Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-03-31

ment should swear to his claim before
some magistrate,"-that is not re-
quired by law 70 rit fraud was
contemplated that might deter claim
ants from falsely registering their de-
mands. / am returning your papers.
Respectfully submitted.
FRED A. TARBOX,
Special Agent"
Now, gentlemen. that is the report
here Now then, this man on the
ground, this man skilled in the de-
lection of crime, going there as
biased as he evidently was. if he
could find nothing more to say about
this claim than to say it was foul"
/ say that his report should not have
very much weight.
After the committee had made its
report I wrote to the selectmen of
Prentiss and told them about the
committee report and asked them if
they were willing to accept it. I
have inssfny hand a letter received
this morning, dated Prentiss, March
90, 1921, and by the way, let me say
that they held their town meeting on
last Monday, at which time this
matter was taken, up with the voters.
Honorable George w. Thombs,
Augusta, Maine.
Friend Thombs:
In reply to your letter would say
that the town voted not to accept
anything less than our claim. 1t is
an honest bill and one that the State
should pay. The town is very much
in need Of it. They did not pay any
claim for sheep or poultry the past
year, and as this claim is large and
was paid by the town in good faith,
it should be paid.
Yours truly,
PITT E. AVERILL,
Chairman of the Selectmen."
Now, gentlemen, this strange con-
duct of affairs with this town has re-
suited in a situation up there where
the selectmen refuse to pay any
claim presented. 1t is unfortunate.
and in my opinion it is illegal, for
they are acting at variance with the
statute in such cases made and pro-
vided.
Now, gentlemen, I have tried to
present to you this matter fairly and
candidly, and I have no quarrel with
the committee on claims. 1 am
wrong so often that sometimes l feel
as though I am never right. Posi-
bly, that may happen to some others.
I want to say to you gentlemen
and remind you again that the
money has been paid out, money
that was clean from these people,
and it is impossible to have it re-
turned to the town. 1t simply means
that unless the State steps in and re-
imburses them that they have got
to assess upon their citizens and
their property an extra thousand
dollars to pay the bill which they be-
ljeye they were justified in paying.
and ave. not only justified but they
believe, and think correctly believe,
that they were obliged to pay unuer
the laws of the State of Maine.
I had occasion to remark a few
days ago that I had no sympathy
with this law, and we have had pre-
viously some discussion in regad to
it. and the committee on claims
uuarrels some with claimants, but
have yet to hear in this Legislature
from them or from anybody else.
any proposition to repeal this law,
and place it and the towns and the
State in a position where there
might not be controversy over these
matters.
Gentlemen of the Senate, not for
myself, for I am not interested ex-
cept as a representative from Pen
obscot county but as a friend OF
some of the people living in an ad-
Joining town, but with absolutely no
other interest ask you to substitute
the original resolve for the report or
this committee, believing as do that
your act will only be fair and just
and meritorious.
Mr.. EMERY of Washington: Mr..
President and gentlemen of the Sem
ate: feel that in justice to the COM
mittee on Claims some statement
Should be made as to the reason we
made this recommendation. The
claim came to US as the largest that
had yet been presented by any town.
/ am frank to say that it came to US
81
partly on account Of it's size; but the
committee in hearing the claim set
that aside and acted, or tried to
act with an entirely open mind. AS
the eloquent Senator from Penobscot
has stated. there was quite a full
representation from the town of
Prentiss. who were closely question
ed by the committee on Claims, and
the testimony brought out this fact
that in the case of animals. sheep
and cattle and their young proper in
vestigation Rad been made by the
town authorities in each case, the
remains. Rad been visited and inspect
ed and all the processes required by
law compiled with. With respect to
poultry killed, however. this was not
done. In only two cases, l think. for
very small amounts, testimony
showed that anv investigation was
made at all We felt that the inter-
ests of the state in this matter,
the law being as 1t is, demanded that
we refuse the claim for poultry on
the ground that the claims were not
properly investigated In doing this.
gentlemen of the Senate. we were
casting, or desiring to cast at least,
no aspersion or no susnicions on the
good people Of the town Of Prentiss.
But If clairns are to he adjusted on
the basis that all who apply are hon.
est-and most of them are Of course,
and the question. the possibility that
Some NAV he mistaken, is to be set
aside. and all claimants are to be