Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-09-18
HOW NOT TO DO TT.

HOW NOT TO DO TT.
When we announced, few weeks ago,
our intention of publishing the doings OF
the police court, as they occurred day by
day, we were considerably surprised at
the opposition manifested by certain Of
ficials TO those publications. We had
faith that the guardians of the peace and
dignity of the State intended to execute
their official duties according to the let 4
ter and spirit Of the laws they had sworn
to support and uphold, but our faith in
this official purity was considerably
shaken by the opposition we received
from certain quarters in our purpose OF
letting the public know how they were
doing their duties and although no one
has refused us reports when we have
asked for them, our requests have nj
times met with apparent mwiilingneSs
to furnish information, and threats have
been made by those whose performance
of duty, perhaps, needs investigation.
that soon arrangements would be CON-
pleted SO that newspapers could not get
the facts of convictions for drunkenness
and liquor selling.
S0me weeks ago we obtained the rec
ord of the conviction of q young man
for selling liquor, and published it, We
soon afterwards met the respondent,
who was indignant that he should be so
scandalized, and he pronounced the
charge wholly false and unfounded. We,
however, could satisfy him that he
had not only been convicted of the crime,
but that the fine and costs had actually
been collected; and, Notwithstanding all
- - the news in our columns was the
fret in 'timation he had received of the
innortant judicial proceeding in which
he had figured 70 extensively
Ouryonng >frien,. wasa bar tender IN a
prominent liquor sellI Hg establishment n en-
and in his capacity as sy''fFan. higl'
have sold the liquor for v alcn me me
fine had been imposed, but he dir' nor
like to be convicted without knowing u
and an investigationfwas instituted from
which the following facts were reported
to us: A poor drunken wretch was
picked up by the police and put in jail
the next morning he was brought out in
to court and disclosed on the house where
he got the liquor; the proprietor was
sent for and came to the court; he was
a man against whom second conviction
was recorded, and after a consultation
between him (the real criminal in the
transaction) and others, a prosecution
vFas instituted against this servant, the
owner of the establishment appeared
for his servant, plead guilty, and paid
tile fine, and the young man was not eY-
eli informed that criminal process was
oi1t against him until he discovered in
the HERALD the next morning, how near
he had come to being sued.
Many persons have laughed over the
descriptions which the inimitable Dick
ems has written, of the English Circum-
locution Office, under the careful admin
istration of the Barnacle family, but the
imagination of Dickens was never
bright enough to conceive of more IN
renious devices, chow not to do it, y
than some Vermont officials have dis
played in their attempts to prevent a
third conviction being recorded against
influential dealers. It has appeared iu-
dicious to some honest people, to con-
ceive why law that visited a poor own
el' of shanty who sold beer, so severely
should allow gilded saloons and sumpt-
u, BUS bars to deal out the stronger liquors
Openly, and with impunity but they
little understand the great secret,
chow not to do it," or, rather, how to
do it with some offenders, and how moi
tx, do it with others. Impartiality in The
administration of criminal law com
nAends itself to all p ersons, but, partial
ity, brings our ms titutions into con
smpt, among the good and bad alike
Let impartial justice be done, though tn
heavens fall.
The instance we has erelatcd, OF uslni
the name of a servant to protect GRIM
inals from unpleasant consequences, !
not solitary instance of the kind. w
have taken measures to scertalh iact
in reference to them, not f "om any pc
liceman or person connect a Win III
courts, but from wholly outs, ue sources
and while Partially is shown IN maxim
these prosecutions, those source Oh IL
formation viii be open to any on e. VINE
prosecutions are numerous and HAL
people have to attend We are satls
fed the public sentiment does not iu. !,
sustain tie enforcement of the prob !,
tory Jaw: but we believe the peopl
Ought to know how it is enforced ano
what the pecuniary results are to th'
state. and we invite them to rich teas
il they will investigate. They will hn'
Il interesting to see how many thousand
af dollars are paid out annually in cost.
aud how many hundreds are received
back in fines and costs. The financia
statistics in the office of the clerk o.
the Rutland County Court, would sur
prise a multitude of people. Anothe
pertinent subject of inquiry is, HOY
many times has some men been fined TO
a first ofSase before the same court, i
the face of a heavy penalty agains
both the Justice and prosecuting office
for such kinds Of prosecutions. Th