Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-09-20
Royce-Fro berger Wedding
Saturday at Saint Marks
ACQUIT WATERvILlE.
MAN ON DRUNKEN
DRIVING CHARGE

Paul Audet Of waterviIe was
found not guilty, Saturday afternoon
by the jury at the Kennebec County
Superior Court, after a trial on a
charge of driving an automobile
under the influence of Intoxicating
liquor Audet was represented by
Attorney F. Harold Dubord of Wa
terville nd the states case was han
died by County Attorney Frank f.
Southland. Court was then adjourn
ed until $50 this morning.
Oscar N. Hagland and Otis Allen
both deputy sheriffs OF Waterville,
were the chief witnesses for the
State. They testified substantially
the same. The substance of their
testimony was to the effect that on
the evening of June 20 they were
passing on Water street in Water
vile when they saw an automobile
on 'Redington street, which was
parked In front of a house and which
was headed against the current OF
traffic on that side of the street
They decided to investigate and
found a man named Berube seated
on the running board of the car and
Just then Audet came toward the ear
He stepped in and started the engine
before the officers could stop him
Hagland had seen a bottle on the
seat and, asked Audet what it con
tanned but Audet started the car
Hagland and Allen stepped onto tbs
running board of the machine and
Hagland, reaching in, turned off the
ignition switch but the momentum OF
the car carried it far enough so that
it crashed into a telegraph pole about
80 feet from the place where the car
had been parked. The men were
placed under arrest and were taken
to the police station. The two Off
GERS testified that Audet was under
the influence of liquor.
DR.. FRED Wheeler of. Wateville de-
clared that he had been called to the
police station and had examined Au-
Diet. He stated that the man was
under the influence Of liquor and
that he had told him that he had hao
some beer to drink and some split
as well. a.
Paul Audet was then called to the
stand as the first witness for the
defense He declared that he has
taken Berube's wife to the hospita
in Berube's car that night, at the
request Of Mr.. Berube who did not
drive his own machine. Later he hae
returned TO the hospital to visit his
own wife who was confined there and
he had taken some soiled clothing
of hers to her sister to be launder-
ed. At the sisters house. she had
given him a drink of home brewed
beer, which was all that he had had
Later he had met Berube and they
had gone to ride in Berube's car and
Berube had bought a bottle of Eq-
uor Just afterward, the officers had
arrested him. He testified that AL
len had had him by the collar in
such a way that 1t cut off his breath
and he had lost control of the ma
chine. He denied that he had told
the doctor that he had had any split
although he had told him of the
home brew.
Mrs. Audet was called to corrob-
crate the testimony of her husband
with regard to his visits at the hos
pital and she was emphatic in. stat
ing that he had not been drinking al
, that time. Gilbert Bourgoin, friend
of Mr.. Audet and competitor in
business as well had seen him that
evening and later at the police sta
ton and in his opinion he was not
under the influence of liquor. Harry
Spencer, employed at the Harmon
restaurant where SAudet had gotten
his supper and Albert Poirer, deputy
marshall and Joseph Violette, both
members of the Waterville police
force, testified that in their opinion
he was not under the influence, al
though they had talked with him that
evening and had been close to him.