Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-12-28

seeking the disbarment Of Daniel Il
Coakley Of Boston, an attorney, whs
was mentioned frequently in the pro-
ceedings tina. resulted In the removal
last fall OF Nathan A. Tufts ~ dis
trict attorney Of Middlesex county.
The second set Of charges against
Pelletier. filed Nov. 81, resulted from
a speech he made when . candidate for
mayor. In this speech, A. read BY
Allen before the Supreme Court. thS
district attorney was quoted ~ saying
that he would nolle prosesQui the
case Of anyone who would back up Z
denial that he (Pelletier) intended t.
resign.
Attorney General Aliens petition
alleged that the acts of Pelletier a.
district attorney since November IL,
1909, when lie took Office, down to the
date of filing the charges. show him
to be unfit TO hold office. 1t charges
that Pelletier conducted his Office in
an unlawful and reprehensibls man
ner."
Pelletier is said in the petition to
have failed from improper motives to
prosecute Merrill w. Shute after
Shutes indictment on the charge OF
embezzling $4,000 from Emma +.
Bracket OF Bangor, Me.
Coakley and William J. Corcoran.
former district attorney of M,ddlesex
county, are named as among those
with whom Felletier is alleged to have
conspired. Mr.. Allen charges that the
district attorney conspired with Coax
ley and others to extort S20,5o0 from
the Emerson Motors Co.. to procure
the abandonment Of threatened crimi-
nal prosecution.
Pelletier IS further charged with
having consrired with Coakley to at
tempt to extort $4,000 from Warren
c. Daniel, q dealer in securities. by
threat of prosecution. Conspiracy is
charged also in the case of Dorothy
Cote who, it is alleged, was forced to
, abandon a suit for conversion of an
automobile 10y similar threats.
Mrs. Elizabeth Chase Emery, daugh-
ter. of IA Worcester county millionaire,
figures in the charges, in speciica-
ton that rcletier conspired with
Coakley, Co:~oran and others to extort
MONEY from hor, Curtis w. Emery, her
second husband. and Mrs. Jennie s.
Chase. her mother.
Conspiracy to brighten Albert Z.
Smith into paying $4,000 as alimony
to his wife, Agnes l.. Smith, ard
abandonment Of prosecution against
Smith after the money was paid, also
are charged. In this connec ton, the
attorney general alleges that one-half
the $37,500 aIimony was claimed by
Coakley as contingent fec
When these charges were first filed,
Pclletier ass rted that Mr. Allen had
acted to discrcdit his candidacy for
MAYOR, which he was planning to make
public the next day. Pelletior with
drew from the mayoralty race on
Dec. ..
on November %. pelletier attacked
as unconstitutional the statute under
which the original proceedings were
brought. contcnding that inasmuch as
he had been elected to office re was
renewable only through Impeachment
Proceedings. He said the law giving A
majority OF Supreme Court justices
the power - remove district attor-
rcy after a hearing connictcd with tia
lfth Amendment to the Federal con-
stltution. II" pctitioned tho court fnra
writ of prohibition restraining further
action on tAe original information. Tw,
days later Justice De courcy ruled
mat the cour: was without jurisdiction
to issue suCh writ and dismissed tie
Petition
Ieiicticr has been district attorney
or Suffolk county since November
1903 lie filed out the unexpircd
term Of thu late John r. Moran and
was subsequently reelected for sue
ccsSise terms.