Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-04-05
had found Cole, Pinkham, Magill and
Austin especially good men.
CHANCES in Office of Turnkey

Austin especially good men.
Changes in Office OF Turnkey
Witness described the changes In
the Office of turnkey at the Jail and
the reasons for the changes, saying
Mr.. Pinkham was not reappointed
because he was hard Of hearing and
would sometimes get mixed up on the
calls. He said that the first he knew
that Turnkey Barrows had ever been
convicted in liquor case was at the
present hearing.
Barrows had been on the Bath and
Gardiner police forces. Deputy Rob-
inson had never limited that Barrows
had any court record. Witness spoke
of Barrows as the best man he has
ever had on the job and he had never
seen anything about Barrows to indi-
cate he had been taking liquor and
Barrows had said that he had not
taken a drink for three years. IF he
does as we'll as he has I shall keep
him as long as I have anybody" the
sheriff declared.
Business Trips Out Of State
Sheriff Cummings said that al
though he lives at the Jail there are
numerous duties that take him away
and he goes out of the State at times
to bring back men wanted on extradi-
ton. He has brought back eight or 10
persons in extradition cases during
the past year. The only assistance he
has from deputies in the Jail is from
Mr.. Barrows. Sheriff told of his work
in enforcing the prohibitory law. His
average days work Is from 6 or A.
M. until the Jail is locked up at 10 p.
NJ, but quite a number of times he
has been on night Investigations, not
returning until after midnight, COM
ing home from Waterville. Oakland or
some other place in the county.
He figured that his time was more
valuable in other ways than in at
tendance at court and so left that
phase of the work to two deputies.
Deputies also do the work of serving
papers. THE only time I served a pa
per I had to attach a circus in Gardi-
ner and that worried me quite lit
tle."
The sheriff produced in evidence a
paper prepared from the records of
the county treasurer showing dates
and places he had visited in the coun-
ty, the service being billed to the
county.
visitors to the Jail
There Is no visiting day at the Jail,
the sheriff said. He has had as many
as 60 prisoners there, and the most
popular time for visits was Sunday
afternoon. He told of the lack of
space for more than three or four CALL
ers in the turkeys office, and of how
sometimes people were allowed to con-
gregate in corridors andseven in the
Jail parlor. Often they went into the
there were none other than wives,
mothers, sisters and daughters of in
mates.
VIII Shaws wife spent more time
in the cells than any other women in
the county" said the. sheriff, speaking
of the spouse of one of the States
chief ex-jailbird witnesses. He ex-
planned that Shaw thought he was i'll
and needed wifely attention. The sher-
lift never heard complaints of immor-
atty in the cells, or untoward Incl
dents. until the present Investigation
started.
To show the combining duties of be-
ing high sheriff of this county, the
sheriff said he has farm at Manches-
ter which he Is not able to visit more
than half hour at a time, and then
only on rare occasions. He saw his
II sheep about a year ago for the last
time. and has been kept from them by
his work for Kennebec county.
Destruction of Rum Room Liquor
He detailed the destruction of a
great deal of the liquor in the rum
room and told of efforts to ascertain
the legal method for such procedure,
in which he appealed to Mr.. May and
others, including the county attorney
He thought of giving some to hospi-
atls until he encountered too much red
tape to make it worth while, he testi-
fled, and so, after comforting with
County Attorney Southland, dumped
much down a sewer. 1t was a thank
less task, he said, to attempt to give
any away for medicinal use by insti-
tutions.
Never Gave Liquor to LaEar
"LaBar says you gave him liquor.
Is that true?" asked Mr.. Connolly.
II never gave him any," said the
sheriff, calmly.
For medicinal purposes?"
Never" replied the sheriff, and he
also denied that he gave any to Mrs.
LaBar or her mother Mrs. Ramsey.
He never has seized or had possess
sion of bottled wines, such as port,
sherry and champagne. he declared,
and so could not have given the liquids
described by LaBar. There were never
wines in the rum room, to his knowl-
edge. except those of home manufac-
ture, like elderberry vintages.
Acquaintance with LaBar
Some time was spent in ascertain
Ing the extent of the sheriff's acquaint-
with LaBar. Sheriff Cummings said
he met the man during his last cam
paign for Office and called at his farm
in Readfield 'as a man will who Is out
electioneering"
The LaBars, the sheriff testified, had
horse they wanted to sell, and the
sheriff, being somewhat of horse fan
cfer. looked at 1t and finally sold 1t
without profit to himself.
Then the LaBars talked of buying
a cottage at the seashore, the sheriff
stated, and he heard of one and went
with them on two or three motor rides
to Rockland to see the place. LaBar
bought the cottage. The sheriff reaped
no profit he said. adding, "They never
even mentioned paying me-"
Once LaBar called on the sheriff. he
testified. and wanted the official to see
IL he had enough standing timber at
Readfield to build a cottage there. The
sheriff, still obliging, looked at the
lumber, without pay of any sort.
Then, last July, LaBar came to the
sheriff and insisted" on cutting of
the hay on his farm by the witness
The sheriff acceded to the mans
pleas, he said.
The most recent personal relation
with LaBar was when the latter
wanted the sheriff to sell his farm
according to Mr.. Cummings, who
said he attempted to show it to a
prospective customer, and decided
that LaBar did not mean business.
LaBar Guardianship Petition
The sheriff, asked to tell the story
of his petition for guardianship for
LaBar, declared 1t 'is quite a story"