Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-09-19
One CONVICTION AND ONE AcQUITTlL
M DRUNKEN DRIVER CHARGE N SUPERIOR
COURT : -FOUR CRIMINAL CASES TRIED


a verdict Of mot guilty. was re-
turned By the jury 1t the Kennebec
superior court Thursday In the case
q Charles n. Meader OF halloween
charged with operating 1 motor We
nscie while under the influence OF
intoxicating liquors, and a verdict
OF guilty" was brought in in the
case OF Oscar T. Baker Of card,r.-
charged with the same offense. Ra.
ser was sentenced to serve three
months In jail and to pay a fine OF
VOW and costs of 500 with three
months In addition upon failure tn
pay both nne and costs.
Albert Allen Of Vienna pleaded
noIo contendre to a charge OF tax
ING indecent liberties with a young
SsEl ana was sentenced to serve one
year In jail. Sentence was suspend.
60 upon payment Of costs amount.
ing to 80. Orrin Bailey of Farm
ingdale pleaded guilty on a charge
OF larceny and was sentenced to 20
HaIloweii Man Acquitted
Inc nrst case to be taken up in
Charles N. Meader. Testimonv Was
introduced by the State to show that
Meader was found in front OF the
mara CLARK grammar school in his
automobile under the influence of in
toxlcatlng liquors and that he was
told not to drive 1t. Later Deputy
Snertn William Cole, one of the
witnesses. being at that time about
70 search house in the vicinity,
went into a store conducted by
Ralph Woods and requested that
someone drive the man home. A
young man named Herbert Brown
was accordingly detailed to do SO,
OUT Aeadef slipped into the drivers
seat and did some of the driving
while Brown worked the gasoline
lever and helped steer, besides being
IN q position to control the car with
the brake IL necessary. The course
OF their journey was up Academy
! street. which IL a steep hill, and
Attorney b. +. Maher. appearing for
the defense brought out in cross
examination that Brown from his
position on the front seat and with
his hands on the gasoline lever
could control the car at any time
Deputy Sheriff Cole, Officer James
Carbino OF the Hallowell police force
| testimony was offered by the de-
| Tense nor did either lawyer argue
the case. The jury was out about
half an hour before returning a ver-
dict of mot guilty"
| States Evidence In Baker Case
Immediately after this, the case
OF State W. Oscar T. Baker. charged
with the same offense, was taken
UP. George p. Beckett, q police Off
Ger at Waterville, was the first wit
ness. He testified that on May 26
he was on night duty, going on at 5
o'clock. At about 1870. he had seen
the respondent operating his Dodge
coupe on Temple street. Waterville,
and as he had had a previous COM
plant about the mans condition
! had stopped him and placed him un-
der arrest The officer stated that
when he took the man from the car
he was in such condition that he
and the officer who had been with
| him had been forced to support the
prisoner.
Shortly after going on duty the off,
| Ger had had occasion to warn the man
as he had been notified that Baker had
made disturbance in n restaurant ana
at that time ne had told the respon-
dent that he had better put the car up.
the respondent had told him he did
Just right and that after the warning
| he had been to Shawmut and must have
had drink on the trip
\ On REORGANIZATION 1t developed
that the officer stopped the car In the
middle Of Temple street and that
search Of the car and OF Baker at the
4 police station failed to bring to light
any bottle or liquor. Baker was lodged
In the police station over night.
|, Joseph Poirier. another Waterville
policeman who assisted in making the
arrest, corroborated the testimony of
Beckett with regard to the events at
| the time Of the arrest and until the
man was lodged in the police station.
| He declared that as he saw Baker come
4 down the street the front wheels of his
| car wavcred and he was attempting to
shift gears but was having, difficulty
| in doing So
4 On cross-examination he declared
that he could not be sure whether the
reason for the unsteady front wheels
| was because Of the construction OF the
car or because OF the condition OF the
driver.
Mrs. George Delaware. who conducts
a restaurant on Temple street. testified
that on that evening between 10 and
1890 she had seen the respondent COM
ing across tho street toward her res
taurant. and because Of the fact that
he had been there once before that day
and had made a disturbance she had
refused him entrance this time. At that
time he was staggering. She had seen
| him get out Of the car at the time. The
next time that she had seen him was
few minutes later when the officers
stopped Baker In front Of tho restau-
rant.
The State rested its case here and