Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1903-10-02

SWEPT THE SLATE CLEAN
LICENSE COMMISSIONERS CLOSE
ALL OPEN BARS IN TOWN.
Result Of investigation as to Sales to
Mnors-Action of the Commission.
ers Not Upheld by the Public in Geu-
eral-l onoer and Eairer Test of avv

V'IOto-NSk'oU " wv
ers Not Upheld by the Public in Geu
eral-Lonser and Fairer Test Of Law
What may be justly termed one OF
the biggest sensations which Brattle-
boro has ever experienced developed or
Tuesday afternoon in the action OF the
board of license commissioners whC
revoked all the liquor licenses in town
save those held by the druggists. This
followed the investigation which had
been in progress several days and was
primarily based upon the issue that the
licensees had sold to minors.
The story was told almost in COM
pleteness in the Reformer last week
The decision of the board only was
lacking. 1t had been established in
evidence that liquor had, in one place
in town, been sold by minor-the son
of one of the proprietors-and also that
the hotels had sold to minors, some of
whom had lied as to their age. Several
youths had been fined $25 apiece for
contempt of court and put in the GUS
| tody of the chief of police. That was
the situation on Friday noon, when the
Reformer went to press.
Saturday morning the fines of these
young men were reduced to $5 apiece
and the investigation went ahead Then
the commissioners gave notice on ad-
journment that they would give their
/ decision in the matter on Tuesday
morning. This was, by the public at
large, regarded as somewhat unjust. in
somuch as it kept the licensees on the
anxious seat a couple Of days more and
| made the simple business proposition
of their preparations for the entertain
ment of Valley Fair guests an uncer-
tainty that much longer. Nobody that
could be found expressed belief that all
| four licenses would be revoked, but ii
was freely predicted that at least two
of them were in jeopardy.
| However, the commissioners took the
| matter in their own hands, as they
have perfect right TO do under the
law and sponged the slate. They wiped
pened after a long and very serious
consultation between themselves at the
office of Commissioner Putnam The
ground was very fully plowed, every
argument that could be advanced for
conviction and revocation was pre-
scented. Yet it is said, on the very best
of authority, that on Tuesday morning
some hours before the hour for the
meeting called for the filing of briefs"
by the defendants. the whole thing had
| been settled and, in the vernacular. it
| was "all over but the shouting" Ger
tainly il is true, on the authority of
| Mr.. Davenport. the original and sole
complainant, that he presented a
| "brief''--i. e. recommendations in the
case-which arrived too late for con-
| sideration. In it he asked the commits
sioners to revoke the license of the
| Valley. Bottling works on Flat street,
and urged that, Regarding the sales to
minors by the three hotels. he felt con-
| fident that there W. extenuating cir
cumstances and he recommended, as
sole complainant. that judgment be
suspended in their cases, as he had full
faith. so far as his investigation had
developed, that these three licensees
had made endeavor TO comply with the
law, and it would III his opinion be
wise and best to give them another
chance. But this did not avail, even
though il came from the man who set
the ball rolling. 1t came too latel
Everybody in town knows what hap
pened when the ak fell, There We're a
score of indignation meetings held
on Main street within Is minutes
Coming just as, it did, on the day be-
fore the opening of the Valley Fair, the
action of the license commissioners
was very severely criticised, probably
more so than had it all happened at
some other time. 1t was regarded as
lacking tact and judgment and in fact
prejudcial to the interests of the
community. An idea of the intensity of
the fact that, within half an hour after
the decision of the commissioners be-
came known. the flags and bunting on
one of the hotels put there in honor of
the Fair We're ripped down by the pro-
prietors There We're many others
who felt the same way.
Public sentiment certainly does not
uphold the license commissioners.
They are charged with playing into the
hands of an undesirable element
probably without intention but assur-
edly a fact-and there is a general |
feeling that this new law should have |
been given a longer and fairer test |
before public condemnation here |
These are the first liquor licenses in |
the whole state to be revoked under |
the new law, and it seems rather un- |
that distinction.
The licensees who have been shut |
down were very much disturbed by |
the order but took their medicine with |
resignation. They have chance to |
appeal if they care to, but that will |
carry the cases to the April, 1904. court, /
and meanwhile they cannot do busi- |
ness. They are out thousands of dol |
lars by the past few days; one of them |
has just put in a new bar costing 81, 900 I
or more. and his feelings in the matter |
may better be imagined than described. |
Meantime, it is said that the brewery |
on the island will soon be in full blast.
The board of license commissioners
declares that three of the leading law
yers of this county are responsible for
their decision. As is we'll known, C.
c. Fits was their attorney and con-
Quoted the examination for them. Fol-
lowing his decision in the case it is said
that the commissioners visited two other
attorneys and asked their advice. Then
they acted.
1t should be stated that the COM
missioners made endeavor to clean up
everything and in their investigation
included the drug stores and their con-
duct of the liquor business, but they
found no evidence warranting them in
against any of the drug
stores.
The landlords are uncertain what
to do; it has all come so suddenly that
they have hardly had opportunity to
look about. The Melrose at West
has been crowded with city
guests all summer; the American
House has been overcrowded, day by
lay. refusing guests of necessity, and |
the Brattleboro House has been
nearly as badly off for accommodations.
There are hints that these hotels may
close up but this is hardly serious
view of the situation.
Eminent counsel have been consulted
n the matter of the revocation of the
licenses and within few days some
may be expected. The
licensees having been so hard hit the /;
;pirit of retaliation is not surprising. [.
There are likely to be further prose- p.
,utions in the matter as the law pro-
-ides that "a minor who falsely repre- '
'ents his age to a licensee for the pur-
,ose of procuring intoxicating liquor
hail be fined $50, or be imprisoned |
lot more than 90 days. or both" Sew