Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-09-26

Tho case of State VS.. Edward
Knowles of Belgrade charged with
single sale of intoxicating liquor was
taken up the first thing Thursday
morning and after the State has pre-
scented it's case Judge William H.
Fisher ordered the jury to return a
verdict of not guilty. This was due
to the fact that the indictment al
legged that Knowles sold a gallon Of
cider to a Federal prohibition agent
and the testimony of the State
showed shat this cider was sold to
officer Scott Gipscn of the Augusta
police force, who was accompanied
b. The Federal man. Attorneys James
Eoyle OF Watcrville and r. F. Maher
Of Augusta appeared for the respon-
dent
After the testimony in the case
lad been completed TIE case Of
State vs.. Charles II. Williams of Gar
6iner charged with driving an auto
mobile while Under tile influence of
liquor was at orce taken up. Williams
was represented by Attorney b. +.
7 A.aher of this city. Williams was
fc"7d guilty and was released on
tonds OF $1,000 to await sentence.
Knowles Case Testimony
The testimony ir the Knowles case
was given by police officer Scott
Gipsor OF the Augusta police force.
Il Federal prohibition agent and
Marshall Skehan of the Augusta po-
Ice force The story told by Gipsor
and winch .was corrohorated by the
Federal man was that on August "a
at about 1890 they had gore to the
home of Knowles and had told hin.
that SC, ira 49,;
to Belgrade Lakes They had in
quired if they could get some cider
there and Knowles had told them
that they could. Gipson produced a
glass jug which was taken into the
house by Knowles and after about
ten minutes he returned and set the
JUG on box. Gipson then paid him
one dollar OF his own money and
fifty cents which he secured from
the Federal man and they drove to
the Augusta police station where they
left the cider with Marshall Skehan.
Marshall Skehan produced the jug
Of cider and testified that 1t had not
left his possession since it was deliv-
cred to him ut that time. He was
called upon to read the tag which
was placed upon the jug for identi-
fication purposes and this bore the
information that 1t had been bought
by GipSon with the Federal man as a.
witness.
Upon motion Of Attorney Maher,
Judge Fisher then directed q verdict
Tor the respondent as the Indictment
by the grand jury had declared that
the liquor was sold to the Federal
man. the judge stating that a man
should know of what he was accused.
else he might have a perfect defense
against the accusation of selling to
one man named in the Indictment
and none at all against the accuse
party.
Williams Found Guilty
The first witness in the Williams
case was state highway patrolman
Fare Erenier of Augusta. Grenier
.ss'lncd .hat In company with officer
Heorse Fowler of Monmouth, each
upon motorcycle, they had been
gong along the Winthrop road on
what is known as Greenhouse cure
at about IL o'clock on the night ~
May 3, when they had seen the car
driven by Williams approaching
Crenier was behind his companion
ana as the car passed him it went
OUT or the road onto the shoulder. He
Eao Immediately turned around and
found 1t stopped beside the road
He mad asked Williams IL he had
license and If he knew that his rear
lSht was not lighted. Williams. when
ne got out to look at the light stag
gered. and the officer could smell
iquor upon his breath. Williams was
at that time under the influence of
intoxicating liquor in the opinion of
the officer.
The officer had then driven Williams
to his home in Gardiner and had asked
Fowler to follow them so that he might
take Grenier back to the place where he
had left his motorcycle. When they
drove into the garage in Gardiner the
respondent had talked quite bit.
While there Grenier had heard a wom-
ans voice from the stairs which led UP
from the garage. which is situated in
the cellar of the house. The woman
had been speaking to Williams and had
told him that he knew better than to
drive the car when he had been drink
ing. They had offered the officers a
drink while they were there.
Fowler corroborated the testimony of
his brother officer. This completed the
States case and Williams took the
stand.
Defendant Denies Allegations
He declared that he had been work.
ing hard that evening as he had been
conducting two weeks drive in his
insurance business and had gone out
about Sse. He had stopped at the