Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-11-19
what aid you ar

What aid you eeE
II eeuIdn't % snythins aiAsrsrt TIA
before J cav the DcvsI9es. NeFlikg
didn't Go any business himealI g.
ers did II for him end u came cot thnt
his LIQUOR was STORED on TIE premises
Dor. ! didn't take cut & warrant b
search HeFiihy'H place. cor ! haA tez~
son 70 believe that ha didn's keep "
quor In the place"
.Did ycu ever Disguise your vsiaA
over the telephone ana try to buy IL
cuor OF Herithyf''
mo. never cid"
Never valephened Hepllhy
ibid You telephone to Heslihy altar
your interview with me?' asked Gov
ernor Baxter.
~ never teiephonsd to Rsfllhy IN nay
life. Who told you THAR"
Deputy Clark, and he 10 sitting
right here" said Gov. Baxters He
told me in my Office
tDia you ever telephone to Dan Hss-
lihy that you had seen the govsFpeyFs
asked Attorney Wood.
81 never telephoned to Herlihy> about
anything" replied the witness.
did you ever communicate to Her.
lihy about your visit to the governor"
"No, not IN any way"
Judge Peters Letters
Attorney Wood then read the follow
ing letter addressed to the governor
and council from John A. Peters Of
Ellsworth, Judge OF the United States
court for the District Of Maine:
81 believe II 10 proper fob any citi-
zen of Hancock county to express his
views in the matter Of the possible re-
moval OF its aheriR. and I therefore
respectfully submit the following for
your consideration.
II think II ID Fundamentally wrong
for the same person to be both prose-
kuting officer and trial Judge. By
recent change In our constitution the
executive department of the State can
practically indict o shcriR and then try
, him on the Indictment. That beiag now
the fundamental law OF the State. we
ali accept It: but injustice may 30 east
fy and unconsciously result from that
situation that I venture TO urge that
YOU should give more than your usual
careful consideration to the viewpoint
Of the defendant and not condemn him
unless his culpability is shown to a
moral certainty.
IF the sheriff Of any county is dis
honest in the performance of his du-
ties. l believe he should not only DO
: TCiOt0Q lTOIh OU1CG ouI OtHSTW iSO Sc
verely punished. Mr.. Wescott has
| been sheriff Of Hancock county for
! some years and I have never heard
dishonesty suggested In hts case nor
do I have any idea that it will be- or
could be.
The prohibitory law is giving many
of Us trouble. It 10 not easy to en-
force. Even the mighty power of the
federal government il not yet adequate
to the task. Hancock county on ac-
! count of it's geographical location and
| the character of It's shore front seems
to have been selected from all the 9TH
ers as a favorite dumping place for
}contraband liquor 1t is manifestly
for any one sherifFs Office to stop that
traffic. That Sheriff Wescott has even
made a dent In 1t is to his credit.
| The law never had a chance to be
, written on the national books until
\ business men got behind it. Naturally
i such a law has the vocal support Of
many extremists and hySterical per-
sons with little knowledge Of practical
affairs, who are ready in their con-
domination of anyone in authority. If
the hoped for results Of the law are not
achieved at once.
\ st thoroughly believe in the en-
1 forcement OF the law and / look
| upon enforcement as q mans job
! and a business mans job. If Sher-
iff Wescott is, IS believe him to be,
an honest, able and experienced bus
| mess man and official, seriously
question whether you could find q
better man to perform the difficult
= duties of his Office.
The people of his county have
recently reelected him, and SEEM
ingly are largely satisfied with him.
In the interest of local self govern
ment as well as fair play, / venture
to express the hope as q citizen that
. our choice will not be annulled at
least until MIR. Wescott has a fur
Their opportunity of dealing with q
, serious and difficult task"
Petitions i'm Defense
! Attorney Wood then read letters
/ from members of boards Of select
men from 23 towns in Hancock
f! county, pledging faith In Sheriff
| Wescott.
Attorney Wood offered . letter
! signed by the members of the Han
! cock Bar protesting against the re-
! moval Of Sheriff Wescott and q let
| ter from Attorney Henry NJ. Hall of
in his opinion Sheriff WeSeott was
one of the two most capable and eff
ficient sheriffs that he recalled.
Rcbuttal Testimony
There was only one witness IN re-
buttaL Howe Higgins. federal en-
! forcement officer at Southwest Har-
ber, who testified regarding D letter
he had written to Sheriff Wescott
and OF the sherifrs call In response
to the letter. In that letter he had
asked for cooperation. He had also
sent another letter to Mr.. Ingalls,,
| the deputy sheriff, asking ingalls, II
he would give any Information
which would result in a raid so
that a seizure might be made.
The evidence In the case was
closed shortly after q o'clock Satur-