The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-04
ST. JoHNsBURY DIRT NOW.
Features of an Anti-Liquor Crusade in q
Model Vermont Town.

Features of an Anti-Liquor Crusade in .
Model Vermont Town.
ST. JoHNsBURY. Vt. June 3-Many years ago
this town was called the model town Of Now
England" by Hepworh nXon, tho English
traveller. and in his book. The White Com
quest" he referred to it as "A sober place
where nobody can get a drop OF drink" For
the FIRST tme in recent years this statement
10 literally true and the town Is dry"
as eight dealers in alleged soft drinks
have pleaded guilty to keeping nuisance
and paid fines and costs amounting to
$2o51 In each case; three pleaded guilty to
keeping intoxicating liquors with intent to sell
and paid about $50 each Hiram Goss. II former
hotel keeper. pleaded guilty TO eight first
offences for selling liquor and paid into tho
States treasury Slno.O2 and Herbert L. Doyle.
landlord of the new Avenue House. one OF the
finest hotels In the State. Is taking his medi-
cine In the shape OF n sixty-days' sentence at
the State workhousc at Rutland. and before he
started he paid S5lo02 Tor eighteen second
offences for selling liquor in his hotel. This
tells tho story Officially. but there arc lots OF
other facts which are not only interesting. but
In some cases simply ludicrous.
Fveryb body ought TO know that Vermont 10 .
prohihitory State and that 1t is against tho law
for anybody to sell liquor except the town
liquor agent, and he Is suppose, 4 to sell only for
HelIClnul purposes. III tnlS Inpuel Town mo
liquor agent has heen q comfort for topers. and
according to the last town report did business
OF nearly 10000 year. with a profit to the
town OF more than $500. or course no one be-
llevcs that the 10000 people in this vicinity
needed 80 much liquor for m cdicinal purposes.
and indeed some good stories are told OF tho
way the LIQUOR was purchased or procured.
few years ago key ofliIuor was cmpticd of its
contents 10y people who broke into the baso-
ment OF the agency and bored hole up
through the floor Just whore the key stood.
man has Just died who got quart OF al
cohol OF a former agent in this town by
putting four white stones in the bottom Of the
bottle and asking the agent for some alcohol
to dissolve The enmphor such stories as these ts
ahsurdity of q law that permits town agent TO
sell $4,000 worth OF iluor in year and sends
yenr. aro 4V3F Howe ' sndord Of the It.
individual taxpayer in st. Johnsbury. was
convicted Of a lot OF second olrsnees and
workhouse and serve his sentence.
curious feature Of thS law IS that lot OF
| for which he can settle by fines but when
! second offences come up, besides paying nne.
he g o t" GG o%ca p :ny Gr
Of sentence at the workhouse and when Land
lord kiebling o. Norwich vas conyEt It., i Of SO 50
was sent to the workhouse for ninetv-nne
| years to work them out This case got
na L r%pntoton as it was thT f9TndaT Tb
absnrdlty Of Il he law was SO apparent that a.
| three years at the workhouse was established.
The temperance crusade IN 81. Johnshury
| began with the formation OF the Anti saloon
| League a few weeks ago. 1t had been noticed
| that drunkenness was increasing in the Nil-
/ soft drinks, who assured the officers that they
0 the sg q s s, sw h The Tnsf Ta5
! 90 hapaDIp 10 prD0tu bla that two W hole.
sale dealers started IN the business one Of
them being one Of the village policemen:
| the Avenue House was ruldcd. but the pro-
pretoE vas acquitted pCosstby on tho EVIDENCE
ns am 9HDt # Of hT FER
50 dazed tho Jury that they voted for acguittal;
| About two weeks ago the County sheriff and
where cent sold and secured sam
I!es Of beer at each pace. Upon analysis II
ne9vs the Init Tbsn ana ba p ba
gan. list Of the twenty-six persons holding
GoyernmGnt Iiluor licenses was Obtained by
Collector and the two Wholesale dealers had
the option OF pleading guilty and paving their
next week in, the court presided over by Judge
Thompson, the most rigorous enforcer OF the
| or the two evils the dealers chose the lesser and
each paid ss4 % to the, State
| The dealers having pleaded guilty there was
| nothing for the retailers to do but to follow suit
| Under tho new iiw the owners OF property
| where tho Liquor law was violated are liable.
| and the court has been asked to institute
| chancery proceedings against them. alleging
that they keep common nuisance. This
! brings into the case the two national banks. a
| savings bank. a Sunday school superintendent.
| who gave tho Anti-SaloOn League $50 with
| his best wishes for its work. and several women.
Now the Sunday school superintendent is very
| angry. and declares that the matter has been
| carried altogether too far i is understood
| that the owners Of the buildings have hired
| counsel to fight their case at the coming term
of court, but, with III" law and Judge Thomp:
| son against them, 1t looks ms II the banks and
| as the dealers. At any rate there is one town
| IN tho State to-day whore the prohibit0ry law
| t. being enforced. and il anybody wants a drink
| no must bring it with him or order il sent 70
| his address from some city hOusa.