Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-12-08
WILL GET HIS SALARY.
STATES ATTORNEY BROWN HAS
DONE HIS DUTY FAITHFULLY.
Judge Ross FINDS That the Ungrammati-
cal Report of the Grand Jury Does
Not Refer to Chittendeu County's
Prosecuting Omcer.

o clock opened a public hearing at the Of
flee of the county clerk. The hearing was
held at the request of States Attorney H.
e. Brown and its object is depicted in tho
following notice sent out by Judge Ross
| states Attorney Brown having appl ed
to me, the presiding judge, for the certih-
cate of faithful administration of his Of
flee" required by law before he can draw
his salary, finds himself embarrassed by
the following paragraph from the report
of the grand jury, made to the court at
the term just closed I'VE find the Off
GERS upon whom the prohiDitory law places
it's enforcement, the states attorneys and
the grand jurors of the towns, fail to take
the initiative In any case and claim it is
not their duty, and that outsiders must
first make complaint before they can
act"
The hearing was not largely attended
and those present were made up largely
of attorneys and officials interested in the
matter under discussion. States Attor-
n,y Brown was represented by w. l..
lBurEap. He took the stand in his own
cause and after being sworn gave testi-
Imony in part as follows: l understood
when elected states attorney that it was
my duty to prosecute every offender
where | had reason to believe there was
evidence to convict. Up to 1896 the law
did not bind IL states attorney to sign
search warrants except upon the COM
plant of some citizen. Before the passage
rants as "A citizen. | have caused searches
to be made wherever | have had cause to
believe that liquor was being illegally
sold. There are different classes of com
plants. Some of them come from women
and If these are reliable usually act at
once. Others are from men who make
complaints out of spite and these are not
successful. if carried out at once SO that
| have held them for a few days before
making out the warrants There is still
another class Of compliments, who are
women and who tell somebody about
their intention before lodging the COM
= plant and thus give warning In many
cases. There are circumstances where
have declined to prosecute. This is when
in my judgment there Is not sufficient evil
dence to warrant such action. l have
tried TO make the liquor laws just as eff
= fective as those against stealing.
: Judge Ross asked the question: II have
seen in print that there were large
number of government licenses in this
city: is that true?"
Yes, / have a copy of the list"
+. Are the licenses posted conspicuous
ly?"
II am unabl. to state"
, 1T has been said that the drug stores
sell Il good deal"
Il have heard good deal of talk con-
corning the drug stores. Two cases of this
kind were recently tried and the liquor re-
stand that the appliances found show il
: legal sale.
, Opportunity was given for the examlna-
ton of the witness and Rev. w. S. Roberts
asked What was the termination of the
drug store cases when several were
searched some time agoY'
In several of the cases where whiskcy
, was found the plea of guilty was entered
i and the fine paid"
Il have heard some criticism in which
, it was alleged that the liquor was not
= spilled"
;. AN seized liquors are now spilled. At
: one time Il test was made and the better
= quality taken to the agency"
u Nv hose duty is 1t to see to the destroy
= ing Of liquors."
THAT of the sheriff An order is is
sued from the court"
Sheriff Reeves was sworn and said In
= part that there had been scarcely a day
= during the last few months when he had
not had warrants. 1t Is now difficult 10
= ind liquor at any place The prosecution
. on the part of MIR. Brown had been Wig
orous. Believed that complaints are often
mada by persons sent from the saloon
keepers in order that an unsuccessful
search may be made. Thought the States
attorney has used good Judgment Be
lieved that Mr.. Brown had been faithful
i officer.
., prove the faithful discharge of duty by
4. Mr.. Brown. He said in closing that any
t.. body who looked the matter in the face
= knew that liquor could be gotten by any
:. body who wanted IT.
:, W. W. Walker, the chairman OF the
f. grand jury, stated that an explanation
+, was due Mr. Brown. He was out OF towr
- when the matter was before the CRANE
jury and they were not aware that any
. thing said would affect the States attor
u ncy's salary. The statements We're bascc
y, on general knowledge. Mr.. Walker spoke
- of the increased number OF drug stores ant
N discussed the quantity of beer to be fount
:, at the docks during the summer. lie
n thought the display should be abated.
- Roy. w. S. Roberts asked the 1udg'
% whether or not it was necessary for Il drui
store to take out n special tax for com
pounding medicines.
Judge Ross replied that he did not sup
pose 1t WAS but the government was yer!
strict about its licenses and no doubt the.
a would he taken out by pharmacists.
rs there way to give up licens
n and show that 1t is no longer uscd?'
,s Il suppose there is Drug stores have
90 right to n certain amount of liquor
Reference WAS made to a complain
~ from George II. Waldron of the Societ
for the Prevention of Cruelty to animal
that a case known as the King case ha
not been given attention. The case wa
that in which one King was accused o
beating and setting dogs upon COW tire
out from drive in the deep snow. whic
was noticed more or less about yea
AGO. The testimony of II. f. Sails, agen
of the society and of j, T., Cushman, tn
attorney for King was given to show tina
N there was not evidence to convict
- This closed the hearing and Judge Ros
stated that he would sign the papers re
-. 0urcd for States Attorney Brown t
draw his salary.