Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-03-14
MRS. WILLETTE IS
GUILTY OF ILLEGAL
POSSESSION LIQUOR

Mrs. Lena Wlllette was found
guilty of illegal possession of intoxi-
eating liquor yesterday afternoon by
Judge Charles w. Atchley in the
municipal court. but her eight year
old son. Albert Willette, was not
court on tho charge of burying a
gallon can Of alcohol in the snow
while the deputy sheriffs Were
searching his home. Mrs. Wille,tte
appealed the maximum sentence.
The courtroom was packed with
hundreds of spectators, fully as large
q crowd as ever witnessed q LIQUOR
trial in the Waterville court. The
courtroom was a busy scene with six
stenographers from Thomas Bush
ness college busily engaged in TAX
ing their first lesson in court re.
porting.
+. Harold Dubord. representing
the respondent waived the reading
of the warrant and pleaded not
guilty. Deputy Sheriffs William ].
Cole. Harry Pinkham, Carl F. Eel
lows and Edwin +. Megill were
sworn in as witnesses for the State.
Mr.. Pinkham was the first wit
ness called. He said that he went
to the premises of 4S Front street.
Saturday night, March 9, about 40
In company with the other three de-
puties. He entered the house and
went into the kitchen. He immed-
lately went up stairs into a bedroom
where he found nothing. He enter
ed another bedroom and in q closet
under u carpet he found three boards
loose. He pulled these up and
found another board about two feet
long and a foot wide. He lifted this
and found large pocket built in
about three feet deep and two feet
across. Here he found about 20
one half pint bottles and one half
pint bottle half full of alcohol and
a gnnny sack. He said that the
house wis at the corner of Temple
and Front streets. Although Mrs
Willette was not present at the time
of the search he was sure that she
lived there. Several men went in
and out of the house while the de-
puties were making their search.
Mr.. Pinkham had received COM
plants concerning the place. Mr..
Dubord objected to this question be-
ing asked but the judge said that he
was going to admit it because her
husband has been carrying on a
liquor business before he was jail
ed and the fact that it has been q
rum hole" You are protected in an
appeal on the matter said the Judge.
Mr.. Pinkham said that the place
where he found the bottles and al
cohol looked like a hide. Fred Will
lette was there at the time.
In the cross examination Mr..
Pinkham said that no one came in
and asked for liquor while he was
there to his knowledge. Mr.. Willette
hof hn
glad to see the deputies. Judging
from appearance the hide had been
in recent use as there was no dust
on the boards or cobwebs in the
hole. All the bottles found in the
hide had a trace of alcohol in them.
Mr.. Cole was next called and he
testified to swearing out the warrant
on information on March 8. He en-
tered the kitchen and found three
young men there. He did very little
and found nothing. He
found a liquor hide under the board
on the top step of the back stairs
but nothing was in 1t.
In the cross examination he tesu-
fed that he was with Fred Willette
in the kitchen all the time.
Mr.. Pinkham was recalled by Mr..
Dubord and said that there were
tnTPe DeUTOOInS OH one sue Oh tHS
house and he found evidence in what
was called the middle bed room. He
said that he could not ascertain
whose room it was owing to the many
different stories told him by the
and boy there. There was /
mems clothing in the closet where /
he found the hide.
Mr.. Megill was the next witness
for the state. He went into the
kitchen and saw the three young men
there. He went up stairs and search
ed bedroom but found nothing I'M
til he came to the bureau where he
found four half pint bottles under
some shirts in a drawer. One of the
bottles had a swallow OF alcohol in
It.
Carl Fellows was the final witness
called and his testimony was very
brief. He did not do any searching.
He was in the kitchen and saw a
lumber of men coming and going in
The house but as they did not belong :
there he let them go.
The state rested and no defense I
vas offered. Judge Atchley found
he respondent guilty and sentenced
Ter to pay a fine of five hundred
dollars, to serve six months in Jail
md six months additional in default
If payment
Before imposing the sentence Judge