Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1858-07-14
Bristol Ladies, Liquor Suit.

!, VI DIlSlul OA lhS OCCdSIOu VI AuC h"ur
. Liquor Suit" [ awaited myself of IL
courtesy. The cause OF the demonstri
ton may be briefly stated. Some Fl
: teen months since, an cd man name
5 David c. Miller, located himself in
p two roomed tenement on the turnpik,
y one and a half miles north of Bristolvillt
, as grocer. One room was occupied fo
5 this purpose; the other as his dwelling
he having no family. The opinion haN
, ing become general that ne was sellin
/, liquor in violation of law, fourteen ladie
of the township visited his shop on tn
evening Of the seventh OF June, and dc
molished his liquors. For this act h
sued u a writ, and the trial havin.
been set for the fifth of July, the citizen
proposed a pic mic dinner for all who
should choose to partake.
The legal proceedings were held in th'
Presbyterian church. Esq. Ayres c
of Bristol, presiding; consulted by Esq.
Wolcott and Lee of Harrington. At 10
O'Clock A. NJ, the riot act was read b,
Judge Birchard, counsel for the State
hen Lucretia Thompson, Lydia Fen
ton, Susannah Sugar and Estella House
were a~rraigned for entering the grocery
of D. c.. Miller on the seventh of June
1858, and with force and violence un
lawfully assaulling. Selling and impris
oning him for the space Of hall an hour
and for destroying property TO the
amount of sixty dollars, viz, W barrel.
cider wine, three gallons brandy, five
gallons lemon ale, twenty-five gallons
vinegar, ten gallons whiskey, n cask.
four kegs and four faucets, against the
peace and dignity of the State of Ohio
To these charges the prisoners plead no
guilty.
Almost Immediately onthe commence
ment of examining testimony a question
Of law arose on cross examination, as to
the right of the defense TO ask witnesses
if ever they had bought liquor of the
complaining witness, prior TO the 18th OF
May last. The discussion of this occu-
pied the lime until after twelve, and re-
suited in a decision in favor of the de.
tense.
AT one o'clock the court adjourned,
and Irrespective of sentiment, proceeded
to The Bristol House aud paitoOk of a
sumptuous dinner.
From two o'clock until seven, when
court adjourned to eight A. NJ, on
Tuesday, The time was taken up in ex-
aiming Witnesses for the prosecution
The main points ELECTED were, that The
house was in the general acceptation of
the term, an orderly one. That liquor
was o sold TO habitual drunkards or
minors. That since the fourteenth of
Nav none had been sold 10 be drunk on
the premises. That about five O'Clock,
P. NJ, or the seventh of June, the shop
was entered by the ladies above named
and divers other, some of whom knew
nothing of the intention until a few min
utes previous, who asked the proprietor
if he had not agreed to discontinue liz
uor selling, and, or being answered in
the negative, proceeded 10 roll ont his
casks and spill their contents. That
upon h e'proprietOrs Selling a Ratchet
and offering to make resistance, three or
four of the ladies laid hold of, and led
him ont Of doors, and sat by him until
the work was completed. That then
one of the party seized an and
knocked in the head of a cask. That
in conclusion they burned the old man
in efigy. That the whole scene occu-
pied from fifteen minutes TO one hour.
The cross examination showed that
vas kept in the ''back room," or
dwelling, where people were allowed to
help themselves and leave what they
saw ft as a remuneration.
The forenoon Of Tuesday was mostly
occupied in examining witnesses for the
defense. The testimony showed that the
proprietor had been called on at three
several times by influential men and So
10 discontinue his liquor traffic
That each of these times he had agreed
so TO do, at least as far as by the drink.
That on the eIst of May he had given a
pledge to that effect. That on
the Friday before the alleged riot, an
habitual drupkard had gone three times
in the presence Of Mr.. Miller into the
back room, and afterward left the shop
intoxicated. That on the Sun
day before the seventh of June, be had
cider TO a minor, telling him he
had kept it nice by mixing with forty
Of cider two gallons of brandy
and an indefinite amount of raisins.-
That after he had drunk ofthat he offer
ed him an other, in which which there
was only me gallon OF brandy TO the same
quantity Of cider, which proved to be
very sour That his lemon ale had pro-
luced symptoms Of intoxicatioi. That
be was in the habit of selling a stick Of
candy for fire cents and then allowing
he purchaser to enter his other apart.
nenf, where all the necessaries for
thinking. ghiskey included, we're kept
~ 10 the seventh of June. That once
nc had allowed n mock baptism 10 be
performed on his door step. That on
Sabbath and other evenings. in
liyiduals under the influence Of liquor,
lad proceeded from his shop to religious
meetings held in n school house across
lie read. That although The singing Of