Daily Kennebec journal., 1922-02-11

uOsSa W tnS SdApier ROCKWELL
Think of 1t. A gambler crooks his
finger, tells the sheriff of oxford te
come there and he comes.
He asks what is wanted and tba
fair officials say they don't want
any gambling and then asks them
If they. don't lose their stipend, thew
won't care? And then, by, the DOW.
er of his office, forces on them what
they don't want. gambling.
But fortunately. the county has n
straight, square deputy. who SAYS:
'Tll not allow it and if you put il
on, I'll arrest the men,"
Weeks insisted and Cole called for
his commission. The only way ba
could protect the gamblers and
force the gambling on the fair. bc
cut off his deputy's head-so he
thought. He removed faithful dep.
uty just fer that reason.
I will tell you that just so, often
as sheriff, will remove a faithful
deputy for doing his duty, just so
long will that sheriff be brought be.
fore this tribunal, as long as decencv
and honesty remain in Oxford county.
Has he been O. faithful and eff.
cient officer? Everyone knows that
this kind of people who follow the
fairs are the. worst criminals in the
world. Was he faithful to, his oath
faithful when he told Weeks to get
the men dismissed and told York not
to appear in court? What Cole did in
interfering in these cases, was a good
deal worse than what some poor.
low down crook might do III trying TO
scare away witnesses, as l once
knew, If that is being faithful
then + don't know what the word
faithless means.
1t has been said that Coles motive
was not corrupt. 1t has been proved
beyond a doubt that his motive was,
to do what would protect the gamb-
lers. Whatever his motive. it was
none the less violation of his oath.
We say he has committee n great
crime and, sworn to suppress crime,
he has protected crime, and has
buried the sword from the crooks
against society. t.
Let the frequenters OF .barrooms'
and gambling joints say what they
may-such matters cannot go un-
noticed and I say it wonld be a
sorry day, when there are no men
in Maine to bring such things to
court.
Mr.. Parker denied that sany wit.
ness came for any political motive-
or purpose, but said the action was
brought by citizens of Oxford
who stand for right and Justice The.
evidence by Sheriff Cole himself
proves that these gambling opera
tions are so many that the State Of
Maine is being debauched by them.
And one outcome of this hearing
would be to strike at these, gambling
games and syndicate and drive them
from the State of Maine.
The grave responsibility OF say
ing whether, the sheriff Of Oxford
county has been faithful and eff
cient and honest to his path nov
rests with you. .'.
CHARGES Against Sheriff Cole.
The charges against Sheriff Cole
are as follows:
First-That the said Harry D. Cole
on Sept. 6, 1921, attempted to obstruet
the administration of justice by Or
dering his deputy. Fred A. Weeks, to
have certain cases, To wit:1 State vs.,
John +. Fenton, Charles j. Edwards
and Leon Brenner and State VS.
James G. Shugrue, dismissed from
the Rumford Falls. municipal court
and said respondents discharged
without hearing on the charges
made against them,
Second-That on September 8. 1921.
the said Harry d. Cole ATTEMPTED
to obstruct the administration Of
justice by telling certain. person to-
your complainants unknown, who
had been arrested by his deputy,
Fred A. Weeks at Canton, on the
charge of keeping a gambling resort.
that he need not appear in the Rum
ford Falls municipal court TO answer
TO such charge.
.Third-That the said Harry G. Cole
on Sept. 81 and %, at the fair grounds
in Norway in said county, knowingly
and wilfully allowed and permitted
certain persons, to your complainants
unknown. to keep places or booths
then and there used, kept and resort
cd to for the purpose of gambling
and for promoting a lottery.
Fourth-That the said Harry D.
Cole on Sept. 90, 1921, attempted to
obstruct the administration of justice
by commanding his deputy, Fred A.
Weeks, not to arrest persons keeping
places or booths used, kept or resort
ed to for the purposes Of gambling
and for promoting a lottery on the
fair grounds at Andover in the said
county.
Fifth-That the said Harry D. Cole
on Sept. 20, 1921, at the fair grounds
in Andover in the said county. know
ingly and wilfully allowed and permit
ted certain persons, to wit, f.. W.
Rockwell and Morgan Phillips, TO
then and there to keep places or
booths used, kept and resorted to for
the purposes of gambling and for
promoting a lottery.
SiXth-That the said Harry u. Cole
on Sept. 30. 1921 at said Andoyer in.
pursuance of his design to allow ccr-'
tain gambling resorts to be run on the
fair grounds on said Andover fair as
and to prevent the arrest
of the persons then and there keeping
the same attempted to discharge and
remove his said deputy, Fred A.
Weeks. from office, by telling him
that he was no longer a deputy sheriff
and that his commission had been
removed because the said Fred A.
Weeks persisted in his resolve to ar
rest any persons keeping any gam;