The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-04-18
THE LLOUOR RALD.

Last week we noted the raid on two of
the hotels here, the Putnam and Stark
houses, and the fact that some $500
worth of the ''ardent" was captured at
the former and none was found at the
latter. The States Attorney in person
conducts these prosecutiOnsand the cases
were brought before the Municipal
Court, Judge G. II. Darling. The Put
nam House proprietor and his clerk gave
bonds aggregating $1,000, and the
causes were continued until Thursday
the 25th inst, while that Of the land
lord of the Stark House is continued
until May OH, with surety of $500
bonds. The bonds in all these cases were
promptly given The liquor seized was
confiIcated and spilled by Sheriff Pike.
The next development was the closing
of both the Putnam and Stark hotels at
0 o'clock Friday morning, under ''cast
iron" agreement with forfeit, not to
open these houses again until they can
safely do so without being subject to a
prosecution for the revenue that may be
in it. AT least such is the import of the
public statement made. The other no
tells, the Centennial and Elm Tree houses,
were not parties to the CLOSING move
ment," but as soon as the managers
heard of it they dismissed all transient
guests and became nothing more than
boarding houses for regular buarders.
Thus, since last Friday there have been
absolutely no hotel accommodations in
this village.
Among those who were refused DIN
ner at the Putnam. Friday, were Thos.
Sheridan and Thomas Sampson of Bos-
aud InnlInrI EI.fnka. 80 No
ragansett hotel in Providence, r. l.,
gentlemen who were here looking over
the Wooden Mills with view of pur-
chasing. The mills have not been sold
to them as yet. Each train, daily,
brings travelling men here and others on
business or pleasure, and as there are no
public places of entertainment, several
private houses are entertaining as best
they may. The question arises How
long is this state of affairs to continue
a town of this size cannot long prosper
without the convenience of hotels, but
inst the method to meet the situation
does not yet present itself.
Under the laws of Vermont there can
be absolutely no guaranty that hotel,
public place, or person will not
be searched, and if liquor is found the
penalty for even the first offente now
lies in the breast of the Court to say
whether it shall be a fine or the work
house.
There is quite pronounced public
sentiment that any honest endeavor to
enforce the Prohibitory law would have
searched other places in town as well as
the two leading hotels. Both houses
have within short time paid heavy
penalties, and this fact gives a color of
reason to the report!that if this is pros
ecntiOn for revenue it is not in line with
an honest endeavor to take away temp
tatlon from our youth. In other words,
good people will support the consistent
enforcement of our prohibitory law e,
when they will not do so If theseffOrt is
spa smodic or partaking of the nature or
appearance of prosecution for the rev.
enue there may be in it for the Inform
er and prosecutor.
AS far as we have been able to learn
no one knows of any organized effort TO
enforce the law. In former times when
honest action has been taken and "all
hands round" saloons, dives, private
houses as well as hotels, have been com
PEELED to obey the prohioitory statutes
the best sentiment of the community
has sustained those so engaged. And
this will continue to be true as long as
Prohibition IS the leading policy of Yer
mont.
| We have made these remarks, not in
justification of any infringement of law,
but as a recital OF what is common re-
port in this community. No good citi-
zen will sanction the violation of whole
some laws. but here is situation of
closed hotels ipjuring every business
man. and out of VIII CHI there does not
appear to be way at present.