The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-01-17
ELACKMAIL AND RoTTENNEss.


W. /. Billings of the Boston Herald
has been in town two or three day
this week Investigating the brewer,
end and other Hinsdale connections
With the "blackmail in connection with
the enforcement of the prohibitory Law
under the auspices of the Law anc
Order League over in New hampshire.
Though there are of course honest and
earnest men connected with the
league, chiefly as figure heads, the
Herald has made it clear that its
machiney somehow has got into the
control of scoundrels and blackmailere
who have been lining their pockets
steadily by collusive action with the
rumsellers. 1t is a way the enforce
ment''of the law is most likely to run,
and as it has done a good deal even l n
Vermont, notably so in Rutland
county.
The result of Mr.. Billings work
here, after a few skirmish articles,
was a column and a half b%roadside
Wednesday, putting into print charges
that have for some time been circulat
ing here about blackmail dealings with
the breweries, but without spelling
out the names as ought to be done, If
legal proof were available. The
Herald's story is about a we'll known
Hinsdale man there who
protected liquor dealers bctore the league be
gan to pay attention to them in Western Chcsb-
ire county. He was retained by a prohibition
board of selectmen in the town of Hinsdale to
prosecute ~yiolatOrs of the law. lie WAS so
openly corrupt and II was so generally known
that he accepted money for protection that after
a few months he was discharged from his pc.
sition by the selectmen. The dealers who had
retained him also discharged him and from Aug
1891 TO the simmer of 1875 he was out of II. lie
was n justice OF the peace, and could make out
complaints, but il happens that his reputation
MAS such that in the whole county he was un-
able to get u single person to sign them. There
fore he was powerless.
However he finally went to Concord and con
suited with a member OF the league, who has
been very active in prosecuting. This oiiicia
made out the first papers for the town of Hins.
dale, and therstwhile prosecutor came back and
served them. They accused different persons
of selling beer, and the fines were pad before
n justice OF the peace ia Hinsdalc.
Then the temperance worker went to a mem
her of the league executive in Chcs.
hire county, u d got him to sign some more
complaints. These two, were settled.
a third raid followed, which was general, and
a number OF 'cases were found against each
dealer who had previously been brought up,
This rather stirred up the sellers.
They began TO fear that the man who had
made threats was capable of carrying them out,
SO one of them sent a friend around TO see this
man last October, At that time there were six
eases against the dealer. and fines aggregating
S30tlhad been imposed.
The dealers friend talked with the agent of
the league, and asked If the matter could not be
on a basis suitable and reasonable for
both. The agent said he Thought II could. He
agreed in consideration of 500 in cash, ITO send
for the writs and asettIe the matter up, The
: 100 was paid him.
He sent to Winchester, where the eases had
been heard before IA justice and got the papers.
more was heard from them. They
were meyer pushed.
Now it happens that this dealer went a little
further than had ever been gone before. because |
I is known that neither the league nor the town
,ver got a cent of the money paid In this settle
nent
There is at least this much .onfir-
of the Herald story that since
October the raids have stopped, though
t was announced then with a great
flourish that they would be continued
'uthlessly until the breweries went out
If business which they haven't done
a single day hardly. The Herald
lays that since then the agent
las received from the liquor dealers a
stated amour for protection every
and his influence has proved
efficient to prevent any interruption
n the traffic. His prices for protec-
ion range from 50 TO $40 per month,
md he has received in the neighbor-
lood of 500 every 30 days. 1t tells a
,ood many more incidents of the
Matchmaking record, those first under
own authority, where for a considera-
of S25 from each violator of the
lw, the latter was protected and |
in advance of the few raids |
hat were made. and of a later CASE
nder the League auspices where $500
mes were imposed. settlement made !
y the prosecutor for $500, who then /
OF two cases dropped by settling a
bird with the justice for SO, and d
imself %pocketing the $50 balance. Il
he Herald says: i
So corrupt did the IIinsdalc man become that
le county solicitor now has under considera- I
on the ACCESSIBILITY of presenting the evidence Z
,cured against him before tine grand jury at y
Ic Cheshire county term of court and asking 4
IT an indictment ON the ground of interfering,
a consideration, with the process of law.
1t is a wretched story certainly and
oweyeI accurate. gives in a general a
ay a good inside view of the workings !,
prohibition. :