AUGUSTA – It costs a dollar to kiss a girl in this city against her will, according to a sentence meted out by Judge Maher of the Augusta municipal court at a session tonight, to John Cripps, a Russian Pole. The complainant was Mary Pitzky, an Austrian, and Cripps was arraigned on the charge of assault and battery on the girl. Cripps is 23, while the girl is 17 and good-looking. The affair happened in a mill boarding house and both are cotton factory employees. After a protracted hearing, Judge Maher found Cripps guilty of technical assault in kissing the girl against her will and fined him $1.00. The testimony of the case was given in Polish, translated from Polish to Hebrew and from Hebrew to English, requiring the services of two interpreters.

50 years ago, 1958

AUGUSTA – Primary ballots June 16 will bear the names of 722 candidates, the highest total in 18 years. The Democrats, driving for greater representation in offices at all levels, accounted for most of the increase.

• The flow of the Androscoggin River is expected to approach spring freshet levels today. The river flow continued to increase yesterday but no serious trouble was reported from flooding anywhere along the river.

• Minor flooding began early this morning on the Auburn side of the Androscoggin River. Auburn police reported at 2 a.m. that river waters began covering a low point on the North River Road.

25 years ago, 1983

Work is progressing on Lewiston’s largest ongoing housing development project, which will see 10 buildings in the downtown area rehabilitated into approximately 100 new apartments. The project, which will cost nearly $5 million when completed, involves buildings at scattered locations on Blake, Pierce, Knox, Park and Maple streets owned by three locally owned development companies. When completed, the developments will bear such names as Blake Street Promenade, Bates Terrace, Pierce Place and St. Laurent Way.

Copy the Story Link