Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-10-31

receiving money fom the Canadian
government. This had been DONE
Paquin alleged, by allowing the men
| to endorse the checks and not pelns
forced to put the prison stamp on
them. Paquin said he had only
learned of this through correspond
ence with the Canadian government,
! which had made the statement
through one of its officials that the
government laws did not allow pris-
oners to receive pensions.
Food for Prisoners
He also believed that fer the past
month Warden Eaton had been get
ting the prisoners various kinds or
foods from the prison conmisary
without paying for them. though ne
expressed the possibility that TINS
might have been authorized by the
prison commission.
1t is the opinion that in being one
of those who were instrumental III
gathering the affidavits Paquin was
actuated by an honest conviction
that by doing 80 he would be bring
ing about a better state OF analrs at
the prison. He expressed the In
tention yesterday that he would ten
der his resignation at once.
It had been said, unoff1cially, that
in connection with the affidavit
which he wrote for a fireman named
Averill, who testified early in the
morning at the hearing, Paquin on
last Sunday night visited Governor
Brewster in Augusta and was ac-
companied by two men who are al
legged to have been members or the
'Klan."
Meet Again Monday
The hearing was adjourned at
noon today and will be reconvened
at 10 o'clock Monday morning. when
developments of the boomerang
type are expected to be Forthcoming.
Attorney Pattangall. representing
| Warden Eaton, stated yesterday that
he would ask the later to take ne
stand and possibly deputy warden
| Colgan.
At the close Of the hearing yes
| terday Governor Brewster stated
| that it was his desire to get at the
truth impartially and that the privi-
| lege of response to the charges al
ready made would be granted.
| Some dissention Is manifest be-
| tween the Governor and the MEM
| bers of his council, some of the lat
ter asserting that the display OF
state police at Thomaston is a re-
| Election upon the peace and dignity
| of the state. Governor Brewster,
however, seems firm in his attitude
of keeping the state troopers In at
tendance during the sessions OF the
hearings.
New Testimony
Ten witnesses were heard today
during the morning and though
many of them testified to like mat
tiers, several brought out testimony
not before touched upon.
H. L. Thomas. first witness to be
called and a guard in the broom
shop, told of seeing two of the four
men who had escaped last June at
work on the top of the cell tier in
the institution. He believed these
men were studying a way to another
escape. Among the four who es-
capped at that time was James Bennett
who afterward was fatally shot by
Massachusetts officers in connection
with hold up.
When questioned by cross exami-
nation regarding his sworn state
ment that profanity was common at
the prison, he said that there had
always been profanity there and that
the prisoners had always sworn at
the officers even before the present
warden took Office, and he had never
known them to be punished.
Written by Paquin
Percy Averill, fireman at the pri-
son, when called to the stand brought
PaQuin's name into the affair when
he said that conditions in the affida-
Wit to which he had sworn had been
dictated to and written out by Pa
Quin.
He testified that on the night of
Sept. 10. he saw four men coming
over the wall. Later in the night,
one of them, a trusty, told him that
they had been in to Rockland and
had visited house Of i'll fame. He
also told of the finding of two Of the
convicts in a degrading position and
that when he had spoken Of it to the
deputy warden the latter had laugh
ed in his face.
He stated that he had made up his
mind that 1t was of no use to report
things, and was told later that the
deputy warden said he did not care
what the prisoners did as long as he
did not see them do II.
On cross examination he stated
that he had not read his affidavit
after 1t had been written out, and
stated that so far as he knew the
deputy warden may have never
known Of the visit to Rockland by
the four convicts.
In stating that 1t was Paquin who
had written out his affidavit he also
said that he had sworn to it before
County Attorney Leonard Campbell
Of Rockland and that the arrange
ments had been made by Johnson
and Gregory.
Chaplain Denies
Chaplain Clifford was recalled to
the stand today and testified that
there had not been the best Of feel
ing between he and the warden. that
he had tried to be friendly but of
no avail. On cross examination he
denied that he ever had a discussion
with the warden in relation to the
borrowing of money by himself from
the prisoners or about money which
had been sent to the prisoners nor
Of the disappearance of an article
sent to prisoner valued at SIS and
which later, it was learned. had been
cold for $3.50.
Harry Russ, under cross examina-
ton regarding a statement in his af-
fidavit in which he said that the
board of governors in the prison
were composed of the five worst con-
victs, stated that this would apply
only to Fallon and McRae, and fur
ther testified that Fallon had worked
under him in the shop for year and
he couldn't have asked for a better
man.
Others who briefly testified at the |
session were Lester E. Lifkin. Frank |
s. Lunt, Levi D. Jones, Arthur D. |
Kalloch, Leonard c. Stetson. Harry |
r. Young and Ernest l.. Hit.