The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-04-08
READY'S STORY.
The Police Charge Sunday
Liquor Selling.
Defendant Says He IS a VIC
tim of a Dark Conspiracy.
Interesting Things Told in Court
About City Officials.

The trial Of Thomas Ready Of Central
Falls, indicted some time ago for keeping
and maintaining common nuisance in
the baby city took place before Judge
Wilbur and jury today.
The trial brought out the different
views of the defendant and the police of
Central Falls in regard TO many things
there Three witnesses named Frank
Babbineau, Andrew Arseneault and
Michael Arseneault testified that on
sundays March -, 20 and April IL, 1896,
they visited the tenement over Ready 's
saloon and bought beer and whisky
there. a fourth member of the party
named Joe Gagnon did not appear to
testify The Arseneaults denied that
they knew when they started for Roady 8
saloon that Babineau had put up a
scheme 10 get evidence against Ready
because the latter had preferred charges
against officer Hebert of tho Central
Falls police force.
Sergeant Louks testified that Ready $
place was rendezvous for thieves, loafers
and men convicted of crime, disreputable
people Of both sexes having a fondness
for the place. He did not have personal
knowledge Of any sales on Sunday On
cross examination the sergeant denied he
was evon n member of military COM
pany in Pawtucket or this city, but
admitted ne had once worn street car
conductors uniform. Witness was not
aware of the fact that the chief of police
generally sent word TO Ready before any
raids were made. The sergeant failed to
recall that he had told Ready TO look out
for the Frenchmen particularly the French
officers rs they could be bought by any
one for a dollar. 80 far as the sergeant
knew Mr.. Ready had never been en-
gagged by detectives To go TO the most dis
tant parts of the state TO recover stolen
property.
William +. Easton, who, in the days Of
the state prOhibitOry law, was mem bcr
of the state police, said Ready's place
had the reputation of being open all day
Sunday.
Chief of Police Goldsmith testified that
all the tramp spinners and buns in the
country made Ready's their Headquarters.
He Iever was i'm the tenement where
Ready was charged with Sunday selling.
On cross examination witness denied he
had ever argued 20 quash the present case
II Ready would Withdraw suits against
officers Whipple and Sylvester nc had
begun for an alleged assault The chief
would not positively deny that he had
met Mr.. Carroll by appointment TO tell
the attorney general the cases should be
dropped.
The defense was that the case was the
result of conspiracy to ruin Ready and
that the conspiracy was hatchcd by the
chief of police and what Mr. Carroll
called "a gang OF cheap politicians -
Ihere was some startling testimony
given. Mr.. Carroll, in his opening, re-
ferred In sarcastic terms TO the ''virtuous
and sober mayor" of Central Falls. and
dealt with politics pretty generally in the
city from which the. parties came. n
Ready denied that he ever sold liquor
on the Sundays charged and said that
on March 81, he was warned il would be
unsafe for him To be in the city on
March 81, so on that day he went To
Diamond Hill. He told about an alleged
interview between himself and Chief of
Police Goldsmith and Mayor VonlGotts-
chalk, which the chief sought when ne
was asked 10 put up lie on former city
Sergeant John +. Barber Ready further
claimed the chief had told him job
would be set up on him.
j.. C. DC bois, attorney general for
the state aud Hugh j. Carroll for the
defendant