Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-01-25
Allen Flags
Pelletier in
Close Trial

Boston, Jan. 24-Final arguments
in the trial Of District Attorney Jo-
seph C. Pelletier of Suffolk county,
charged with misconduct were con-
cluded before the full bench of .he
Supreme court late today by Attorney
General ]. Weston Allen with a dra-
matte demand that Pelletier be GUST
ed from Office. The Attorney GEN
eral declared that the evidence pre-
sented during the trial, which has
taken more than four. weeks, pictured
carnival of crime which would e
refused a showing on any screen.
No decision is expected for several
weeks. The record is volumino1s,
aggresating more than $500 typewrit-
ten pages. and in addition there re
many pages of exhibitions, consist
ing of letters, grand jury proceedings
and other documents.
"A public officer is before. t. bar
Of justice" Attorney General Allen
declared in concluding his argument
of more than five hours duration.
His motives are impugned. His con-
duct in Office has been made the sub
ject of gravest charges. Yet he
stands here mute: He has neither
taken the stand himself nor called a
single witness. How ready he should
be to defend himself. Why did he
not take the stand?
This man has used his office for
his own selfish ends. A sword of JUS
tice was placed in his hands md he
has made of it a higflwayman's club
He has protected the criminals he
had sworn to prosecute.
I'm the name of the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts l charge that he
has committed malfeasance, misfeas-
ance and non-feasance. that he has
committed crimes and misdemeanors
in the administration of his soffice
and | ask that he be ousted from Of
flee. Like Macbeth his guilt is proven
out of his own mouth"
The attorney general stressed in
his arguments the failure OF Pelletier
to take the stand or to offer any evil
dence in his own defense, asserting
that under the laws of Massachusetts
that fact must be held against him
He declared also that William ]. Cor
coran a former district attorney OF
MiddleseX county said now to be 1fv-
ing in Port Chester. n. Y. who is
charged by the state with being a
co-conspirator with Pelletier in many
of the instances of alleged miscon-
duct cited in the present hearing
had become IAN anathema to Pelle
tier and his associates and was
ready to take the stand and tell the
truth"
Persistent reports have been cur
rent here that Corcoran has fled with
the attorney general a statement of
his knowledge of and his participa =
ton in several of the acts of miscon-
duct charged against Pelletier, in
volving his name.
Allen argued also that so widely
nave the close relations between Dam
lei H. Coakley, Boston lawyer. End
Pelletieru become known that clients
having important matters pending in
either A civil or criminal way, invari-
ably retained COakley. The govern
ment charges in at least five of the
Il cases cited against Pelletier that
the district attorney shared the pro-
FITS of partnership of crime" In
stead of becoming angry at the re :
ported boasts of Coaklev that he had
great influence with the district at
torney and could get favors that
other attorneys could not obtain
Allen asserted that Pelletier confirm
ed the reports and admitted that
Coaklcy was close friend
Allen in conclusion. reviewed In
considerable detail the states evil
dehce of misconduct. ranging from
alleged improper handling of cases to
charges of hlackmail and extortior.