Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-04-30
GOVERNOR VS.. NEWSPAPER.
THE STORY OF THE SECOND DAY
OF THE GREAT LIBEL SUIT.


The Day Occupied by the Reading of Many
Long Spun Out Dispositions and the
Examination of Several Witnesses
Abstract of the Testimony.
The second days hearing in the cele-
brated libel suit of Gov. Woodbury. vs. the
Rutland Herald opened yesterday morning
with the reading of the cross-examination
In the deposition of #. c. Aubrey, which
was continued from Tuesday. He said
that Newt" Stewart kept a private stock
OF liquor in the hotel to sell to the guests.
When taxed down to the question If
there was any1iquor kept or sold In the
hotel except the private stocks Of Newt
and himself, Aubrey said he did not know
of any. He was accustomed to get mixed
drinks, as cocktails, etc, at the saloons
near by, and rush them into the hotel in
bottles In his pocket. He went on to say
that the liquor he sold to guests belonged
to him and he sold them to make n dollar
| for himself, and the house received no
profit. When Mr. Drew sold the American
I House to McCarty, Aubrey was told by
Mr.. Drew to continue to purchase his
liquors there as before. He spoke of fire.
quent poker games in the house, and the
chips being Kept in tho hotel drawers for
the Use of the players. Aubrey furnished
them liquor, and said that Mr.. Clark was
accustomed to sit In the games and drink
with the rest. Lucus Bgelow and Ed
Browncll were also often in the party.
The men usually met Sundays and the
gong was called the Sunday school
class"
Louis f. Peterson was called to the
stand next. He was a bell boy at the hotel
during the summers of 1892 and 1898. He
was accustomed to go out and get liquor
fnr hot 1. in
Sometimes II was paid for on delivery,
and at others was charged on the books.
Mr. Clark told him in the summer of 1898
to have no liquor charged on the books
any more, and that guests must pay for
1t at once. The same instructions were
given to the other bell boys For a while
the boys obeyed these instructions, but
made exceptions in the case of we'll
known guests. Peterson bought the most
of the liquor at the Crystal pharmacy,
McCarty's saloon, Stearns' drug store, the
City Hotel, and Taft's drug store. He
usually told the guests that nothing was
kept in the house and that he would be
obliged to go out and get it. He never
carried anything to the rooms on walters,
but always in bottles wrapped up No
liquor glasses were kept in the house. He
never got any liquor for card parties.
The drug stores and saloons usually al
lowed him n commission on what he
bought.
/ II. A. LaFountain testified that he was
a clerk at Stearns drug store from 1883 to
1892. He knew the bell boys at the Van
Ness House and had sold liquor to them
usually cheaper than to others. He said
the discount varied according to whether
business was good or not. The boys came
about every day and asked for all kinds
of liquors.
Michael Duffy, a bell boy at the Van
Ness House from 1883 to 1892 told of the
same process of guests obtaining liquor
as related by other bell boys. He remem-
bered one card party which was attended
by Mr. Clark. He saw no liquors there
but in the course of the evening carried
three pitchers of ice water to the room.
John f.. Cook, a clerk at Tafts drug
store from 1887 to 1893 was the next wit
ness. He said Aubrey and other bell
boys at the Van Ness House came there
for liquor and they were given a dis
count Sometimes the boys came two or
three times a day. They ran no accounts
at the store. Cook further spoke of a
dinner at the Van Ness House on a GER
tain day with a travelling man, when
Bass ale was served, but he didn't know
who served it, In the cross examination
he would not swear that he had not been
working up the case In the city here for
tho Herald.
The deposition of Harry De We're of
Brattleboro was read next He was head
waiter at the Van Ness House from 1882
to 1898. He had seen intoxicating liquor
In the dining room. He did serve cham
payne, Bass ale, lager etc, for the last
four or five years of his service. She
guests ordered their liquor of him and he
would tell the boys to get 1t. He did not
know where the boys got II and the guests
paid for II In the dining room. He never
refused guest, but told them 1t was n
temperance house and he would try to
got it FOR them. Liquor was never kept
in the hotel to his knowledge nor the
proper glasses for the various drinks, He
went on to speak of the Drummers' ban
quets and said that the committee fur
nshed the wine and that 1t was takon
care of by Moses Murray and his son.
He had been told by some one In outhor-
ity in the house that as IN employe of the
house he must have nothing to do with
the wine served at these banquets. He
was usually employed by the association
and paid by them to serve the wine.
Norris d. Blake, a student In the class
of &c. U. V. NJ, was questioned as to
whether there was any wine at certain
students banquet when he was on the
committee of arrangements. He said no
but that there was beer served there.
The head waiter, Seeley, opened the bot
ties. C. f. Allen, a classmate of Blake s
substantially corroborated his testimony
didn't know where 1t came from. Seeley
served this also.
The deposition OF Frank Mowray, liv-
eryman at White River Junction, was
next read. He worked at the Van Ness
for a period of three years, about eight
years ago. He did not have any distinct
recollection of serving any particular per-
son with liquor, although he procured the
stuff for different ones. The guests paid
for the liquor at their rooms. When qucs-
toned regarding instructions given him
by the management relative to the service
of liquor said that the boys didn't take
much stock in what the manager SAID
and were accustomed to do about as they
pleased His testimony Is gagged by his
statement that 81 won't swear to moth
ing"
The deposition of Ernest Chausse OF
Springfield, Mass, was read next. He
was head waiter at the Van Ness for -four
months. He served liquors to guests In
the dining room. received their money
and he gave it to the bell boys to get the
stuff. He informed those who wanted
liquor that he would have to get 1t outside
the house. He always used his own cork
screws when serving liquor.
Deposition of C. II. Williamson. a livery
man of Mlddlebury; Stopped at the Van
Ness with a friend about two years ago
At midnight In their room they rung for
n bell boy, who got them bottle OF whis-
key for might cap
Deposition of b. r. Chapman of Mid
dlebury: Stopped at the Van Ness about
two years ago. Called for a cocktail AT
the office and was told by the clerk to &c
to a room and 1t would he sent up. On
another occasion he went to the hotel
with C. II. Spear and asked for whiskey,
rl.t .I.