Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1899-07-14
BRIBERY IN BARRE.
A DEPUTY SHERIFF CAUGHT RED
HANDED BY SUPERIOR.


A Montpelier despatch under date of
July says: Deputy Sheriff George w.
Smith of Barre was arrested in this city
Saturday night by Sheriff Graves on the
charge of blackmail and malfeasance in
office. He was given a partial hearing
in city court late Saturday night and bail
fixed at $1,000 Bail was not furnished
and he went to Jail. The woman whom
he Is charged with blackmailing is Mrs.
G. Bianchi, who resides on Sibley avenue.
w. A. Lord was approached by the
woman during the past week and inform
ed of Mr.. Smiths conduct. She stated
that Smith came to her house July
with search warrant issued from States
Attorney Hoar's office and said the state
had strong case against her for selling
Intoxicating liquors, having about 20
witnesses who were ready to swear that
they had obtained liquor at her house.
AS she was widow and good woman
Smith claimed that he did not desire to
search her place and did not. He told
her that it would probably cost her S400
or $500 to settle the case in the usual
way, but that if she would give him 500
that he would fix it up for her so that
she would have no further trouble and
that he would have to have the money
by Saturday night.
She being an Italian woman and not
understanding the law, consulted Mr..
Lord, who accordingly laid his plans to
detect Mr.. Smith in the matter.
On Saturday Mr.. Lord summoned
sheriff Graves from Waterbury, the latter
arriving here about noon. Mr.. Lord and
Sheriff Graves went to the Bianchi house
about O'Clock in the afternoon and
were given a room separated from the
living room by portieres.
After waiting until o'clock, as Smith
did not appear, Mr.. Lord sent a son of
Mrs. Bianchi to Barre to find Smith and to
inform him that his mother would not be
at home Sunday, and if he wished TO see
Mrs. Bianchl he must come to Montpelier
that night. Smith returned to this city
with the boy and entered the living room,
where he was plainly visible,to the officer
and Mr.. Lord. Following Mr.. Lords
directions, Mrs. Bianchi went through the
original trade with Smith, he assuring
her that he would settle not only this
case, but would let her know when any
ccdICll warrants were Oul lUT Her Ill lUt
future and would keep her nformed-in
other words, would give her protection.
Finally. pleading poverty, she beat
him down from 500 to S75 and counted
the money on the table. AS Smith
reached out to take the money, Mr.. Lord
and Sheriff Graves drew aside the
portieres and confronted him, Mr.. Graves
taking the money. which he now has In
his possession. Smith was dumbfounded
for a moment but recovered his self
possession, and Mrs. Bianchi having left
the room asked Messrs. Lord and Graves
If they couldn't fix it up for him. Both
men were very indignant and rejected
his overtures by telling him that they
thought that already there had been
enough 'fixing things"
States Attorney HOar is in conference
with Mr.. Lord tonight and the matter
will be sifted to the bottom. 1t has been
suspected for some time that something
of this nature was going on and the au-
thorities have been quietly watching sus-
pected persons. Smiths hearing will be
continued and probably completed to-
morrow.
The penalty prescribed by the statute
for such an offense is that the officer
shall be deposed from office and debarred
forever from holding any office in the
state and shall be imprisoned in states
prison not more than ten years, or fined
$1,000.
A second despatch from Montpelier
dated the 10th says: AS sequel to the
arrest of Deputy Sheriff George w.
Smith of Barre, States Attorney Hoar
this afternoon issued warrants for the
rearrest of Smith and also the arrest of
Constable w. H. Buchanan and Henry
wilkins, his son-in-law, all of Barre.
The men are charged with conspiracy,
the complaint setting forth that they
conspired to blackmail Mrs. Bianchi. 1t
is alleged that Buchanan and wilkins
are as deep in the mud IN this affair as
Smith is in the mire and it is intimated
that there are others.
Sheriff Graves and Deputy Wedge ar
rested the men In Barre this evening and
brought them to this city, where they
were arraigned in city court. They
pleaded not guilty to the charges against
them and waived examination.
w. A. Lord acted for the states attor-
ney in the matter and requested the
court to fix the bail of the men at such
sums as would be commensurate with
the enormity and gravity of the charge
and insure their appearance before the
grand jury. The court fixed the amount
of bail In each individual case at $1,000
The bondsmen were all Barre men. II.
w. Whitcomb became surety for the bail
of Buchanan, A. E. Batchelder and C.
nhnn oaI 1
Buchanan and IL. w. Whitcomb for
wilkins.
number of foreigners In the Penn.
sylvania coal regions are anxious to en-.
LIST for service In the Philinnines