St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1902-01-15
EoR ST. JoHNsBURY,s GOOD.


A Candid Letter on Subject in which
Our People nre Especially Interested
Just Now.
On account of the present agitation in
behalf of good government in this village,
the editor of the CALIFORNIAN asked Hon.
Jonathan Ross to write for these col
umns something regarding the move.
ment which led to the discipline melted
out to the Avenue House and the town
liquor agency. The response OF Judge
Ross appears below, and we feel sure 1T
will commend itself as a calm, conserVa-
tive, CHART tbe and yet candid review OF
the situation, and reliable statement
of the animus of hose who thus sought
to eradicate an evil that was defying
public sentiment and Threatening the
good name of the community.
EDITOR CALEDoNIAN:-T prevent mis-
appryhensiJn, | have nc'uded to COM
Div with the request of your letter and
make a brief statement OF the facts which
led to the recent movement to enforce
the criminal laws in this village. There
IS an association of several OF the prlncl
pal citizens organized to aid in the en-
forcement o. these laws. 1t has no other
object or purpose. 1t has no connection
with the Anti Saloon league. | am not
a member of the association, and know
OILY limited number of the members.
| was spoken to by some members, who
told me what evidence of breaches OF the
criminal laws they had ascertained from
sources which they knew to be reliable,
and asked me in what manner they ought
to proceed to aid in enforcing the law.
| replied, employ the regular officers OF
the law; that it should not be assumed
that the regular officers would fail to
discharge their duty. | was then asked
to speak to the regular officers, and con
scented, In this way only | came to be
connected with the movement.
was informed that reliable evidence
would establish that there was room
in the Avenue House fitted up with vari'
Gus brands of liquors which were being
secretly sold TO guests of the hotel and
to citizens of the village; that unmarried
men and women, with some who were
married, not of a virtuous character,
took rooms at the hotel, ordered ! liquors
to them, used the liquors freely, and re-
manned together in the same room late
at night and sometimes the entire night;
that on the other side of Railroad street
certain men had a room where they met
and gambled that they procured liquor
at the Avenue House. Some of these did
little else, and had families that needed
their attention and support.
This evidence also showed that the
agency was being run without any regu-
lations, and that liquor was sold with
out due inquiry in regard to the use to
be made of it, more or less to minors,
and to persons known to use it for drink
ing. The search at the hotel showed
that liquors were being kept there just
as | had been informed. The plea OF
guilty by the landlord establishes that
they were being unlawtully sold. The
landlord came to interview me, and from
what he voluntarily said, | am satisfied
that what had been informed as to the
social vice carried OH there, was true. l
should not like to repeat what he said
was the character of the servant girls OF
this village, for do not believe it to be
true. The search at the room where it
was claimed gambling was going on
did not result in the seizure OF any gamb-
ling implements because OF the necessary
delay in forcing entrance into the room.
| am satisfied this is so. Innocent pas
times are not carried on behind barred
doors. 1t was also true that liquors
were sold at the agency in careless, I'M
regulated manner am happy to be able
to say that by the action OF the proper
authorities sales there have been placed
under regulations that will, if followed,
| think, abate to a great extent the evils
there. The agent can lawfully sell liz
uors only for medicinal, mechanical and
chemical purposes. If he sells for any
other purposes he is liable to the penal
ties OF the law. He is thus under duty
to obtain information from every pur'
chaser of the use for which he wants it..
No one who wants it for lawful pur
pose can Justly complain if the agent in
quires for the use for which he desires it.
This village has always sustained a
high reputation as a law-abld1ng COM
munity. do not know why any law
abiding citizen should be disturbed or
think the good name of the village is be-
ing damaged by efforts to clean up such
places as have been attacked. l do not
think any great number will be disturbed
when they know the facts.
"The bird that is hit futters."
/ do not think that the landlord knew
all that went on in the rooms OF the
hotel, nor of all the liquors sold. What
was being done would not attract the
attention OF a person who visited the
hotel occasionally; nor would it all bf
known to a landlord unless he was 9
sharp man, of attentive, quick, observ
alton.
The persons moving in this matter arr
of no particular party or clique, ant
have no ends to promote except gooC
morals and good living. II we have an,
among us who are working for the re
verse Of these ends for money, or TO
unhallowed desires, for one, hope thi
association will keep at work until the
are compelled to move out. They sha
have what little aid l can give to tina
end. The members of this association