Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-04-05
Continued from Page one) .

Augusta. The defense charges that
the planting Of this liquor was part
OF the frame-up against Sheriff Cum
mings.
Other witnesses who will be- called
by the defense today are Robert II.
Jack and George B. Lydic of Water
Vile, Federal prohibition officers. AL
bert ]. Burns, postmaster at Togus,
and Willis A. Pinkham Of Augusta,
former turnkey at the jail.
1t is expected that the defense and
rebuttal testimony will be completed
this afternoon in time for he Cover
nor and Council to leave on the 4.05
train for Portland to attend the Re-
, publican State convention, and that
the arguments by counsel will be de-
ferred until Wednesday Of this week.
Sheriff Cummings, an impressive
witness, through the long series of
questions and cross questions, speak
ing with a Yankee drawl and in q
confident but not defiant manner.
reviewed his work in the interests Of
prohibition enforcement in Kenne-
bee and enforcement Of other laws,
told of his willingness to cooperate
with Federal officers, and limited that
he had been hampered by a lack of
funds. due to the niggardliness of the
county commissioners. He testified
that the visits to the Maud Clement
house on Swan street, Augusta. an
alleged house of i'll fame, were al
ways in the line of duty, and that
there were no parties there and no
intoxication that he had observed.
He defended his action in asking for
a guardian appointment for Eugene
L. LaBar of Augusta. He declared
that he had never given away seized
liquor for beverage purposes, al
though on occasions he had made
gifts of liquor to persons, rich and
poor, who needed relief in their ILL
nesses.
Mrs. Grace A. LaBar of Augusta
appeared for the first time at the
hearing Saturday morning, and re-
futed the testimony given earlier in
the hearing by her husband, Eugene
J.. LaBar, that Sheriff Cummings
had brought liquor to her home for
her or her mother, Mrs. Ramsay.
Sheriff Cummings on Stand
Henry +. Cummings of Manches-
ter, high sheriff of kennebec county,
took the stand in his own behalf at
the opening of the evening session.
He testified that he had served as
member of the board of selectmen II
Manchester, one term in the House
of Representatives and a term Of six
years as county commissioner. He
was first elected sheriff in Septem-
Der, 1928, and is now serving his Sec
ond term.
The witness said that he never
drank Gny liquor He testified that
the first that he knew that he was
being investigated by the federal
authorities was when he went to
Portland in April. 1924, to attend the
Republican State convention. He was
told by Lyman Gerstein, an Augusta
man, that he had been summoned as
witness and while he was in the
federal building United States Mar
shall Woodman suggested that he (the
sheriff. refrain from talking with
witnesses. Marshal Woodman told
the witness that he understood that
the affairs of his Office were being
investigated by the grand jury. He
later in the day learned that IA wit
nesses appeared before the grand
jury and he only knew one Of them,
the Augusta man, who told him that
he was being Investigated.
"Were you ever called into the fed
eral court on any charge" asked
Judge Connolly.
81 have not" replied Sheriff Cum
mings.
Continuing, the witness testified
that he told Seth May, the federal
prohibition director, at the jail that
he would assist him in any way that
he could. Later, Mr.. May asked the
ox,,e r.o int fur Of
men as deputies in Kennebec county.
and Sheriff Cummings did appoint
two federal agents as deputies. He
told the federal men whom he APP
pointed as deputies that he would
gladly cooperate with them at all
times.
Orders to Deputies
81 told my deputies to work in con-
junction with federal men or other
officers at all times in the enforce
ment of the liquor" said the sheriff.
The sheriff testified that he re-
ceived two or three letters from Mr..
May offering assistance in the en-
forcement of the law, and he turned
the letters over to the members OF
the board of county commissioners.
County Commissioners Getting
Snugger"
1.-THE county commissioners have
been getting tighter and snugger
since l have been sheriff." said Mr..
Cummings, land 1t has been harder
since Mr.. Higgins became a county
commissioner in January, 1925. The
county now owes me 500 which /
expended out of my own pocket for
enforcement. I paid this money to a
man by checks and when the checks
came back from the bank with the
mans endorsement. l took them to
the county commissioners, but they
have not paid me. l would rather
stand for the amount than have the
mans name appear in the county re-
port, as he objected to that.
Sheriff Cummings did not divulge
the name of the man but said he
was engaged in business.
Called on Gov. Brewster for Funds
The sheriff stated that he called on
Gov. Brewster twice for funds to as
sist in the enforcement but did not
receive any money from the State.
On these occasions he was accom-
panied by County Attorney Frank Z,
Southland. He als6 called at the Of
flee of the New England prohibition
director at Boston and asked for as
sistance.
The sheriff told of efforts he had
made to have the Boston prohibition
officials assist him in the catching of
certain men he wanted on on liquor
charges, stating that he had on oc-
casions given to the officials names
and addresses of men wanted. He
remembered having given the name Of
James Lett and the name of an Ital-
ian, Paul Pottodoni, who is now in
the Portland Jail on the charge of
stealing Blouin's safe. The sheriff
had never received any reports re-
riding the men Or the efforts rnatla