Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-04-24
THE OLD BOARD BEATEN.
Five New BaIliTs Nominated at n Lively
Caucus Last Might.

town committee for a Republican caucus
having been changed so as to admit all
legal voters. The opposition carried the day,
but there was strong support for the
present board of baliffs. l.. f. Adams,
chairman of the Republican town commit
tee, called the meeting to order and read
the call. E. G. Crosby was chosen chair
man and w. b. Smith secretary. Upon
proceeding to the nomination of bailiffs
Col Rockers name was heard. while G.
A. Hines spoke briefly in favor of Capt. j.
Gray Estey. Col. Hooker stated that for
personal reasons he would not allow his
name to be used and moved that Capt. Els.
tey be nominated by reclamation. There
were only few votes against Capt. Estey.
For second bailiff Capt. Estey nominated
John Calvin and L. F. Adams nominated
Patrick Fleming. j. L. Martin, K. A.
Tyler and S. II. Sherman were appointed
| tellers to count the votes The result
showed that 217 votes were necessary for
choice Patrick Fleming had 23S and
John Calvin 178. When this result was
announced Capt. Estey stated that he only
consented to run with the understanding
that the old board be nominated, and as
the wish of the caucus was evidently
against the old board he would refuse to
run for first bailiff. There were calls for
Col. Hooker from all over the hall. The
question of voting to excuse Capt. Estey
was discussed, but was settled when j. l..
Martin said that any person had right to
decline a nomination and that there was
no way to make him accept one. Capt.
Estey, on being called upon, stated that
his refusal to accept the nomination was
positive.
Col. Hooker then said that next fall we
would want a city charter (which brought
out several cries of "no," "no,") as it
would lessen taxation, that there should be
a member of the board conversant with le-
gal forms and able to draw up a charter,
and he therefore moved that j. l.. Martin
be nominated for first bailiff, which was
done by reclamation. w. II. Minor and
Chas. Henkel were nominated for third
bailiff, and a ballot resulted in PAL for Mi
nor, IL for Henkel and IL scattering. G..
B. Hit nominated for the fourth member
l.. F. Adams, one OF the large holders of
property and one who had the best inter-
ests of the village at heart, and Mr.. Ad-
ans was chosen by reclamation. For the
fifth member of the board K. K. Stockwell,
G. b. Kirwan, ELS. Morse and G. II. Thomp-
son were named. The first ballot showed
1853 votes necessary for choice, Mr. Stock
well having 147, Mr.. Thompson 1924, Mr.
Morse 4S, with scattering. The second
ballot showed total of Alp, with POI nee
essary for choice, Mr.. Thompson having
POS, Mr.. Stockwell 100, Mr.. Morse 16. The
voting was not by check list and Lieut.
Haigh announced that he had seen one
man cast four ballots. The last ballot re-
suited in a total of 3S2 votes, with 1872
necessary for choice. 9. II. Thompson
had PAL and was declared the nominee.
Col. Hooker nominated W. d. Perry for
another term as clerk and treasurer and
spoke of the great value his experience
would be to the new board. Mr. Hit said
the caucus had done well ia nominating a.
young man for bailiff and named Harry
A. Webster as bright, capable young
man for clerk and treasurer. There were
3l2 votes, with 157 necessary for a choice.
w. d. Perry had 200 and Harry A. Web
ster 102. For chief engineer C. c. Turner
was nominated unanimously. and there
was no opposition to r. E. Gordon as col
lector, or to c. A. Harris as auditor.
What This Result Means.
The result of this caucus was a surprise
to those who believe in the equal and i'm
partial enforcement of the law in Brattle-
boro, and so far as it represents a condem-
nation of the old board of bailitfs for their
work in this respect it was a mistake. 1t
is evident that if the original determine
ton of the Republican town committee to
make this caucus of Republican voters had
been adhered to the old board could not
have been turned out. 1t was unmistaka-
BILE that the votes against the old board
were cast, by strong majority, by men
who are not Republicans, and who do not
want to see the prohibitory law strictly en-
forced, or the present system of policing
the village maintained. This is said as a
fact, and not as an intimation that the
men nominated are in sympathy with the
support OF this kind which they received.
That the voting was done loosely and
recklessly admits of no doubt.
AS already stated, the charge was made
in the meeting by well-known and relia-
BILE voter that he had seen one man put in
four votes. Another case is reported
where a man boosted of having cast six
ballots at one time. There are well-au-
thenticated cases where men voted who
live outside the village limits. The only
safe course in such case is to use the
check list, or, barring this, to have com
mittee of supervision appointed. 1t is
impossible for a chairman by himself to
watch the voting carefully while crowd
is pressing up by scores.
1t is unfortunate that the issue of the
village reports was unavoidably delayed so
that the financial management of the viii
lage by the present board of bailiffs could
not be fully understood. Statements have
been current to the effect that appropria-
tions have been exceeded to the amount of
$250O. The fact is that the amount of ex-
cess is only about $500. OF this sum $500
is on account of the Esteyville fire appar-
atus, which was authorized by the village,
but for which no appropriation was made.
The other $500 consists of extra police
fees at the time of the burglaries last sum-
mer, and of extra expense on account of
the liquor prosecutions. The real issue in
this respect, if there is one, is on account
of the latter item, and it is one which a
strong majority of the voters of the viii
lage will endorse and sustain the bailiffs in
mourning.
Acting upon feeling that the result of
the caucus did not correctly represent
the views of a majority of the voters
of the village, a certificate was filed
with the village clerk last evening" in &C
cordance with the provisions of the Aus
tralian ballot law, placing in nomination
for bailiffs four members of the old board
-Estey, Calvin, Eckels and Parker, with
Chas. Fl. Thompson for the fifth member.
Estey and Calvin stated, when informed of
this action, that it was done in opposition
to their wishes. Under the law the names
of these candidates will be printed on the
official ballot and choice will be given to