Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-03-18

component part of the peoples .tribu-
nal OF justice.
/ an speaking In the interests OF
two young men,-thousauds OF men
rushed forth from the precincts OF
your State on to the red field OF bat
tie, young men who were fighting.
and feeding the Aghters at the front.
who had established this splendid
Industry up there, young men who.
when the armies of france, under the
mastexful Foch were fighting and re-
treating, ycarpeting the ground with
their. heroic dead and still retreating.
and the British lion with the bloody
froth dripping from his shining fangs
vas lsghting but still retreating, till
Haig cried out in the anguish of his
soul Our hacks are ut the wall, Bri-
tons, stand and die" Just then new
sounds were heard comm from the
rear the rebel YELL the Yankee cheer.
as onward they swept through Cha
teau Thierry. BeAeau wood, the val
ley of the Meuse and the Argonne
forest, and placed the standard of
your Nation on the ramparts of its
enemies, and the Kaiser was hurled
from power.
/ In this cause Of justice. on this ev-
idence that I have taken pains to
place before you. that I believe you
cannot contradict, I ask from you In
the interest of these young men.
plain, simple justice-nothing more
and nothing less. ] ask 1t from you.
gentlemen. because the evidence in
this cause discloses this, that from an
institution in which this man was
placed, pronounced by everybody to
DE q mailman and dangerously in
sane except by the people who had
him under their control. they said he
was a little foolish" Now then, the
supreme test comes, now I challenge
the attention of every man who is lis
tening to me. This is the kernel OF
wheat in the bushel of chaff. Listen
to it.
You have heard the testimony. No
one will dispute it. Who is right?
Was the sheriff right? Were the
three selectmen of VeaZie right?
Were DIR. MilHken and DR.. Starrett
right? Was everybody who saw
these men right. except Hedin and
the men who had him under their
control? I will prove it to you and
you cannot get away from it. IIe
demonstrated that he was a mailman
because he took a gun on a beautiful
girl twice. He demonstrated that he
was mailman and dangerously in
sane because he tried to sit back, as
Nero sat, and see a whole town burn.
And, therefore, I say, gentlemen of
the Senate, that on this evidence
that is before you under the resolve
which the gentlemen have signed as
minority report. that there is not
tribunal of justice before which this
cause will come that will not render
to these Jones boys plain, simple JUS
tice. Do not put them to that ex-
pense under the minority report of
this committee, if you believe this ev-
idence and il it cannot be contradict
ed. Do not put them to that ex-
pense and do not put your State to
the expense of the great trial in this
cause. l will not not represent them
other than here, gentlemen. and so I
am no hired man as I speak to you
am a simple lawyer of splendid
and great profession to which it is an
honor to belong, and on the princi-
ples<Of equity and of JUSTICE / am
speaking to you, gentlemen, to give
justice to these two boys because
their cause is just, because their
cause is equitable, because they are
before a component part of the peo-
pies tribunal of justice.
I ask you gentlemen, on the evil
deace which I have outlined, and
thanking you sincerely for your pa
tent attention l commit the cause of
your fellow citizens into your keep
ing. You will be responsible and you
will do your duty, gentlemen, by Ell
agreeing with the majority or the
minority, and again I thank you.
l move that the majority report be
accepted.
Mr.. HARRINGTON of Kennebec:
Mr.. President, fellow Senator's: /
would like very much to agree with
my fellow Senator from Penobscot
but / find myself unable to do So
There are two reports before this
Senate. majority report signed by
six members. that the resolve which
carries ar appropriation of little
over $4,000 should be passed by this
Legislature; the other report a mi
nority report which recommends the
passage of a resolve which gives to
this claimant corporation the right
to sue the State of Maine, and if my
Brother Senator from Penobscot is
certain that the facts would warrant
before jury finding for the claim
ant corporation, then I shall expect
minority report if the motion to ac-
cept the majority report is defeated
Now Mr.. President, if were
swayed by my sentiments and by my
desire to do for the young men who
are back of this corporation, /
should have signed the minority re-
port. This matter was up before the
committee as an ex parte matter, as
are most of these cases and no
cross examination was possible of
the witnesses who appeared there. 1t
developed that if the State was to be
held responsible, it came down to the
point of whether there was gross
negligence or criminal negligence,
and from the nature of the testimony
that was brought in at the first
hearing it seemed to the committee
wise and fair that at a second hear
ing to be appointed the members Of
the Hospital staff and the Trustees
of the insane hospital could come in
and be heard.