Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1899-12-14
Was Carrigan Drunk! Who Paid His

Was Carrigan Drunk! Who Paid His
FIne7
Fl. Carrigan, whom we left In jail at
st. Adams last week under conviction for
intoxication, was informed by the sheriff
last Thursday that his fine had been paid
that the charge OF furnishing liquor that
stood against him had been Withdrawn,
and that he was free to go at any time.
He left st. Adams that night, went to
Burlington, where his wife had been stop
ping with Rev. g. w. Morrow, and Mr..
and Mrs. Carrigan arrived here Saturday
evening.
They brought with them the following
letter which was read from the pulpit OF
the Christian church Sunday morning by
Rev. W. n. Chidley, without comment by
him, Mr.. and Mrs. Carrigan being present:
burlington, VT, Dec. 9, 1899.
Dear Brother Chidley: have made two
trips to st. Adams, have investigated
, thoroughly the case of Mr.. Carrigan, and
the reports of the press against him. The
case is utterly without foundation. He
was not drunk. The man with whom he
was speaking when the officers came up,
says he was not drunk, and the whole
thing OF his having taken a swallow OF
whisky, his havingthe bottles and all are
explained by what be was doing ia 81. Al
bans. The authorities have dropped him,
paying the fine themselves, although
funds we're already in the hands OF the
Anti Saloon League to have him released,
and they mol pressed the other case.
DR.. Avery aud the committee say be
was not drunk, and they have reason and
had opportunity to know his condition.
/ am sorry that the press OF the state takes
ii for granted that Mr. Carrigan sacrificed
his own morals and became drunk to Rc-
complish his attempted work. he has
done nothing OF the kind. Mr.. Carrigan
and his wife will testify to the fact that
his entering into this work was thorough
is and seriously canVassed, and he vent
into II after due consideration on the part
OF all, and in due time the truth will be
known, and we can wait for Justification.
q. w. MORROW.
The idea plainly conveyed by this letter
was that the arrest and conviction of Car
rigan were wholly unjustitiabls; that ii
was either the result OF mistake or a plot
by the officers; that finding their position
untenable they came forward and paid
Carrigan's fine themselves and cancelled
the other charge; and that Carrigan, the
Anti-Saloon League and Mr.. Morrow
stand fully exonerated.
Now THAT are the facts The HERALD
has learned the following from Mr.. Carri-
gan and from reliable parties in St. AL
bans whom il has interviewed
Asto whether Jim was drunk or not, Mr..
Morrow cannot state with the deiniteness
he assumes. He was not there. The three
officers " ho arrested Jim-men who had
never seen him before and had no animus
-swore under oath that he was. The man
he was with when arrested did not testify
TO what MIR. Morrow says, or, in fact, at
all. Carrigsn had just called him out OF
bed and hey were beginning a CONVERSE
ton through a crack in the door when the
N N. AZ NT.EA . ~. ~
GERS be did not know Carrigan, or what
his business was, and told the police TO go
ahead and arrest him-Carrigan states that
himself. Rev. Avery did not see Carrigan
after Z o'clock. He was not arrested until
II. Carrigan swore that he was not drunk,
but admitted that he had drank and he
had partially filled bottles with him. The
court found him guilty. He may or may
not have been. but no man can say with
authority, that he certainly was not.
Carrigan's fine was not paid by the 'au-
thorities, (" bat by people about town who
sympathized with him as the innocent
tool OF OF bers whom il was impossible to
reach. Rev. ID. j. O'Sulliyan, the Catholic
priest, was the originator OF the 50 bscrip-
ton plan. He visited Carrigan in jail and
was among those who had a cheering word
for him. The only part the authorities"
took in the payment OF his fine was that
the Justice and the officers knocked on
their fees. Carrigan states that Rev Avery,
Who has been profuse with public letters
denying that the League paid his fine, had
only words of reproach for him, especially
for having revealed League secrets. Avery
having shown this disposition, Carrigan
announced his preference to settle his
own account, which meant his imprison-
ment for over two months. Carrigan says
that neither the League, Avery or Mr.Mor-
row at any time definitely offered to pay
his fine. He says that Avery declined TO
pay him a cent for his services in st. AL
bans, claiming that he was merely to look
around Saturday; OF course couldn't be
aid for working Sunday; and Monday,
when his pay was to have begun found
him in jail.
Carrigan was released, not for the rea-
sons one would suppose from reading Mr..
thy in st. Adams was In his favor person.
ally while bitterly condemning the forces
which stood behind him.
The charge against him OF FURNISHING"
was doubtless a clear fabrication. Jim
says he Clipped in a dime with the Others
whom he was Swallowing" toward the
purchase OF whiskey and took a swallow
to divert suspicion. Mr.. and Mrs. Carri-
gan absolve Mr.. Morrow from all blame
themselves, as they say that Mr.. Carrigan
offered and Urged his services in the ca
pacity aud that Mr. Morrow, after some
hesitation, finally accepted them.
II really matters little whether Jim was
drunk or not. He was in a position where
his repressed appetite might have asserted
itself, even IL it did not fully, and whoever
had any part knowingly IN placing him
there is open to severe censure.