Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-01-01
Sheriff Grant Case
Continued from Page One)

Crosby is q very unworthy char
acter. to say the least" said the
judge. "He cannot be punished in
this court but there is no reason
why he can not be upnished in the
State court
The stories Of Richard Tercker.
Houlton liquor dealer: Howard T..
Fogg. former Caribou hotel proprie-
tor, and George Ritchic, Caribou
druggist. are highly important, said
Judge Peters. and if true must be
taken Yin corrobora ton.
In commenting upon the stories
told by Mrs. Calvin and Mrs. OBrien,
the judge said:
TT takes n pretty intelligent per-
son to tell a lie which will stand
up without breaking down under
cross examination. You will agree
sufficiently high intellectual calib-e
to invent such story. The district
attorney has very properly argued
that their stories cannot be other
wise than tue"
Bangor, Me. Dec. 31-Scathing ar
raisnment of the government witness
ses was continued i'll the United
States district court today when
state senator Frederick w. Hinck-
ley began his argument to the jury
in behalf of Willard $. levin, who
with Sheriff Edmund w. Grant is
charged with conspiracy in violation
of the national prohibition laws in
Aroostook county.
Before adjournment Saturday. At
! torney Bernard Archibald presented
his argument for the sheriff and At
torney Hinckley's address to the jury
today was practically along the same
lincs-that Of an attempt to break
down the creditability of the govern
ments star witness. Charles l.. CAL
vim and Guy l.. Crosby. former depu-
, ty on Grants staff. who were granted
immunity from prosecution. The for
mer was characterized as the "Octu-
pus of ArOostook county" and the
latter as a mean Shiny being in the
form of man. both of whom should
he in jail rather than set free to con-
tinue their illegal trade and grating.
He said that Calvin conceived the
plan of framing a story of protection
and graft and conspircd with Cros-
by to save them from going to At
lanta. He declared their story mess
of fiction.
AlTS. GENEVA ~ DITCH, IDlIIi'I IiouSt
keeper for Calyin's daughter. who
testified for the government. and Mrs.
Calvin. wife of the governments
chief witness. did not have good rep
utations in the community. he said,
and their testimony Was not to be be-
lieved. Attention was called to the
fact that the women had not been in
the courtroom at the same time.
Il would like TO have seen them
here together, said the attorney.
There might have been something
doing. II is a case Of off with the
old and on with the new," referring
to Mrs. O'Brien's alleged bid for a
place In Calvin's affections.
The attorney called attention to
the fact that Calvin's story about his
giving 1000 to Grant to purchase an
automobile did not agree with the
facts. The bill Of sale for the car
he said, was dated April s. whereas
Calvin had testified he handed the
money to Grant sometime in Novcm-
Der. Again. the attorney argued, the
payment made was 5000 and not
$1,000.
Referring to Calvins alleged pay
nent Of s625 to levin as a retainer
for only two months, the attorney
said II was ridiculous to think that
man in the rum business in town
like Houlton would make such n
proposition. IF the profit on quart
of whiskey was 50. as Calvin testi-
fed. he said. then Calvin would
have had to sell four thousand quarts
to pay his lawyer alone. It would
take a good many people in the town
Of Houlton to drink that amount and
Calvin was not the only one in the
town in the liquor business"
levin. he said. did things as an at
tornev, that he should not have done
hut he was pressed for money to give
his daughter an education and went
about soliciting business. His fees
from liquor dealers were not exhorbi-
tant considering his high standing.
the attorney argued.
II wish to call your attention TO the
fact that Is out of the IS witnesses
for the government are bootleggers.
What distinguished array Of crimi-
mails and corruption. l doubt IL any
court has ever seen anything like 1t
in the history of the country"
District Attorney Dyer began his ar.