Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-07-03
WHAT OUR NElGHBORS SAY.
Misinformed In Relation to the Care Of
the Windsor County "Spotter" Case.


Misinformed In Relation to the Care Of
the Windsor County "Spotter" Case.
(From the Woodstock Standard)
The Rutland Herald last Friday uttered
this amazing comment upon the trial of
'spotter" Waite, or Wilson, in Windsor
county court last week:
"Tarbell as states attorney who is the
arm Of the law, obtained an indictment for
manslaughter. The general public az we
understand it. was amazed that he was not
able to secure an Indictment for murder
and this amazement was increased when
the states attorney conducted in person
the prosecution under this Indictment of
the man who was In his employ as a public
official. We assume that he exhausted his
legal ability in his efforts to convict this
man. We are also aware of the fact that
there is a general impression that his legal
ability did not shine forth in a way to i'm
press the public during the trial at Wood
stock. There arc lawyers in this State who
would have declined to conduct the prose-
cution of their own hired men, but Charles
l.. Tarbell is not one of them. He was able
to rise above little considerations of that
sort and, being n broad-mindcd man. we
assume that he realizes the significance of
his inability to convince a jury of II that
his hired man. who shot to death by
standor in public hotel was a murderer
We will miss our guess if Tarbell and Will
son do not go down hand in hand in the
history of Windsor county as an object les
son Of what State prohibition can do in
Influencing the processes of justice"
Either the Herald is wofully misinformed
or willfuly misrcpresontcd by emitting to
mention two or three facts which are well
known here and which completely change
the aspect Of things as presented by that
paper.
In the first place it was shown last week
on iy,li ~
ment for murder was presented in due form
TO the grand jury, and that that body re-
turned the indictment to the court as mot
found" finding instead a bill of indictment
for manslaughter.
Next, the state s attorney did not Sin per-
son or otherwise conduct the prosecution
OF Wilson. Instead, owing to the public
agitation, caused largely by innammatory
comments like the above quotation the
Hon. William T. johnson was assigned by
tie court. at the suggestion of the States
attorney to conduct the suit against Will
son, and he did conduct the case entirely
the states attorney taking no part in the
court room except to make the opening
argument for the State before the Jury
This much he did at the urgent request of
Mr. johnson, and he did it ably. The mem
ocrs of the bar, and the spectators general
/ ~, are unanimous in crediting the State $
attorney with making a strong and force
Wilson.
The Herald shot very wide of the mark,
that time.
REAR ADMIRAL CLARK
From the Barre Times)
After a long discussion, not only in news
papers. the President has finally nominated
Capt. Charles e. Clark to be n rear adj
miral. whereat Vermonters rejoice It is
ar hat ir Il
record of Capt Clark will show. And a
particularly merttorious part of his conduct
is his ability to keep silence when others
lose the respect of their admirers by roa-
son of their garrulousncss. The rejoicing
over the prospective advancement is sharcd
not alone by Nermonters upon whom it will
be comforting an honor but it is general
throughout the country 1t will undouht-
| edlN he Rear Admiral Clark soon, as the
appointment is practically sure of con-
iirmation.
a REFERENDUM REQUESTED.
(From the White River Junction Land
mark)
| The only way that the issue between pro-
Ihlbitlon and high license can be satisfac-
| torily settled is by a referendum. The
large vote given in support of Clement and
the principles he advocates was under the
circumstances an admonition to the next
Legislature that very many voters of Yer.
mont are opposed to prohibition, and es-
pecially to the methods used in enforcing
the law. The people are the source Of pow
or They have The right to settle for them
selves the question whether they wish the
present law continued or n high license
ard local option measure substituted The
senator or the representative in the Yer
mont Legislature who may at the next SEES
sion vote against n referendum sets him
] n I inn
ment. Individual opinion either favorable
or unfavorablc to prohibition has nothing
10 do with submitting the matter to popu-
lar vote. The Republican party in Yer
/ mont cannot refuse, consistent with its
safety. to deny the people the exercise Of
a right which they possess and insist on
exercising.
THE LIQUOR ISSUE.
From the Ludlow Trbune)
In connection with the present fight in
Vermont, which has but Just begun, it is
or interest to note that the keepers of the
much- talked-of Capitol bars at WASHING
ton have recently been arrested and fined
500 each by the police court. The point at
issue is as to the right of the government
Of the District Of Columbia to impose a
license upon these restaurant kecpers.
thcy having been granted the privilege of
dispensing liquor by the United States
TRIBUTE TO CONGRESSMAN HAS
KfNS
N'rom the Barre Tmes)
That was a splendid endorsement that
the republicans OF the second congressional
district of Vermont accorded their repre- =
sentative in Congress Thursday afternoon
II<ittrcdge Ilaskins has fully attained the
Expectations of the people who sent him
10 the national body.
POLITICAL "REMINISCENCES.
(From the Mortified News
Ten years ago this month there was a
strenuous light on over the governorship
domination In this State, although it did
Inot equal the present one. The contest of
NV was like the present fight, a three cor
Inered one. Levi *. Fuller of Brattleboro
Henry A. Fletcher of Cavendish and Victor
| ]. Spear of Braintree were the candidates
THE convention was held June - at Bur-
Il lngton Col Fuller. like Gen. MCCULLOUGH
| cd in delegates from the beginning OF the
lcaucuses and while his friends were able
"a ma npit fa,. 4,