Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-04-01

"Quarter-Century Club" with %
years of continuous service at that
important post in the halls of JUS
tice.
During all that extensive expert
ence when his flying pencils have re-
corded the testimony of prosecution
and States witnesses, and the words
of argument by counsel and the ju-
dicious charges of presiding justices,
extraordinary accuracy has charac-
terized the work of Fred Lee, and
many times during the procedure in
cases before the courts his reading
Of the record from his careful notes
has been decisive On points at issue
between differing counsel.
AS he has toiled at the little ma
hogany table just under the shadow
of the bench and directly facing the
jury box in the stately and attractive
Kennebec county court chamber, Mr..
Lee has caught the fascinated at
tention of members of many jury
panels. sitting on the cases at law.
His ability to follow the rapid ques-
tons fired by attorneys at witnesses
on the stand, and the sometimes fall
tering, other times firm and definite
responses, has been the subject of
admiring comment by those who
have observed the man in action
through term of court.
Native of This County
Fred W. Lee was born in the
town Of Vassalboro in this county
and lived in that town and the city
of Augusta until he became of age.
He then went to Chicago, where he
was D1nIoCe6 for Soma +i,,,a about
year and a half, in the fruit and
produce district of South Water
Steret, the busiest commerce mart of
of the mid-western metropolis. He
then went to Kansas, where for
nearly a dozen years he ranched on
the great plains, and later to Jack
sonville, Fla.
After about fifteen years away
from his native State Mr.. Lee re-
turned to Maine and has resided in
Augusta since. In 1895 he commenced
working for the Maine Legislature,
beginning with committee work. and
In 1911 he was appointed official re-
porter to the Senate, a position
which he has held since that time.
First One Man-Car Operator
1t was just previous to his return
the use of the pot hooks and char
acters employed in short hand. After
his return to Augusta he was for a
time employed by the old Augusta,
Hallowell and Gardiner Street Rail-
way. He was in charge of the little
one truck accommodation car which
connected with the main line cleo
tries at the junction of Western
Avenue, State and Grove streets, and
conveyed transfer passengers over
State street as far as the top of Gas
House Hill. incidentally that car
was probably the first one man.
operated electric car in the State of
Maine, and also had the unique dis
tlnction of Being the only free line
maintained by a railway company as
matter of convenience to patrons.
While operating the old State
street car, Mr.. Lee sometimes had a
schedule of only one round trip over
the short run every two hours, and
while awaiting his connections at the
junction or at the terminus of his
line he improved the time by fur
thering his education in stenography,
acquiring that proficiency which in
practice has made him an invaluable
court officer and reporter of pro-
ceedings in the Maine. Legislatures.
Orcharding His Avocation
AS a young man Mr.. Lee was in
terested i'm and made study of
farming, and during the time in his
early majority that he was located
in Kansas ranched and farmed in a
small way for number of years
Since coming back to Maine he has
been much interested in orcharding,
and has made this culture his avoca-
ton. He has set out and brought to
bearing age ten acre orchard, pro-
ducing a high grade of fall and win
ter fruit.
This work was done between terms
of Superior court, and as far as pos
sible, has been done by Mr.. Lee per-
sonally. He is proud Of his Mac
Intosh, Wealthy, Baldwin, Starks
and Ben Davis apples, and justly so,
and the genial court stenogra piers
associates know and appreciate the