Litchfield enquirer., 1880-04-29
A Temperance Victory in the Courts.

electing prohibition governors and prohibit ton legislatures, we have seen rumseller after rumseller brought before juries their guilt con- clusiveIy proved; yet escaping justice by &C., quittal or disagreement. The old prohibitory statute of '54, in this county at least, was an utter failure. Of the dozens we have seen tried under that act, we can recollect but one conviction. Under Local Option there has been a marked change, particularly of late years, and especially since the popular feeling against the liquor traffic has been intensified by the Blue Ribbon movement; wave of excitement that has apparently subsided, but which, nevertheless, has undoubtedly left some permanent impression on the communi- ties it stirred so profoundly. There can be no doubt, too, that Litchfeld county is very fortunate in her States Attorney-a sound Democrat and no fanatic-but an officer who never shirks nor slights his duty, whether 1t is rumseler or a sheep stealer that is brought to the bar of the Superior Court for trial. Of late years, therefore, we have seen several convictions by juries but in this county, rum and justice have never been brought face to face so sharply, with such decisive defeat,- indeed, such utter rout, demoraization and capture, of the liquor interest,-as the latter days the past week have witnessed.
 That our readers may understand the inn portance of this contest we must give a short sketch of the Winsted situation. In the fall of 1878, after some experience under license, !" the town of Winchester voted ..'no license" |" Such vote never executes itself in place of the size of Winsted; and though several spas- modic efforts were made, they proved pro- ductive of little good. At last the Temper ance men found that if anything was to be done, there must be an efficient organization with sufficient funds, and under the leadership of men actuated neither by selfish or vindictive motives, nor lacking either the energy or the determination needed to carry through so difficult task. They found such leader in the Rev. g. B. Forbes, a retired minister, and with the efficient legal assistance of Messrs. Lawrence and Smith, began work in earnest Prosecution followed prosecutions seizure was made on seizure-Mr. Forbes cellar was full of coniscated liquors-yet the liquor interest met the temperance attack with equal determination at every point At their head was the firm of Thompson Brothers, men of wealth, old dealers, and just as determined that the traffic should go on as were Messrs. Forbes, Holmes and Lawrence that it should stop. Every conviction before justice was followed by an appeal to the Superior Court. Confscated liquors were recaptured on bogus replevin suits One of the seizure cases was brought to trlal in the District Court and the jury disagreed. Editor Bills, tried in the Superior Court for resisting seizure was ac- quilted. Over an hundred liquor cases were on the docket of the Superior Court from Winsted. waiting trial. On the other hand, the Temperance attacks never slackened. Detectives were employed; and their first legal victory was won in the District Court, when all the parties concerned in a bogus replevin suit, including a Thomaston deputy sheriff, were sentenced to fine and imprison- ment for interfering with liquors in the con- structive custody of that court.
 The decisive work, however, was to be done at Litchfeld when the shosl of justice appeals on the criminal docket came to trial An out side case was first tried-that of Watson Cogs- well of New Preston-resulting in conviction mainly on evidence of reputation. Then the States Attorney skrmished with the liquor dealers of Winsted, convicting Geirsch on detective testimony alone. On Wednesday however, came the Waterloo battle of the campaign Tn the trial of Warren A. Thomp- son, the head of the irm of Thompson Broth CTS, and the chief of the liquor league, on charge of keeping open on certain Sunday of last December a place in which it was reputed that intoxicating liquors were kept for sale.
 It was on this trial that we first became aware of the wonderfully complete work the Temperance men had done in preparing thelr evidence, and it is conceded by every one at all familiar with such trials that in no liuuor case ever tried in this county has so complete and so overwhelming body of evidence been adduced against the accused. Starting with the matter of reputation they proved it be- yond pcradventure. Messrs. Forbes and Holmes told how they had found bar there, with all it's liquors and appliances for selling and how they caught the bar-Keepcr dumping his liquors through trap door into the river underneath, while making another seizure and how they found placards offering various liquors for sale. The testimony derived it's weight not so much from the number of the witnesses as from their thorough acquaintance with the subject Incidentally-sometim not till the ross-examination-came out the fact that the witness had been present when liquor was seized on the premises, or had seen persons drink there, or known drunkards going in and out, or other indicia of the kind of business carried on there. Then came the proof of the proceedings on the Sunday laid in the indictment. Two men, stationed in Editor Vails house directly opposite the Thomsons' place, noted dswn the persons who entered there whether at the saloon, the bar ber's or the back enterance; how long they staid, and where they came out. (The bar was not directly entered from either outer door.) The sentinels at Vaills recorded the enterance and exit of ss persons, including all the Thompsons, and the two detectives. The latter were then brought forward and swore that they went up to the bar, saw othersdrink ing, bought drinks themselves, and got also small bottle of liquor which they exhibited in court.
 The only point in defence of which lawyers could avail themselves was that the prisoner was not shown to have been upon the premises more than an hour, and that before the rusf of customers was greatest. This point wal argued with great ability by Messrs. Grave, and Fenn on behalf of the prisoner, but tt little purpose, as the jury, after about ar