Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-09-25
Jury Deliberates Three
Hours Before Reach
ing a Decision
Albert T. Gendr0n Draws Jail
Sentence for Operating Mot
or Vehicle Under Influence
Of Liquor - Chester M.
knight of Waterville Given
Suspend Sentence in Kidnap-
ping Case

The jury brought in a verdict Sat-
urday morning Of not guilty in the
case OF State VS.. Thomas Paradise,
who was charged with illegal posses
sion Of intoxicating liquors with in
tent to sell. The arguments in this
case and the charge of Judge Beane
had all been delivered Friday night
and the jury went out hmm diately
upon the opening OF the superior
court Saturday morning, remaining
out nearly three hours.
Case Albert T. Gendron
In the afternoon the case of Albert
7. Gendron of North Andover, Mass,
charged with operating a motor We
hicle while under the influence of
liquor was heard. Gendron entered
a plea Of not guilty through his at
torney, Frank Southland Of this city.
He was found guilty and was SEN
fenced to 80 days in Jail, $50 costs and
GO days in addition upon failure to
pay.
Testimony was first offered for the
State by Officer William Fox of the
Augusta police force. officer Fox
testified that he had been on duty.
August 6, the date of the accident
and that while he was on duty at the
station he received at telephone call
from Gendxon, asking for help as
there had Seen an accident. He could
not nr.oQe out what the man was talk
ing about and talked with the lady of
the house, Mrs. Saunders, who told
him where the accident had occurred.
He and Officer Cyr went to the
scene of the accident, finding upon
their arrival, an auto overturned and
n young man named Vigue badly in
Jured. I The young man was sent at
once to the Augusta General hospital
in the public car in which the officers
lad arrived and telephone call was
put in for an ambulance to meet the
taxi.
The automobile lay on it's side,
pointing toward Augusta, near the
house Of Fred Blouin. The car was
badly damaged and there We're four
men about it. Gendron being one of
them The officer testified that Cen
dron had been drinking and that at
that time he was unable to walk
straight.
He also said that the road there
was of ordinary width md smooth
ness. The officers arrived about half
an hour after the accident, which MI.
Fox figured happened about go
Sunday morning.
Officer Levi Cyr then testified. He
stated that he had gone with Officer
Fox to the scene of the accident and
that when he arrived, Vigue, was ly-
,rs in the road with his head support
ed by another young man. who was
washing his face to remove the
blood. Although he knew Figue, he
did not recognize him at the time.
He accompanied the wounded man to
the hospital, leaving in the public
car and transferring him to the am
Dulancc which they met on the road.
Although he had noticed that Cen
dron staggered as he walked he was
not sure that he was drunk until he
arrived at the station, where he had
a chance to smell his breath.
Mrs. Lora Saunders, from whose
house the telephone call to the police
was made, testified tn the appearance
of Gendron at the time that he made
the call She said that he came to
the house about 60 and that he
wanted to use the telephone as there
had been an accident. When he
started to look up the number in the
telephone book she told him to ask
central for ''Police Headquarters"
which he did. After short CONVEX
sation he turned to her and asked
that she talk. She then spoke to the
officers and told them where the acct
dent had occurred as Gendron had
not been able to get it right. although
she had told him. She said that at
the time he came there she could
smell the odor of liquor on his breath
and that he did not walk straight.
The State rested its case here and
Albert Gendron was called as the
first witness for the defense. Mr..
Gendrop stated that he had come to
this city on August 3, to set up some
machinery for the Edwards Manu-
featuring Co. At the close of work
Saturday he had oiled up his auto
and after eating supper had taken
two men who worked with him to
dance. He did not dance himself and
stayed outside in the car. Soon
some other young men who he did
not know asked him to take them for
ride, which he did. Later they went
to the Chinese restaurant where they
found two other young men and went
for q ride. one of the number sug-
costing that they go to Waterville.
He agreed and they left here about
1880 Saturday night, arriving in Wa
terville about l o'clock Sunday morn
ing After having a lunch at little
restaurant, some one produced a jug
containing hop beer and after being
urged he took but one swallow. This
was all the liquor that he had drunk
that night.
They returned to this city. and as it
was about o'clock and they were
going to early mass at o'clock. they
decided to stay UP and go for another
ride. This they did and were on the
West River road at the time of the
accident Mr.. Gendron said that he
was driving about % to 80 miles an
hour at the time that the accident
occurred. He did not know what
caused it, but felt that it must have
been the collapse Of the rear wheel
as he felt something give and hung
on to the steering wheel. knowing
nothing more for some time. In the
accident he received broken collar,
bono and two broken ribs.
He later went to the Blouin house
and then to the Saunders place to tel
ephonc.