Litchfield enquirer., 1879-10-09
A Temperance Episode.


 edin the enforcement of the law In October oi last year the town of Winchester voted ''Nc License" Much effort was made to enforce the law, many places were searched, particu. larly after Hiram P. Lawrence, Esq, under. took the enforcement of the law, as prosecut- ing agent. In this Mr. Lawrence was support ed by some of the best men of the place who undertook themselves the service of process in lorder not only to see that warrants were thor oughly executed, but decendy and in l order.
 l In March last, acting upon information he had received, Mir. Lawrence issued papers for searching the saloon of one David Williams and places adjoining. Search was made by Constable Patrick H. Ryan, with a force consisting of the Rev. Samuel B. Forbes, Hiram P. Lawrence, Charles R. Hath away A. B. Wilcox, and one or two others. Finding little in Williams saloon, they next proceeded to search the Winsted News Build Ing, where after the fracas hereafter detailed they found locked in compartment in the News press room liquors to the value of some two thousand dollars which they removed. The proprety of the seizure of those liquors came before the District Court afterwards a 1 plea in abatement was filed for some informalty in the proceedings; the jury disagreed, and the matter is still pending in that court. Hen ] ry A. Bills, editor of the News, was indicted for resistance to the officer, no defence was made before the justice, and the case came up for trial in the Superior court. The complaint embodied the process of seiz- | ure, which showed that the officer was direct 1 cd to search the Winsted News Building for certain described liquors of David Williams, stored in part of that building occupied by him. Mir. Smith, partner of MT. Lawrence, assisted the States Attorney, ,and Messrs. Fenn and Holiister appeared for the prisoner. We give the evidence of the following witnesses for the State, whieh was corroborated in inn portant particulars by others present:
 Pdtrick 4. Ryoss.--Am constable of Win chester (obleetion was made by Mir. Fenn to this mode of proof, and copy of the record of his appoiltment was finally admitted). saw Mr. Bills in. front of his office. Told him I had apaper for him. Objected to his taking it out of my hands: offered to read it, told him 1t was to search his place for liquor. He told me couldn't search his place. He wouldn't allow it. Told him 1 would. He went in, tried to follow and he pushed me of the steps and said, Get out, you d-d Pad |5dy, you cant come in here!" He was very abusive. told him should go in anyway. l finally got in with the gentlemen who were aassisting me, Rev. Forbes, Hiram P. Law renee Messrs. Wilcox Hathaway and White got inside the front door and he tried to push me out. He put his arm against me and told me again 'I You cant come in, you d. d Paddy, and search my premises!" Finally got in-took the paper out and undertook to read it to him. Had been damned around and was somewhat excited and nervous. Was about five feet inside the door. His clerk was in an enclosure Couldn't read it very well, and he called to his help to get spelling book to learn the d-d Ir1shman his letters. 1 was a good deal confused by his abuse and asked Mr. Lawrence to read it, which he did. He said if any one would give him three cents he would shoot the d-d Paddy.
 tried to go down in the basement. He pushed me back; told me he wouldn't allow me to search his place. He kept using bad language. When we got to the basement door he planted his back against It and said couldn't go by. 1 asked MT. Lawrence for instruction. He stold me to arrest him and take him away. Asked MT. Forbes to help me and he didn't do it. Went back to front door, and Bills said it shouldn't be opened Then went back and Bills had Lawrence by the whiskers pulling him pretty hard. Got out a billy to strike, and Lawrence and Forbes both told me not to. Saw chance to slip down into the basement. Went down and others also. Asked him to open door in the place where l supposed liquor was. He wouldn't. Abused me all the time; sad Forbes Lawrence, and had our pockets full of type.
 Cross eronaiaaed- not elected constable at annual town meeting This affair occurred about l p. m. Had seen him about an hour before, in Williams saloon. There was quite d crowd around and about six people with me. Mr. Smith was at Williams. Mir. Bills acted kind of wildish, like man who was drunk or crazy. He said at one time that he had liquor in the place which he had as security for $2, 900 which he had lent Williams. He did not lay hands on me after went down stairs.
 Reo. Samuel B. Forbes Went as an assis- tant of Officer Ryan. The first resistance 1 saw was before the door of the News office. haul stepped into the News office little before Bills came up to the office door little ahead of the officer. AS they came to the steps Bills pushed him back saying, ''you can't come in here you d--d Paddy" This language was | repeated several times Ryan came in and | Bills pushed him back with his arm.-Ryan then presented his papers and began to read he made bungling work of It. Bills ordered Beecher his clerk to get the d-d Paddy 8 | spelling book-then called for dictionary Ryan finally handed the papers to Lawrence to read Bills then said. My name is not in that paper, you have no business on my | premises. Now get out of here every d-d one of you or I'll let daylight through you p | Got more eXcited-took hold of Mir. Ryan and told him he had got to get out of there and | pushed him quite hard with his elbow and hand. MT. Lawrence said 'Mr. Ryan, think you had better arrest him and take him away" Bills said, Don't you lay hand On me. " Ryan called on me to help arrest. did not do it. Will give my reasons if allowed (ob- 1 jected to). It was kind of rough wrangle between the officer and Bills all the way to the basement door. Then Ryan stepped back to office door saving-we must have more | help-Bills said ''That door shan't be opened" Then Mir. Lawrence stepped to the the base ment door and opened it. Bills turned and seized Lawrence by the throat. AS he did so, Ryan came up and raised his billy to strike him. 1 caught his arm and said II would not strike him." From that time Bills seemed to make no further resistance. A crowd fol- lowed us down. Bills kept up steady flow of profane language. Ryan asked Bills to open the door of the place where the liquor was found. Think he said that he hadn't the key and that it hadn't been opened for three months. Ryan opened the door with bar of iron that stood by. Fifteen or twenty minutes were consumed up to this time. Saw Capt. Lewis down stairs-he refused to assist the officer .......a.. .. . Cross Eramined There was quite crowd. | Was there when Mir. Ryan told them to go l Wa uoifad liftlu xphila f0rp Rifle fr, return because we did not wish to make any search while he was away. The officer made very bungling work reading. Bills listened while the papers were read. He was very violent, using obscene language. and called on God to damn us. MT. Bills claimed that he had $2, 900 secured on that liquor.
 | HiraDn n Ldacre,ace Was with Officer