Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-07-05
Report of the Executive Committee
of the Citizens League.


The work of your committee during
the past term has been fully reported in
the newspapers-some of the reports be-
ing accurate and some quite the contrary.
The first part of the term was occupied
in an effort to raise money, without
which it seemed impossible to obtain the
necessary evidence against violators of
the law. Atlength, in large part through
the generosity of one of the officers of
the League, sufficient funds were in
hand to carry out the work which had
been planned by the committee of the
previous term.
An engagement had already been made
with reputable detective bureau, with
headquarters in Albany, to undertake the
investigation. There has been criticism
of the League for employing detectives;
but such criticism is both ignorant and
short sighted. In every city where re-
forms have been recently accomplished
New York, Chicago, Detroit, Albany,
Troy and many others-exactly the
methods have been employed which
were used by the League. The work of
detecting violations of the law ought to
be done by the police; since we have
practically, no police in Bennington, we
are compelled to employ trained officers
from other cities.
The report of the detectives, who were
in town from the oath to the 30th of May,
showed a state of things which ought to
be considered a disgrace to Bennington
by every lover of its good name. The
Cottage Hotel, for instance, was crowded
all day Sunday and every night not only
with men but with boys. Gambling was
carried on openly, and the sale of liquor
was reported to be larger than in many
we'll patronized city saloons. This is
only a sample of several like resorts.
The results thus far, of the agitation,
may be briefly given. The Cottage Ho-
tel was closed, after both bartenders,
Bushnell and Kennon had been arrested
and fined. The arrest of the latter was
the result of raid made by the State S
Attorney on his own motion, and the
closing of the hotel was brought about
largely by him.
A case against Mr.. Collins is now
pending in the Municipal Court and we
expect will be successfully carried
through. Evidence is in our possession
against Michael Healey, Martin Lyons
and Morrissey, the proprietor of the Col
milan House, and the cases will be
pressed as rapidly as possible. Mr..
Healey has twice escaped trial by very
shrewd subterfuges, but we are deter
mined that he shall be convicted if it
takes all summer to do it.
In addition to the work noted above,
though not at the direct instance of the
League, the places of Dennis CrOnin and
Tim Kirby have been raided and liquor
found in both cases.
At Manchester we were ably represent
ed by Mr.. C. p. Niles, as attorney, who
co-operated with the States Attorney,
through the courtesy of the latter.
James Morrissey was convicted and fined
$3.50 and costs. Thomas Miller, ditto,
and VIM. Lundergan was compelled to
plead guilty to twenty first offenses and
paid fine of S4O0 and costs. The Ben
nington Reformer is authority for the
statement that he has gone out of the
liquor business.
Your committee presents these results
of three months with feeling that while
the battle has only been begun, it has
been we'll begun. A determined anC
united effort can cleanse this village, il
time, of those impurities that are its
curse. The fight against illegal liquo,
selling must go on. But that ought tt
| be only part of the work OF such an or
ganization as the League. 1t seems wist
to consider whether plans with an edu
cational purpose, modelled after those o
other cities and towns, might not b,
adopted here. These would include
public lectures on the evils of societ,
and their remedies, the duties of citizen
ship, etc., and the formation of circle
of students, for the more detailed inves
tigation of these and kindred subjects.
The League should have more mem
bers and regular dues, of small amount
| nova hla unartarlv