Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-11-29
PELLETIER "GIVES
LIE" TO CHARGES OF
ATTORNEY GENERAL

Boston, Nov. 2S.-Attorney General
J. Weston Allen charged before the
full bench of the supreme court today
that District Attorney Joseph c. Pelle-
tier of Suffolk county in a speech as
a. candidate for mayor had asserted
that members Of the court take their
orders" from financiers who arc metl-
bers of the exclusive Union Club. The
attorney general was arguing before
the court for speedy trial on charges
on which he seeks Pelletier's removal
from Office.
Polletier, in replying, asserted that
the charge was lie Il never said,
he continued. 1T is plant. 1t is a
mis-statemcnt. i will answer that
mere and now. l never said that a.
any time"
THE attorney general read from what
he said was an authorized copy OF
Pelletier's speech as follows:
Associated with these common;
members Of the Bar Association and
the Union Club is a still more power
full class, namely: The big f-nanciers
Of this city who give these lawyers
and Union Club members their orders
The fingers of these gentlemen are in
every political pie. They are promi-
mont in the membership Of the Union
Club. which serves as a meeting place
and clearing house for the nolitica
campaigns put forth by the men Of
IT l.; L.
the members of the Bar Association
and. l regret to state. the members OF
our august supreme court take their
orders"
Allen, who some days ago had called
the attention of the court to another
statement which he alleged was made
by Pelletier. added:
$50 that, having stood mute before
this court when this attack upon our
judiciary by him in public address
was brought to his attention, in the
same night he goes further and again
attacks the judiciary and states that
they receive orders from those repre-
senting outside financial interests
Two petitions for Pelletier; remov-
al from Office are pending before the
supreme court. one based on alleged
office and the other on statements
which the attorney general charges
were made in campaign speeches.
Attorney General Allen asked the
court today to hasten the trial Of the
lattcr charges. giving them precedence
over those filed earlier which tnvolvi
the district attorneys official Gets. Ht
fled specifications to the first set 81
charges and asked that answer 81
made forthwith TO them.
| n another motion he asked that pc
| titions for the disbarment of Pelletiel
! and Daniel II. Coakley,'a local attor
, npy. be transferred to the full bench
and tried in conjunction with the re
moval proceedings on the grn;nd tina
number of the charges were similar
/ pelletier. who filed a general denia
! of the charges in the second netition
told the court he stood ready for tria
on that case at any time. SDecifica
, lions having been furnished in the frs
charges only today. he said he felt h
! should have at least a month to 1int
out about 81 cases named for the frs
time before he made answer.
| He opposed also tho motion for com
lining the disbarment cases with the
removal petition before the fu.! court
asserting he was entitled to tie righ'
of appeal. which would be removed
were the case to be tried directly b,
tho full bench instead of by a singl,
| justice. from whose rulings on Law
an appeal might be taken.