Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1899-12-07
TOO MUCH BOTTLED ALE

lOO MU(n bOl lieu ALE
At the Fish and Game League Banquet
More about Ex.Gov. Woodbury.
Case.
Much comment, adverse and otherwise
ha, been made because at the annual ban
quet of the State Fish and Game League
held at the Van Ness House, Burlington
Wednesday evening, November Is, bottled
Bass ale was served to each guest at the
banquet.
Besides the moose meat from Maine and
the pheasants from Shelburne Farms, gifts
to the club by distinguished sportsmen,
there was presented to the club about two
barrels of pint bottles of Bass' ale, which,
with the moose meat and pheasants, was
served at the dinner and by the servants oil
the Van Ness House in their regular dutie,
as walters.
During the evening several members Of
the party, who had .unquestionaby par
taken of stimulants prior to entering the
dining room, became quite jovial, SO much
oO VhdU WuCA luC OICECS.Td sUTuCK
a rag-time" tune, they lifted their voices
in joyous song, and drove dull care away.
Governor Woodbury., though present in
the office part of the time during the
serving of the dinner, was not present as
guest, but retired to his home outside
the hotel at an early hour.
The citation served on the proprietor of
the Van Ness House says in part: "That
for long Tins pat and more especially
for the past year, Intoxicating liquor has
been kept in said building by the said
Urban A. Woodbury., Herbert E. Wood
bury and the said Clark with intent to sell,
furnish and give away the same without
authority, and that during that time intox-
icating liquor has at divers times been sold,
furnished and given away in said buildings
and particularly in the public dining room
of said building without authority by the
said Urban A. Woodbury., Herbert E..
Woodbury. and the said Clark. That dur
ing said time Intoxicating liquor has been
sold, furnished and given away without
authority in said building by divers per-
sons, whose names are to the states attor-
ney at present unknown, with the knowl-
edge, consent and approval of the said
Urban A. Woodbury., the said Herbert E..
Woodbury. and the said Clark. Whereby
said building, and particularly that portion
which IS used tor a public dining room,
has been and is common nuisance, kept
10 violation of law and ought to be abated
and enjoined by this honorable court in
accord with the statute in such cases made
and provided"
Governor Woodbury's position is set
ferth in the following letter:
Rufus E. Brown, ESQ.,,
Sta es Attorney.
My dear Sir;-Referring to our talk rel
alive to the case of state We. Urban A.
Woodbury., Herbert E. Woodbury. and
Herbert N Clark, which case is under
stand based upon transactions which took
place at the banquet held in the dining
room of the Van Ness House November
18th inst, will say that, to avoid time and
expense OF calling witnesses, l will admit
the following facts, W., | am the owner
and proprietor of tie Van Ness House and
the aforenamed Woodbury. and Clark are
the managers; they have the charge OF the
detailed conduct of the business of the
hotel in a manner mutually agreed upon
by us. / acknowledge that 1 am the supe-
rior authority, and that they are subordi-
nate to me, although the management of
the hotel is quite largely a. they suggest.
As to the banquet of the Vermont Fish
and Game League which was held at the
Van Ness House in the evening of the
18th inst, | will say that on or about
November 9th the said league through its
officers arranged with the Van Ness House,
by its managers afor said, for the said ban
quet at 81 per plate, the said league to
furnish game, cigars and decorations for
the dining room At this time nor at any
time up to November 14th inst. was any
intimation made to me or to the managers
aforesaid that it was the intent or desire of
the said league to use ale, beer or liquors
at said banquet, but the managers aiore-
said admit that on the 18th inst they were
notified that the said league had sent bar
rel or barrels to the said Van Ness Hou.e
and that they, the said managers, knew
before the hour of the said banquet that it
was the intention of the said league to use
BASIS ale at the said banquet l admit
and they admit that the said ale was drunk
by the guests at said banquet from COM
mon water glasses which were the property
of the said Van Ness House, the corks of
the bottles of said ale being drawn by the
said guests. The first knowledge that l
had that any ale, beer or liquor was in
tended to be used at said banquet was
about twenty or thirty minutes before the
guest, entered the dining room, when
went in to see how the tables and room
looked, and saw bottles on the tables
which l judged were ale or beer bottles
though l have not up to thi, time any
actual personal knowledge as to thsir con-
tents. did not sit down in the dining
room nor psrtake of the food or ale and
remained IN the room but few Minutes
and went home before the banquet had
been all served. The said league, by its
officer, took charge of the dining room;
the tables were arranged as they dictated
and the decorations, the material for which
they furnished, were placed as they de-
sired.
The officers of the league sold the
tickets and received the money and up to
this time have not paid tor said banquet.
Yours very truly,
Urban A. Woodbury..