Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-01-10
Probing Cause Death
of Portland Man
Sheriff Talks on Booze

VI L VI Cld1lu 4udIl-
Sheriff Talks on Booze
Portland, Nc. Jan. 9.-Inquiry to
determine the cause Of the death Of
Philip H. Id d. 50. retired salesman.
Of IS Lawn avenue. is being made by
the authorities and today his body YVES
disinterred at Evergreen cemetery.
This afternoon at an autopsy was
performed by Medical Examiner Royce
B. Josselyn and DR.. Frank N. Whit
tier Of Bowdoin College.
Mr.. Lord died on the morning of
Dec. 20 at a local hospital, leaving a
wife and five children ranging in year
from three to II.
1t is alleged that the, manner Of MAX
ing out the death certificate s. irregu-
lar and the certificate Of Mr.. Lords
death filed at the city clerks office the
week of the death was returned to rr.
Frederick w. Tozer. physician and
manager of the Neal Institute at 166
Pleasant avenueA
City Clerk Frank 3. w. WEIGH says
that the only cause of death given in
the certificate was "heart failure"
investigation of Mr.. Lords death
was started by Sheriff King S. Gra-
ham and as a result of Inquiries made
by Deputy Sheriff John J. Mcneil the
body of Mr.. Lord was exhumed today
so that an. autopsy might be per-
formed.
Sheriff Graham declined to make any
comment of the investigation today uh-
til after the autopsy is performed and
said that the autopsy would determine
what action, if any, is to be taken.
Reports that there is more liquor
being sold in Portland at the present
time than during the days when open
saloons tiourished here are denied by
Sheriff King S. Graham, who says that
the number of arrests for intoxication
during the past year amounted to about
1000 as compared with nearly 5000
during the years before the enactment
of nationwide prohibition.
During the past year only 14O per-
sons were committed to the county
pail for drunkenness" said She if
Graham, while in the days before
Nationwide prohibition as many as
$500 persons were committed to Jail
for intoxication.
Sheriff Graham today took occa-
sion TO deny the allegations that
Portland is ''wetter" than Boston and
said that the Rev. Henry Pringle had
recently said that the enforcement of
the prohibitory law was better Here
/, than in any city he had visited.
The statements that there is more
drinking and that it is easier to OBJ
tain liquor than ever before is ..b-
surb," said Sheriff Graham, "and it is
an obvious fact that thousands OF
men who would undoubtedly take a
drink if it were easy to obtain are
not drinking under the present eondi-
tons.
Il do not deny that liquor can be
obtained in Portland. 1t can be and
that condition will exist so long as It
is made and there are people bdrink
it, but it is not easy to obtain under
prohibition at the present time.
I'm the Old days liquors came into
Portland in carload lots, but low
practically all that is brought in is
small lots which are smugglcd into
the city by automobiles. There are
some men who will go to any length
to secure liquor and who will drink
anything they are able to secure. but
this number is greatly in the minor
ity and the court records alone SHOW
that drinking is far less than in the
old days and that liquor is not readily
obtained here"
Sheriff Graham asserted to-day that
in his opinion that the majority of
the stories circulated regarding the
number of people dying from drink
ing poisonous liquor was propaganda
being circulated by tho liquor inter-
ests in an effort to make it appear
that drinking has not been reduced
since the coming of nation wide pro-
hibition.
THE reports that there is more
liquor coming into Portland are alb
surd." said Sheriff Graham, "as court
records show that in the year 1913
shipments of beer to two men during
a period of 81 days amounted to LAG
full barrels, 766 half barrels, 479
quarter barrels, and I'll cases. This
amount came to Portland over the
Boston &c Maine railroad to two we'll
known liquor dealers while great
quantities of hard liquors arrived
here by steamer from Boston.
Records of the county treasurer
show that during the year 1915, I'M
der the open saloon regime, there
We're 1884 in the City of Portland
and that of that number 1864 arrests
were made for intoXication. In 1916
there were 6.459 arrests and of that
number 1883 were for intoxication.
During my .,rst administration in
1917 there were 1862 arrests and of
that number 500 were for intoxica-
ton. In 1921 there were 2,05S arrests
and only 1893 were for intoxication."
Rio R11ch Fire RaUoc