The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1896-05-15

Witness Coffin Tells About IS Bell Boy"
Experience.

Experience.
The first witness called by the HERALD
was Arthur VI. Coffin of Boston. CONNER
cial traveller, who said that he had been in
the habit of stopping at the Van Ness house
about two years and half and of stays over
night one year and a half His testimony
continued, under examination by Mr.. Wilds,
thus -
Q. How frequently did you visit this city
during that period of time! A. At least
once "a month and usually more than that.
q. That was your regular business habit
to come here about once a month: A. Yes,
sir. ]
G. What has been your experience in the
Van Ness house in the matter of obtaining
Intoxicating beverages? A. Well, Il great
many times there have been crowd of fel-
lows there in the room, and if they wanted
anything in that way. they would ring the
| bell and the bell boy would come up and
send him out for what they wanted.
| @. ''Send him out" for it? A. Whatever
| they wanted, either whiskey or beer, usually
one of those two.
@. And how frequently on your visits here
| have you had that experience at the Van
Ness house: A. | couldn't say.
| O. You can give us some idea whether it
| was upon every trip that you was here, or
only occasionally, or half the time? A. |
| should say occasionally.
| @. Would that be one-third of the slime:
| A. couldn't say.
@. Can you be little more definite than
you have been about it? A. No, sir; don't
| think could.
| Q. You say you would be with crowd of
| fellows in a room: A. Those would be the
times that we would be apt to have anything
| of that kind.
| O. Crowd of who? A. Travelling men,
inn nf he
around town, | suppose; anybody that hap
pened to be with U.S. our friends.
Q. Your companions for the evening? A.
| At the time
o. You can be little more definite
than what you have been about how fire.
quently this happened; you say you came
here once month? A. At least that.
G. How many times, during that year and
| a half, did YOU obtain liquor at the Van Ness
house in that way? A. | don't think can
say.
O. You can say something that would be
safe the minimum: A. Well, | can re-
member once or twice; | don't doubt 1t Oc-
Cured more than that possibly, but wouldn't
| say so under oath.
@. Do you remember your companions OF
those occasions? A. No, sir, don't recall.
Q. Why do you remember those once or
twice times; what event was there about it?
A. Nothing special
o. You simply recall it? A. Yes.
Q, You say the process was to ring the
bell? A. Yes.
@. And bell boy appeared? A. Yes.
O. What directions were given him? A.
We paid him a sum, according to what we
wanted, and he went out and got for lis and
brought back the change.
Q. Do you know where he got it: A. No,
sir.
Q. Did you always prepay him. A. think
we did; it was the custom to prepay him; |
don't remember specially; he was either paid
beforehand or when he brought the liquors,
but it Is my impression that he was always
prepaid
| Q. Has there ever been year in your eX-
perence in stopping at the Van Ness house
that you haven't had entertainment of that
kind there? A. | don't believe so, in ayear's
time.
Q. In the dining room, have you seen
| Wines beer, ale being served and drank by
thu guests in the dining room? A. have
seen what looked to be some of those things.
@. You mean by that by the looks of the
bottle or the contents! A. | should judge so
from the looks of the bottles.
O. How about the contents! n. didn't
taste the contents.
o. But YOU would see the contents,
wouldn't you? A. don't think | would
notice specially.
O. What kind of Intoxicating beverages
would you say you had observed there in the
| dining room! "A. l lnlnk nave seen peei
served in the dining room.
What the Governor Said TO Him.
o. After you were served with sub
pUna in this case, as you were about week
ago? A. Something over week.
Q. Did you have an interview with GOV.
/ Woodbury.? A. did.
Q. What did he tell you about testifying in
this case? A. As understood the governor
wasn't bound to appear, it being something
different than regular court session, and L
, naturally didn't care to appear.
| Q. Did he say anything to you about COM
municating that fact to me? A. No, sir, not
specially.
O. Did he unspeciallyg A. He told me
, that could return my subpoena; he didn't
think ] was bound to come under that sum-
mons, unless ! cared to. a-
; Characterization by Mr.. FOSTER
@. When you say that the boy would take
the money and go out and get what you
5 wanted, you mean to say that he went out of
the house 10 get it, do you noty A. That
g don't know he went out of the room, away
i from the room, but of course | don't know
: anything about it; we supposed he was
! going out of the house, and | suppose so, |
o don't know so.
: O. Didn't YOU learn through-either from
/ the boy when you first went there, or from
c the comrades whom you had in the room,
Il with you that that was the only way you
: could get ito have the boy go outside an,
Il bring II in to you-you had that understand
e ingy A. Why, that was always an under,
e stood fact.
c Q. And when you got this subpoena, you
IS went to Gov. Woodbury., did you not
4 A. Yes, sir