The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-01-26
rAmRS LIYINGSTON.

. DragOOning Respectable ana heputapi
Families don't stave Off Justice TIL
Other Side of the Story.
The editor of the Reformer came int
town a professed reformer. He ha
printed, week after week, for severa
years past. sensational sheet, each is
sue of which has teemed with the Sian
der of some one, Even some Republi
can politicians have seemed to act as /
he had pull on them, and many
) rumors to that effect have been Circulat
ed. Under the guIse of Independent
journalism he has taken occasion t
serve up unsavory dishes of scandal, anC
at the same time has shown himself t
be the most arrant coward. The force
of this fact is to be found in that many
things a man with LivingstOn's preten
tions would be glad to ventilate, he hat
suppressed. Posing as model reform
er and moralist he has produced week
ly paper which should be banished from
any decent family circle, not only be
CduSo VI ITO al tSluShSiSS pue a'oe
on account of it's matchmaking proclivi-
ties. While protesting to purify the
social atmosphere case after case i;
known where he has "shut up" wher
threatened with dire consequences that
he knew meant business" This is il
Illustrative of and preliminary to what
follows.
Dropping others, the last two issues OF
the Reformer have been especially de-
voted to the disgusting details and i'm
moral inuendoes concerning his arrest
of Henry c. Pratt, charged in the war
rant with the crime of adultery, but
which was changed to the "blanket
act, )" and the parties held in the bonds
stated by US last week. The said editor
rises to the high moral attitude of this
his personal declaration in the last
issue
''In this manner the case of State VS. Henry c.
Pratt and Maggie WEIGH, was disposed of for the
present. The editor of the Reformer was largely
responsible for the action taken by the State. and
what he has done he would do again under like
circumstances. The only aud sole object was to
free Pratts long suffering aud brutally treated
wife from the bonds that bound her to life OF
utter misery and despair, Whatever may be the
consequences to the p line mover in these stir
ring events, he will always have the conscious
assurance of a duty toward suffering and de-
fenceless woman well and faithfully performed
| We have no desire to carry the matter to eG.
| tremes but if he himself and his father, Isaac I.
Pratt, carry out their threats which are now
made to better the standing Of the unfortunate
son, the editor Of the nefDrmer will not stop till
not only the hidden secrets of the entire family
are fully laid open to the day-and these will In.
clude the father, the daughter and the SON but
the son will receive that punishment which he so
richly merits Compulsion alone will lead the
writer to these extreme ends"
| The wave OF Indignation which passed
over our town at the malignant and un'
called for thrust at Miss Pratt, an inno-
cent and highly respected young lady,
was general with our people and re,
sented as such. But this case is not all
one.sided. The warrant has been duly
signed, is in the hands of the sheriff and
in due course will be served. charging
ia mes Ii. Livingston with the crime Of
adultery and the party of the second
part in his case is the wife of Henry C,
Pratt who was so ably defended by the
said editor as stated by him. This may
account for many things. Whatever
Livingston may mean by the concluding
sentence, above, he certainly has left no
stones unturned to avert the impending
blow of his arrest and exposure. He
has begged. pleaded and coaxed not on y
with the powers that be, but also wit h
the people be Supposes may be witness 8
against him. He has made himself solid
with young Mr.. Pratt. il is said. NV
it is not possible for the editor of the
Reformer 10 change the opinion in which
he is held by decent people, either here
or elsewhere, by any system of bagga-
docio or assumed martyrdOm. His rec.
ord is made. In his dealings with others
he has not inquired as TO facts, and has
not had any scruples whatever as to the
time he should be made known to the
public as he is appreciated by those
more coneersant with his escapades.
Now that he is cornered, and, con
fronted with what we have reason 10
believe is indisputdble evidence, and
charged with gross crime his abject
praying for mercy is not the attitude Of
innocence. "Chickens have come home
to roost' with a vengeance in this case.
As told TO us, and not second handt d
either, the allegations laid at Livings-
tons door, ale not of few days since
occurrence-months ago is the time
stated. and the complaint is not made to
shield Mr.. Pratt's son, but the one side
having been brought out as stated by
the said editor, the skeleton in that
family must now be unbared in the in
terest of justice and the well-being OF
the community. Thus furnishing an
other illustration of the old adage:-
"Those who live In glass houses must
not throw stones" We are in posses
sion of the whole story. Its details will
not conserve the pubic's moral health
whether more is said upon the evidence
IN this case, will largely depend upon
the defendant in the case soon to be
dOcketed.
The story is Industriously circulated
that truce has been patched up, peace
made with Pratt, and the next issue of
our up town contemporary will contain
cover up" article. Some people even
90 so far as to assert that there are po-
lltical exigencies connected with this
case against Livingston. We are in
formed by as good authority as that up
on which we draw our conclusions,
above, that the case will not be con-
doned. In the interest Of public justice
and private purity Livingston who tried
to evade responsibility by the old and
familiar method of crying stop thief"
should ne made to respect common de.
cency. 1t is now probable that the whole
story will come out whoever it may hit
and very likely there is more to the
effort to ave,t or POSTPONE arrest
than appears on the surface. The State s
attorney will do his duty. however.
"UIOgging of the judicial Mill stones
There seems to be no possible excuse for the
| failure of the sheriff to serve warrants placed in