Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-03-26
COLLECTOR CHASE RESIGNS AS
SENATE ASKS IMPEACHMENT
FOR DECEPTION IN OIL PROBE
DEPOSED
DIST. ATTY DIES
VICTIM PNEUMONIA

Boston. March 25-Joseph c. Pei
letter. former district attorney Of
Suffolk County from which office he
was removed in 1922. died at his
Eome here tonight Of pneumonia
after an illness of one week.
His health had been failing, friends
said, since the trial by the supreme
court which resulted in his removal
from Office, after more than 16 years
OF continuous service, for malfeas-
ance. and -feasance. Last year
he spent some months in Europe
where he went for rest and to take
cures in Germany. For years he had
suffered from diabetes.
Since the ruling of the supreme
court February 81, 1922, retired him
to privat, life, Pelletier had made
several attempts to obtain election
to public office. He won the Demo-
cratic nomination for district attor-
ney of Suffolk County in 1922, but
was defeated for election by Thomas
G.. OBrien, the present incumbent.
who ran on the Republican ticket.
Recently he filed papers seeking
domination as a delegate at large to
the Democratic national convention.
Joseph c. Pelletier was born in
tho Roxbury district of Boston In
1872. was educated at Boston College
and. was admitted to the bar in 1894.
He served on the state civil service
commission from 1905 to 1909 when
he resigned to become Democratic
candidate for district attorney of
Suffolk County. He was elected ana
occupied Office continuously until
1922.
He attained prominence as a prose-
cutor in the trial of Clarence v.
Eicheson, who was later executed for
the murder of Avis Linnell. In 1917
he was defeated for the Democratic
nomination for governor by Eugene
N. Foss. The first attack on his ad-
ministration of office was made in
1917 when Rev. frederick B. Allen,
president of the Watch and Ward
Society filed charges against the dis
trict attorney in the supreme court,
urging his removal from office. This
movement was without result. The
Watch and Ward Society carried OH
IA campaign against Pelletier until
the fall of 1921 when j. Weston Al
len, then attorney general, acting On
Information furnished by the Boston
Bar Association, lodged on informa-
ton against the district attorney in
the supreme judicial court alleging
malfeasance. misfeasance and nom
feasance in Office and demanding his
removal.
Pelletier entered n general denial
OF the charges. The hearing which
followed closely upon the trial and
removing from office of Nathan A.
Tufts. district attorney Of Middle
sex County. aroused 'idespread IN
terest. U. S. Senator James a. Reed,
of Missouri. defended Pelletier while
Attorney General Allen appeared for
the state. The trial ran from De-
cember IS. 1921. to February 6, 1922.
On February 81 the supreme hand
ed down its decision. Out of 30
charges in the original information.
IL had been dropped during the trial.
On ten of the remaining charges
Pelletier was found guilty. The court
ordered his removal from office. He
was disbarred from practice in state
courts May S. 1922. and two months
Ia ter in Federal courts.
He was active in the knights or
Columbus, and was chief advocate OF
the order for several years. In 1921
Pope Benedict created him COM
mander of the Order of ST. Gregory.
During the World War he received
recognition from Governments OF
France and Belgium for his activi-
ties.