The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1880-04-07
The Liquor Trials in WaterviIIe.

ANSJ 3d. I'''SN w -
communication upon the other side of
the Waterville question, we publish
the following letter. We trust that the
matter will here end, as it is better
that brethren dwell together in unity,
and we are fearful that these news
paper articles only tend to stir up bad
feeling:
Mr.. Editor In your issue of Mar. 18th,
you published communication from this
town with reference to liquor trials which
have been prosecuted before Justice Gil
more. In this article the writer has re-
lated some facts. and made some state
ments which think must on careful con-
sideration be acknowledged as incorrect !;
and others which although they may be
true. yet they produce wrong Impressions.
Your correspondent claims to be atemper-
ance man. Now the definition of a tenn
pcrance man with many in this COMMUNE
ty is a man who drinks temperately, and
one who does not drink any is a fanatic
as the writer calls them.
The first case tried was that of B. S.
Wiley. whose cider mill became a place
of Sunday resort for those whom your cor
ItSDOEutilt Calls ltllI IltilhCN iitlls llt
says that before and during the trial it
had leaked out that parties inimcal to Mr..
Wiley had maliciouSly attempted to hire
persons to buy cider of him with the
ayowed purpose of being used in court to
testify against him."
| With regard to this would ask ii this
fact if true is any excuse for Mr.. Wiley,
or any reason why the law should not be
enforced?
Again in Fred Willcy's case he says
''the cXtcnuating circumstances in the
case were such that to fair minded men,
who have the interest of temperance and
Justice at heart, it appeared more like
persecution than necessary vlndicatiOn
of the laws of the State against the traffic
in liquors. He had sold but little, had
closed his grocery. ceased selling, and
had joined the Good Templars months be-
fore the trial"
Just how much liquor Mr.. Fred Wiley
sold, / do not know. but he sold enough
to violate the law. as was proven in court.
But, admitting that he sold but little, |
would like to ask the writer how many
barrels he would have to sell to make it a
crime worthy of punishment? He said he
had .'ceased selling" The citizens OF
w
if it be true, but if he had. does it excuse
man for numbering if he has not killed
but one, and has now stopped and Joined
some good society?
lie chad Joined the Good Templars,'
but the writer did not add that his conduct
had been such that it was found necessary
to prefer a charge against him, and they
expelled him from the society. He was
| L., NJ h,,F SO tnu pnicas a a
and elects an overseer for the support aud
care of the poor. and the crippled even
are not prohibited from receiving theiI
full share.
Mr.. Ami Leach, who pleaded guilty to
one offence, to the complaint which was
made in due form of law, and afterwards
said if giving away constituted an offence
he presumed there could be found fifty
persons whom he had treated; another
person had brought him bottle ano
money and left it with him and he Leach
had got it filled. This is what your ''fail
minded" correspondent calls treating g
"one' friend in his shop.
The last case mentioned was that of N
B. Page. who was arraigned for selling
cider on and since October 1873, in sup
port of which four persons testified tt
the GLASS or Gallon. while this case was
nendno the town election occurred ant
,.the comnlexion of the town grand Juror:
naturally changed ), and 70 illustrat,
what others think of the change, | will
relate an incident. One of our townsmer
had business in a neighborinot town and a.
he was walking up street he was accostet
bv well-known Christian gentleman
who said. '.Why did your town put out
strict temperance man like Luke Potte