Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-02-03
ARRESTSAND CONVICTIONS
APL.ENTY FOLLOW IN wake OF
CIVIC LEAGUES ROUNDUP

Yesterday was clCan-up day in Wa
t"rNill". not from lii" standpoint of
removing garbage or Old shoes and tin
cans from the streets by the city street
! force. but by tho strong arm Of tho
law under the guidin', hard toi trc
| civic League AsScciat -ott nc ',.-n - NJ
tors or detectives from Massachu-
! sctts.
| Net for ycorS has tho Watcrville
! court room seen such crowds. every
seat being taken and SCOPES standing
in every available foot of space in the
back end of tho room and reaching out
, into the corridors.
Tho story as brought ont in the cyi-
dcnce is as follows: Eack in the middle
] al January Edward H. Emery of San
ford, Maine, secretary Of the Christian
| Civic League. got in touch with two
young mon in Wakefield who are about
- years of age and whose names arc
George +. Kelly and John 7. Bannan.
! These two men, or Kelly. at least. had
had some previous experience with tho
Burns detective agency in Washington.
ID. G., and the conference with the
Civic League secretary resulted in their
coming to Watcrvile on tho 10th Of
January for the purpose of getting cvi
dcncc on certain gambling houses ana
rum sellers i'm Tins city that would lead
to conviction. 1t seems from the
evidence of tho two men from MaSSa-
chuSettS that their task was not n hard
ono. and in their three weeks in the
Elm City they got tho goods on several
parties.
Thursday evening the two spoilers.
together with MIR. Emery. went to
Judge Charles w. Atchlcy of the mu-
nicipal court and. called for a large
number of warrants. Secretary Emery
| making tho complaints. Armed with
these. they started on n roundup which
resulted in: Emile Gilbert and Vital
Picard. charged with opcrating,a gam
i bling device or ALLOWING; one 10 be OPP
Grated another warrant for tho same
charge ON different date against
! same parties: Gucrctto and Audcttc
single sale through agcnt; Charles
| I'itzhugh, six rants alleging single
! sale; Joseph I;zhaNcr. for running gam
| bling house: Edward Jones. three war
| rants alleging running gambling
, house: Thomas Eddineton. alias Spike
| Eddington. agent in gambling house
! the same party one warrant charging
/ single sale. being brought before Judge
| Charles w. Atchley yesterday after
noon. County Attorney Sanburn Of Au-
guSta presenting the cases for the
State.
| Tho first case to be disposed of was
| that of the state VS.. Emile Gilbert and
| Vital Picard. both mon being charged
| with having in their possession implc-
| mcnts for gambling at 81 Lockwood
street. A search had been made on
the premises carly in the morning and
n card gambling machine and a gum
| gambling machine were confscated by
| the officers. Both mon pleaded guilty
| TO the charge and were fined $40 each
! end costs, making total of $47.S7.
| with GO days III jail in default of pay
! ment of fine. The date alleged in the
| parties were also tried on a similar
charge on n different date. They were
| represented in tho second case by i.
! Harold Dubord, ESQ., who waived read
! ing of the warrant and pleaded not
| guilty, but on hearing the testimony
of the so-called detectives, who testified
! that they had seen the machines oper-
ated and had also played kelley pool
| Ga game for money!. the respondents
were fou ! guilty and sentenced to pay
a fine of 500 each and two months in
the county Jail. They appealed and
bail was fixed at $500.
| The next case on the docket was
| that of the State VS.. Guerette and
' Audette who own and run a combin-
alton restaurant and pool room at
13 1-2 Main street. The charge made