knife and sought the proper opportunl-
~ of putting to death two of the IN
mates Of the Home who had endeaV-
ored to induce him to cease making
-. h. hry1
Of November 50th. it became known
that Mr.. Weller had a knife and the
Surgeons Department of the Home was
notified of his possessing it. Having
this knowledge. officers in that depart
nent neglected to take the knife from
him. the result being that somewhere
between 8 and $50 at night, when ne
supposed that all OF the occupants OF
his ward were asleep. he stole down to
the other end of the ward, thrust the
knife into the breast of myself and
quickly left me and inflicted a similar
injury upon another comrade In an adj
joining bed. Our wounds were poth
dangerous. inflicted in about the same
place near the heart and with about
the same severity. During my recoV-
cry which lasted 25 DAYS. proceedings
had rot taken place to bring the crimi-
nal to justice and imnediat ely upon
my getting about ! presented the facts
of the crs Sc which were already known
TO the officers OF the Home 10 the United
States District Attorney at Portland.
and a warrant or complaint was iorth-
with refused. The facts being as they
were 1t is my honest belief that as GER
tain officers Of the Home were negligent
in failing to remove the DANGEROUS YEA
pon from my assailant. their asso.iate'
we're anxious that criminal proceedings
should not take place and the real
facts made known to the puaiic. 1t Is
also my honest belief that because OF
this des'ra no proceedings were ever
instituted by the United States District
attorney.
About the middle Of January in 1918,
when through my counsel | presented
ny tacts TO the United States attorney,
was told by him that Mr. Weller was
probably insane and therefore he did
not think it best to proceed, but would
place the case before the department.
Of justice. II was not at that time and
never has heen, my desire or the desire
Of the other man who was so danger
ously assaulted. that Mr.. Weller, II in
sane. should be punished but We hoth
; always felt and still feel that inasmuch
that the sanity OF the man should be
iudicially determined and that II he
was found TO be sane. he Tfould ne
runished as other criminals are pun
| ished and II insane placed under con-
inement as other insane criminals of
I
NV first appeal to Mr.. Merrill. the
present incumbent Of that Office, was
made on the 4th day of January. when
the matter was then over month OLD
and no proceedings had been started.
do not know what Investigation con-
corning his sanity was made. but get
ting no satisfaction after receiving on
the 5th day Of March another Letter
from Mr. Merrill stating simply that he
had received a letter from the Governor
Of the Home advising him that he, ire
Governor. on that day had referred the
matter To the president of the board OF
managers for action and it seeming to
me that the matter had been dismisset
from his office | then took the matter
IN with the attorney generals ONCE in
Washington. from which. on the 10Th
dsy OF Nav | was notified that the
United States attorney had been direct
Ell by that department TO proceed with
tire prosecution ar Weller From the
10th to the 25th day of May no proceed
ings had been commenced even upon
these instructions and | again wrote
the district attorney to ascertain the
reason therefor. and by his letter which
bears date Of May 9th. he notified me
that re would take up the matter as
soon as he could reach it. but he again
della we'd the matter until the 18th day OF
June when Mr. Weller died,
Mr.. Welers death ends. of course, all
Grin nal proceedings and all civil FRO
ceetin-s so far az I am concerned. hut
II does not and cannot relieve TO my
mind the gross injustice which has been
done me and which may be perpetrate
upon others, when the facts OF the case
ace SO omen and clear that because OF
the neglect and conduct on the part OF
one department OF the Government an
other department would clearly AMI
openly refuse to follow the law and
carry out it's duties Had Weller de-
fenre every fair and honorable Oppor
tunity would have been given him 70
make Il known and protect himself.
hut nowhere in the law can IL be founi
that il is the duty Of prosecuting at
.orney to present and encourage the de-
fsrse of criminal and thereby lose
sight of the prosecution Of his case.
7 have given the above facts which
are substantiated by the correspond
ence which 7 have referred to. | nave
not overstated anything, nor 40 de
sire to attempt to misleah anVhodN re-
gardipg this matter. The real facts
are two citizens of this community
have been grossly end wilfullv assault
ed to a degree that only b" Z miracle
death had not resulted in both cases,
and little attention has been paid 10 the
crime 50 far as the proper officials are
concerned No more important office
exists in our State than that of the I.
3. District Attorney and ] trust that in
presenting these facts before the pub
lie may be doing this community some
good. because I believe that if such
things are known that the citizens will
see to It that tactful and efficient Off
cIsls are chosen to carry out the duties
prescribed for them.
Richard Fl Wilkinson,
National Homo, Maine.
16-Year.oId Lad for Annapolis