The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-05-23
THE STAFFORD LIQUOR CASES.
Justice 5ryan Decides That Dealers
are Conducting Business illegally
Liquor Men Have Paid Additional
Licenses Required BY Mann Bill
They Appeal to County Court

~ NuC ApIi NtTul vi tue NOuulN I DnFt
OF Stafford county, ;. L Jones, K :.
Payne aud {. ii Kennedy applied for Ii
cense To sell liquor in the town at Fal
mouth. This was made on the | 9Th day
OF April Their application was con
tested by certain citizens OF Falmouth
represented by MIR 4 " Berrey The
Court, however, granted them the 10.
cense and they paid the licence tax To
the Treasurer Ca the 10th Of April. the
Governor approved what is known ~
the Mann bill. whrh required license
Of $40 instead of Sl0O. Wednesday the
liquor dealers applied To the Judge To
correct the matter oi payment oi license
and allow them 10 pay the additional
SO ~ required under the Mann bill.
which the Judge did. They then paid
10 the Treasurer the additional SO and
the Judge in this order confirmed nnd
approved what was done at the April
term of the Court Thus ended the pro
ceeding OF the County Court At the
instance OF these same parties. Justice
Bryan had some days before this issued
warrants against the liquor dealers. IL
being claimed in the warrants that they
were suspected OF selling liquor contrary
tO law On the evening Of Wednesday
these warrants came up Tor trial before
Justices Bryan and ROhey The liquor
dealers were represented 10y Judge A. I.
Embrey, Judge John 7. Goodrich and e..
D. Foster. of the city OF fredericksburg.
aud the contestants OF Falmouth by !
". Coleman, of fredericksburg, and I.
W Berrey. Of stafford
The parties charged admitted that
they had sold liquor ia Falmouth since
the first OF May under the license granted
them at the April term Of the court 10y
Judge T. II l.. Chichester. and also under
the order which WAS confirmed 10y Judge
chichester Wednesday morning The
other side. the contestants, claimed that
A. the Mann bill Was approved on the
10th OF April and that these licenses did
not take effect until the LIST OF May that
Judge Chichester order was void and OF
no effect. aud after argument 10y counsel
)n both sides. Justice Bryan so decided
md required each of these liquor dealers
20 give bond OF : 100 10 be Of good be-
aavior. keep the peace and not unlaw-
July sell liquor in Falmouth From this
Judgment nj Justice Bryan the liquor
dealers appealed 60 the County Court OF
Stafford county and gave bond for their
appeal. which will be heard at the next
term of Stafford court Immediately
after the case was decided, the liquor
dealers offered through their counsel 10
waive al lnotices and 20 Immediately into
the trial of the case. the County Court
being in session This proposition was
refused by Messrs Ierrey and Coleman.
counsel for the contestants.
The liquor dealers will continue the
sale of liquor until an adver decision II
rendered in the higher courts.
The contestants exhibit untiring zeal
in their effort to suppress the sale OF
liquor in Falmouth At the April term
they bitterly contested granting the IL
cense. but they failed for some reason 10
appeal from the judgment OF Judge
Chichester. Then they made AL applica
ton for an injunction before Judge Mason.
which was withdrawn before action.
Then the three warrants referred 10 were
obtained Then on Wednesday morning
they contested the right Of the Judge 10
correct the assessments and again failed
TO appeal from said decision. Lawyers
say this il the most remarkable case that
has ever occurred. There is no instance
on record where the decision OF a county
court has been,set aside by a magistrate
court. The case attracted great interest,
much amusement and much bitter feeling
Attorney Foster in his speech charac-
terized the contestants as men OF -
calibre and fanatics. At the conclusion
OF the case Mr.. Foster was approached
by a number of the parties aud angry
words passed. and it looked as ii the
young attorney would have serious
trouble. but cool Judgment prevailed and
the impending trouble ended without
blows
Judge Bryan, when he rendered his de.
cision. did so in a calm and digniii d
manner. but Judge Robey who was sit-
ting by, said not word, but shook his
head a. il in dissent while this was being
done. lie afterwards said 81 am ~ n
loss to know why was called a. essoci'
ate in the trial a. have never had
chance to say a word.