davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-05-16
ED WARD LAPELLE.
rhs Fourth Member OF the Maquam
Party.

The Fourth Member OF the Maquam
Party.
Edward Lapelle OF Swanton, in deposi-
ton taken at St. Hlbans April l, said that be
WAS A miller and that he went to the Van
Ness house In 1894 with the party above re-
ferred to. The examination proceeded
O. State whether you drank any intoxicat-
Ing liquor at the Van Ness house that day.
@. State. II you remember, what it was
o. Where did you drink it, A. At the
table in the dining room.
o. Who ordered ity A. l think 1t was
O. State, II you remember, whom he or
dered It Of. A. don't know. Did not hear
O.. Who brought the liquor into the dining
room. A. think 1t was the waiter that
waited on us at our table.
o. How many Of your party drank liquor
upon that occasion, and who! A. think all
but two, Myron DOrman and +. ID. Lapelle'
q. State, II you know, wheal'er they all or
dered the same kind Of liquor and drank the
same. A. think 1t was all ordered at the
same time by one man.
Q. State whether there was any whiskey
ordered and drank upon that occasion. A.
don't remember of any.
A. 1 did not.
o. state whether you would have known
him II you had seen him or not. A. NO, sir
o. State whether or not you knew he wa'
in the dining room upon that occasion or not
A. did not.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-05-16
HARRY BLODGETT.
The st. Johnsbury Lawyer Tells What
Gov. Woodbury. Said.

Harry Blodgett of st. JohnsDury, in II
deposition taken at st. JOhnsbury April .,
said that he was lawyer and. when asked if
he knew anything about liquor in the Van
Ness house, said
A. In June, 1892, Henry c. lde. Mathew
j. Caldbeck and myself came from Benning-
ton County court and stopped over night at
the Van Ness house. In the evening Mr..
Ide ordered three bottles of Bass ale from
bell boy. 1t was brought to the room. |
have no recollection as 10 who paid for it or
whether it was paid for at all. In July. ri.
the night before hearing was, had: before
Gov. Woodbury. upon an application to par
don Mr.. Howe from the workbouse. William
T. King and myself stopped at the Van Ness
house over night. Between 70 and II
ordered, from bell boy, two bottles of
lager, which was brought to my room by the
hoy. Mr.. King paid.the boy 40 cents. That
is all that know upon the subject matter of
the question. ,.....z.,s..
3. On each of the occasions mentioned.
where was the order given to the bell boy:
A. In the room at the Van Ness house.
4. How soon after the order was given
was the liquor furnished? A. can't say
about that, but 1t was few minutes.
5. Was the liquor drank In the room on
each occasion! A. 1t was.
6. Did you attend the hearing which you
have mentioned as having taken place be.
fore Gov. Woodbury. In July, 1895, and il so,
who was present at the bearing! A. did.
Henry G. Bates, Horace X. !de, William T.
King. Stephen j. Hastings, Editor johnson.
i can't say whether MI. Powell. the gov.
errors secretary, was present or not.
I. Describe, briefly, what occurred at the
hearing. so far as may be necessary to en-
plain what was then and there said by Gov.
Woodbury. on the subject of sales Of liquor
at the Van Ness house, and then state as
nearly as possible what the governor said
upon that subject? A. Mr.. Howe at that
time, the proprietor Of the Avenue house in
this town, had been sentenced to the house
liquor. An application had been made to the
governor to pardon Mr.. Howe from that i'm
pris0nment A petition was presented to
him and some letters from some citizens in
st. JOhnsbury and Mr.. Bates urged the sub
ject matter quite strongly upon the governor.
Gov. Woodbury. said in substance: II
understand that II takes man with Il very
stiff backbone, In the state Of Vermont to
run hotel and not furnish his CHESTS with
liquor. I have been impOrtuned to do it,
but have always declined. | understand that
the bell boys have occasionally gone out and
procured liquor for guests and taken it TO
them at their rooms, but that Is matter that
am not responsible for" That is, In sub
stance, what remember that Gov. Wood.
bury said upon that occasion, but it is prob.
ably not exactly as he said it.
8. Was your attention called at the time to
what the governor had said upon the sub
ject and did you take notice of what he had
said! A. Soon after my attention was called
TO it and of course paid attention to what
the governor had said upon the subject mat
ter,
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-05-16

did not belong to him, but belonged to some
guest at the house; they had left II there and
he would serve It, gave him dollar for
the bottle Of wine and % cents for his
services.
O. Who was that guest, do you remember
II It was a doctor! A. would not say.
Q Was ii Mr.. W0Odardy A. should say
1t was Woodland. Somebody he said had left
some wine there.
@. Did he not say DR.. Woodardg A. l
don't remember any more than Mr.. some
body. l don't think be attached any title
except Mr.. to his name.
@. And, Mr.. Stone, you would not want to
swear that he did not say DR.. Woodland!
| A. Yes.
o. Was Mr.. Woodland still a guest of the
| house. A. My impression is that he was
away, and the waiter had the privilege Of
serving his wine, and 1t was served TO us.
| o. DO you recall what he said to you when
YOU first asked him with reference to this
wineg A. don't recall the words.
O. Did he tell you at first that he could
| not give you any wine! \. think he did.
| Q. That they did not have any? A. Yes.
.. And did you not urge him! A. Yes,
sir. we did.
ana held it up! A. don't remember.
q. You don't deny it, then! A. don't
think It would be possible, as l was sitting at
one end and be at the other.
q. Well, did he not call attention to that In
some way or by looking at II and say, OH
fellows ought 10 trust each other! "A.
could not swear, because don't recall 1t.
Q. And didn't he say that the best he could
do was to take bottle of DR.. Woodlands
wine and then replace it! A. simply saw
what said before; he said there was guest
who was not there on that occasion: he had
some W Inc that he could procure; he did so
and brought 1t; paid for 1t.
Q. Did he not tell you In substance that
the best he could do was to take bottle OF
this Woodlands wine and replace 1t? A.
don't recollect that he said anything about
replacing It,
0. Would you swear that he did not say
thaty A. Edon't recollect.
@. You are an attorney.at-law? A. Yes
sir.
Q. You We're employed by the Herald and
Globe association TO go up there? A. No
sir.
@ You were employed by some one to &C
up there. A. MIR. j. c. Jones:
@. And for what purpose were you EN-
ployed! A. For TIE purpose | have testfet
to.
@. To see II you could procure intoxi
eating liquor when guest OF the house! A
Yes, sir.
@. And were your expenses paid on tina
) trip. A. Yes, sir.
@. And were you further compensated TO-
services rendered! A. No, sir.
Redirect examination by Mr.. Jones =
; Q. Did Seelev tell you that he KEEP
| Woodlands wine In the dining room and tina
he might serve it! A. He said he had SOM
wine of some guest. He did not 60 out o
the room to get it-and speaking of the nam
makes me think it was Woodland. l thin
: he went to one Of the sideboards to get it..
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-05-16

Another Travelling Man Tells Similar
Story.

Story.
Ira G. Farnham of Poultney, in deposi
tiOn taken at Rutland, said that he was
druggist, but that for nine years before
April 1, 1895, he stopped about once month
at the Van Ness house. His examination
continued thus
Q. You may state whether or not you ever
procured intoxicating liuuOr, ale, cider OF
lager beer at the Van Ness house during that
time. A. have.
z. About how many times! A. Well, |
could not say positively. number of times.
q. Well, tell us. A. may have procured
it there 30 times, ] may have more times
l would swear to %.
q. And what kind Of liquor was 1t that
YOU procured! A. Whiskey or beer.
Q. Any other kind Of LIQUOR. A. might
have procured cocktail, 1 would not swear
to that; remember I never was refused
whiskey and always got what I called for,
u. And how was this liquor served to VOL
Mr.. Farnham! A. | never had il served to
me in the dining room; 1t was always served
10 my room.
q. And how was it served 10 your room
A. would ring up the bell boy aud give
the order and Ii was served to me in the room
on tray.
Q. You may state whether or not the
liquor that you procured Was In glasses or
bottles! A. Well, | would not swear that
it was in glasses, although think 1t was in
glasses at times, but know that we had it
in bottles: 1t might have been In bottles and
the glasses on tray, would not swear that
it was in glasses.
q You say that you will swear that glasses
were brought with the bottles: A. Ger
tainiy.
Q. Aud these glasses were on tray? A.
Yes, sir.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-05-16
ELISHA M AY.

Liquor Seen Twice on the Tables.
Elisha May of st. Johnsbury, In deposit
ton taken at St. Johnsbury April 8, said that
he was lawyer and national bank examiner.
He had been at the Van Ness house probab
five times a year In the last 10 years and
when asked about liquor there, said:-
A. l recoIect on two occasions, and those
when the old dining room was occupied,
Once when the officers had drill in the
winter time at Burlington. At dinner sat
with Judge Taft, and on that occasion saw
bottles, apparently lager and ale and perhaps
wine on the tables where the military officers
were sitting and glasses near. do not know
where they came from. The walters pulled
the corks. Whatever the contents of the
bottles, 1t was drank by the officers sitting
there. On one other ccasion l sat at the
table with New Yorker. He called himself
a cotton broker. He ordered some claret on
a card. and II / remember right he put the
number of his room on the card. He gave
the order to the head waiter. Harry De We're.
The liquor was brought. He had it on the
table, and the head waiter pulled the cork
for him. That is all have ever seen in that
hotel,
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-05-16

@. Did You know this gentleman A.
did not, he was . stranger to me.
O. Was that all that was said upon tina,
occasion? A, That Is all that recall.
q. Before you came to the Weldon house
today, has Gov. Woodbury. been to see you!
A. He called at my house to see me.
Q. Have you had any conversation VIII
different parties In your Office in relation tt
this matter. and did YOU tell anybody, Wilbur
p. Davis, Orrice Ballard, W. ID. Stewart OF
anybody else that MIR. Clark said to tn
stranger go to his room and liquor would b.
sent upg A. cannot say, | know l talked
with Wilbur z. Davis, and ! think wit
Orrice Ballard, and | know did with MIR
Stewart. and think used the same expires
sion have here, "that whatever they wante'
would be sent up," and l supposed ha'
reference to liquor. but nothing was salt
about liquors.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-05-16
A. @. STONE.

Whisky, Beer and Wine in One Day,
A. G. Stone of Wallingford, in deposi
ton taken at Rutland, said that he was
lawyer and had procured liquor at the Van
Ness house. The examination proceeded -
@. How many times: A. Well, three
times in one day.
q. And any other time besides that day
A. Yes, but it is so many years back, why
back In 1879.
@. In the last ten years. A. Only on this
q. When was that. A. Along the first Of
august, I'D, 4th or 9Th, think.
q. And what kind of liquor was it:
A. Whiskey and beer, last August, 1899.
@. And how many times did you purchase
whiskey! Once. .,.., D.
q. Beer! Once.
q. Any other liquors A. A pint Of wine.
q. Anything else! A. Nothing else.
q. Did you purchase 1t all together! A.
No, sir.
@. Tell about IL! A. registered at the
Van Ness house, l think the Sd of
August, am not positive-the fore part of
August; occupied room 16. Mr.. D-B--
was there; we met and invited him to din
ner. Went to my room and rang up the bell
boy and asked him If we could have some
thing to drink. He said we could lie went
out and procured pint Of whiskey, and
when he came back we told him we wanted
something besides water for a pusher; he
went out and got some beer. We then went
to dinner.
Q. What did you have for dinner! A. A
bottle Of wine.
O. OF whom did you purchase thatt A. i
suppose the head waiter; Seeley, think his
name II.
= o. You say the boy went out and got some
whiskey and beer, do you know where :
A. could not say.
Q. Did you tell him to go out of the house
ami get II! A. l told him to go and get it.
q. Did the bell boy say anything to you
about that being temperance hOusei A. He
said they did not have any liquor in the
house.
@. Did he say anything more? A. He said
he would 90 out and getit.
@ You paid the bell boy for the liquor
A. Yes, sir.
@. Aud paid the head waiter for the wine !!
A. Yes. sir.
q. And it was served right there in the
dining room? A. Yes, sir.
O. Did the head waiter say anything to
you about going out, and did he not go .
\. He did not go out Of the dining room TO
get Il. He got II from some sideboard.
could not tell you just what. He brought
what ordered, pint of red wine.
Characterization: Mr.. FOSTER
= q. You gave the bell boy money in advance.
A. Yes, sir, l gave him dollar and he
brought the pint of whiskev; I told him
wanted pint Of beer, bottle of beer or
something else; he said that 1t would cost
enough 10 come to dollar, and gave him
u cents more.
:. q. Do you recall the conversation YOU had.
Mr.. stone. you had In the dining room.
a. tie said 'here was some wine there that
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-05-16
K. M. HUNTER.
A Newspaper Editor Tells About a Re-
publican Convention.

A Newspaper Editor Tells About a Re-
publican Convention.
Il. N. Hunter of Fair Haven, In deposit
ton taken at Rutland, said that he was ed
itor of the Fair Haven Record. In response
to a question about Intoxicating liquor in the
Van Ness house he said:-
A. At the time of the state convention in
1892 was there; 1t was when Mr.. Fuller was
nominated. We ordered beer at our rooms
by bell boy.
o. About how many persons were in the
room! A. L don't remember; there were
quite number. We had visitors from the
county and five or six of the delegates.
Q. Can you give the names. A. Some
Mr.. Webster Of Hubbarton. Mr.. Reed of
Fair Haven, Mr.. Wescott of Fair Haven, Mr..
Wood Of Fair Haven, MIR. Plat Of POultney,
and also Mr.. Lawrence Of Rutland, and
think j. c. Jones.
Q. About how many bottles of beer were
beginning; quite number before morning.
Q. How many before morning! A.
should think, certainly, three or five dozen
altogether. We had all of Rutland county to
visit US that night.
Q. How was that beer ordered? A. In the
first we called bell boy and we ordered
some through him, which was brought quite
party objected to the price and one of the
party went elsewhere and brought it to the
room.
Q. Well, to whom was the objection made
as 10 the price! A. The bell boy.
Q. Well? A. He said the price was made
below. he had nothing to do about 1t.
Q: Did you get any more beer Of him after
that? 4. We did not.
Q. About how many bottles of beer did
you order of the bell boy: A. / presume 10
or 10, perhaps 20; it was large party.
Q. And about how long after you gave the
order before the beer was brought?
a. could not give any idea.
Q. And did the boy tell you that the Van
Ness house was temperance house? A. He
did not.
@. Did be say anything about going out
after liquor? A. He did not.
q. Was anything said to him, or did any
body else say anything about the Van Ness
house. 30 that 1t gave you the impression
that there was not plenty Of liquor there If
you wanted 1t? A. No, sir.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-05-16
w. 5. DOWNEY.

The Democratic Convention OF 1890.
VS.. Downey of Bakersfield, in deposit
ton takon at St. Adams April l, said that he
went to the Van Ness house In 1890. when he
was q delegate to the democratic state con-
vention. The examination continued
O. State with whom you went there to the
Van Ness house? A. c. C. Prouty. A. G.
Brigham, A. l.. Hall, II. j. 1sham.
Q. Did you register u at the van lam Ness
O. Were you assigned 10 rooms or to
loom thereS A. Yes, sir.
q. Where was your room! A. In the
American.
Q. Who showed you to your room! A. A
young man who was there at the Van Ness
house took us over and showed us our
room.
@. When you got to your room was there
anything said about liquors! A. Yes, sir.
Q. State fully in regard to ity A. Mr.
Hall asked the young man II there was any
thing we could get as an appetizer, and he
said there was. and went out and got it, q
bottle of whiskey.
O. who paid for 1t? A. Mr.. Hall.
q. How much did he pay for it! A. Two
:, q. Was there any other liquor bought by
anybody else Of your party! A. Yes, sir.
Q. BY whom? A. II. j. lsham.
@. State ul'y what was said between Mr..
Isham and he employee? A. He asked II he
hadn't maze u mistake In the charges, Mr..
Isham asked the question, and he said no sir.
Mr.. Isham said that isn't all the money
have, have dollar more, you calculate to
get It all, guess; he said that was his orders
from the office two dollars.
Q. State whether that liquor was drank
there or not? A. Some Of 1t was at least.
@. State whether you bought any or not!
A. did not.
O.: Do you ever have anything on draft'
Q. Beer or ale or anything on draft !.
A. Never. The man that got that up got 1t
up out of whole cloth.
@. During the time that you have been
there, did you ever tell any one In substance
that you didn't make business of selling
there, but that you had to keep little for
the guests of the house. A. No, sir. never.
Q. Or anything of that kind? A. Never.
Q. Do you know Mr.. Jones who Is now
at the head of the Kelley institute at Rut-
land? A. No, sir.
@. Then you are not able to say whether
be was ever in your place or not? A. l
could not say.
@. Do you recall any instance where man
came to your place and asked for some
water, and you held up bottle Of Bass ale
A. No, sir, never had bottle Of Bass ale
since have been In the Van Ness house.
Q. You mean bottle of Bass ale in your
place there! A. In my place there. never.
Q. Never for any purpose! A. For no
purpose,
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-05-16
LOUIS c. BASS.
Boston Business Man Visited the Van
Ness House Several Times.

A Boston Business Man Visited the Van
Ness House Several Times.
Louis G. Bass Of Boston, in a deposition
been at the Van Ness house several times,
and in response to question as to procuring
liquor there said:-
A. have obtained Intoxicating liquor In
the Van Ness house two or three times. The
first time, in my memory, was In the winter
of 1891. came up one morning on the early
train, and was very cold, and applied for a
glass of wbiskey. The night clerk directed
the porter to get me some, and was taken
down stairs into the basement or cellar, and
down to room formerly the barber shop, II
I remember, and given glass of whskey,
for which paid the night clerk. This was
about O'clock In the morning, or immedi-
ately after the arrivalOf the night train which
Another time was some time in August,
1898, on Sunday. | was to 60 out Of town
with three gentlemen on that day
to point where it would be in
convenient to obtain luncheon, and
| ordered luncheon put up for me while at
waitress In charge Of the room, and the
luncheon consisted mainly of sandwiches,
and ordered bottle of Claret, all to be put
in a basket, and it was furnished. as ordered.
The gentlemen with me were +. f. BrOwnell
of Burlington, j. w. Wo0dman, then Of
Boston, and Ralph Weller. They did not
obtain breakfast, but went with me.
Another time when drank wine at the
Van Ness house was between the 10Th and
2Sth of October, 1893, when took dinner
with c. w. Lassell, the president of the
Whiting Machine works of WhitingsviIle,
Mass. He also invited Mr.. Brownell, and
obtained at that time with the dinner bottle
of champagne. which we drank.
q. Referring now the luncheon with
which you say you fought the bottle of
claret, is there anything connected with that
In your mind! A. There is. The waitress
knew well that the luncheon was for four,
and there were four sandwiches, which con-
sisted of the entire solid portion of the
luncheon, and q quart bottle of claret; 1t
appeared to be somewhat out of propor-
tion.'
Q. BY whom WAS that cIaret paid for, and
where was 1t paid for! a. II was paid for
by me when paid my bill at the hotel.
Q. Referring now to the last occasion upon
which you say you drank champagne with
Mr.. Lassel aud Mr.. Brownell-of whom did
Mr.. Lassell order the wine! A. OF the head
waiter. .a.
@. What was said by the head waiter when
the order was given 10 reference to the fur
nishing of the wine. il anything! A. So far
az recollect, nothing
Q Was there any intimation, or suggestion,
II would be necessary to go out Of the house
10 procure that winel A. Ny memory does
not serve me that there was.
q. Do you remember what kind Of glasses
that was served in? A. My recollec.
tion Is that It was q small, upright chan-
payne glass--a straight champagne glass or
tumbler.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1896-05-16
FRANK q. ARCHIBALD.
Bell Boy Purchases, With Payment
at the Desk.

Bell Boy Purchases, With Payments
at the Desk.
Frank Z. Archibald of Manchester, in
deposition taken at Rutland, said that he was
lawyer and had stopped at the Van Ness
house and bought liquor in the Van Ness
house. The examination proceeded
@. You may state how you purchased 1t!
A. The liquor purchased in the Van Ness
house / obtained when l was in my room.
| rang the bell. the boy answered the call
and gave him my order and 1t was filled.
@. And whether anything was said to you
as to how 1t was to he filled or how 1t was to
be purchased? A. Nothing Of the kind was
said. l simply gave the order for the liquor
wished and 1t was brought.
@. Where and how did you pay for the
liquor? A. settled with the gentleman In
the office at the desk when paid my bill for
entertainment at the hotel. The gentleman's
name was Clark, Herbert Clark.
@. How many times did you ever obtain
intoxicating liquor in this way' A. 1t
would be impossible for me to state. Not
many times: very few times. l presume
three or four at the outside.
Q. Were you on those occasions guest Of
the hotel and were you registered as guest!
A. Yes, sir. ,'.
@. You say you paid for the liquor when
you paid the bill! A. paid the bill for
lodging and whatever meals ! had and the
liquor at the same time.