Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-08-17
fTFTY.rHREE YEARS AGO.
den County - Reminiscea aces Of
QhaeAR ~. =. m0~Mn0.


his experiences In executing the prohibi. |
tory Law. as sheriff. was recently read
by Major ~. p. Bowman Of st. Johns |
bury before the Round Table Of the |
South Church In that village and was
printed In the st. Joimsbury Republican. |
TN the fall Of 1852 by a union OF
The Democratic and Free Soil parties in
Chittenden county. and while residing In
the town of Westford, was uncxpect.
eddy elected sheriff Of the county, and
Levi Underwood States attorney. 1t wau
4 very close vote. received only 35
votes over Mr.. Sherwood, who had been
a very popular sheriff only one year.
Never having had any experience In tho
business I distrusted my own ability tn
make II a success. SO at frst made my
arrangements to appoint good deputy
In Burlington and I remain at the courts,
but one day. being In town. l accidental
ly overheard two gentlemen. strangers.
talk rather disparagingly about tho
abilities Of che sheriff-elect, which chang
cd my mind, and I called UP the sheriff
at once and informed him should want
to move into the new county house
and take possession Of the Jail on tho
first Of December. About this time
young lawyer moved into Burlington
whom I at once secured as my counsel
and in whom placed implicit confidence
and I soon found 1t not misplaced. That
young man was struggling hard to get
foothold against such men as L. L.
Chittenden E. j. Phelps. Asabel Peck,
but who outstripped them all and after
ward became United States Senator
George F. Edmunds.
He became the beet lawyer in the State
and was determined to make as good
a sheriff as they ever had in the county.
That same fall. what was called Maine
Law" was passed by tho Legislature,
and submitted to the people for ratiiica-
ton. Although the law was unpopular
in Burlington. I resolved when the peO-
pie approved It, that il should be ex-
ecuted, within my jurisdiction. to the best
of my ability The Rutland and Vermont
Central railroad had just been completed,
leaving "a large number of foreigners in
town. who. during the summer has used
the largest part Of their wages for rum,
and when cold weather came their fami-
lies had to he taken care of by the town,
and the rum was all sold in town. while
the people were powerless to stop tho
traffic,
One man. who had become rich in the
business. defied the town. He had re-
tanned Phelps and Chittenden as his at
torneys. They had told him they thought
tc law was unconstitutional. and that he
rerty from seizure.
The voters of the State having APP
proved the law the day on which it went
iNtN Z hoI e,,1I NJ
rants one OF which was against Pat
Murphy, the king of the traffic, and who
had threatened to shoot any man who
should attempt to seize his liquor. Some
of my friends came to me and tried to
persuade me not to serve the warrant on
Pat, certainly not without a good. strons
force to assist. saying he was ugly when
drunk and that he was drunk nearly all
the time, but I had law and right on
my side and did not heed their advice. In
the morning l quietly took my cane and
walked the nearest way to Murphy 8
81 occry. intending to go without attract.
ing attention of the public. On my ar
rival I found quite a number OF people
on the ground and more followed me.
nearly all OF foreign birth. and many OF
| them Murphy's best customers, including
several truckmen. walked into the
grocery, found the proprietor quite well
set up and expecting me. evidently hav
Ing imbided sufficiently to keep his cour.
| age up I read the warrant to him and
informed him l should be under the ne.
cessity of taking what liquor he had or
hand. Then the poor rum showed it's in.
fernal influence by turing a human be-
ing into raving hyena. Drawing his re.
| volvcr. he told me he had good council
and had a right to defend his property
and would shoot me If 1 attempted tc
take it. informed him was not in
| the least scared and had not come there
| to fight but simply to do my duty, tina,
| al! asked him was to unlock the door
| into his basement cellar and that whether
| he did or not. ] should go in. Then
! picked up an axe and when he saw
| meant business he took out his key and
| unlocked the door. I went in and seized
| eleven barrels large number of keg;
and jugs, made the truckmen. who had
come hero out Of curiosity. back up theft
wagons and move all the liquor, amount
Ing to about 200 gallons. to my barn. The
nourners. numbering some 100, followed
me with the liquor on the street. nearly
swearing vengeance on tho sheriff ant
all others who would uphold the Maine
Law.
The Saturday following. the liquor
having been condo mned had it rolled
into the gutter on Church where I knock
| ed in the heads and sent il down th'
gutter. This ceremony was witnessed b,
large number Of the citizens. Two mer
| could not stand and see such a waste o
property. laid down in the gutter an,
drank enough so that in less than two
hours had them both in Jail. SO drunl
they could not travel without assistance
The next Monday I took them befor'
the magistrate to be examined accord
ing to law. When asked where they go
their liquor to get them drunk they sai'
they had it of Bowman. which causet
no little amusement.
This was one out of hundreds of cases
but suffice it to say I executed the pro
! hibitory law to the best of my ability tina
} year throughout the county. and all O
my deputies ably seconded my efforts.
u Was it any benefit to the place? G.
sec the records The town poor tax wa
; reduced over one-half, and it had go
~ into thousands before that. And t.
} show what tho county though of it
} would say that a popular young man wa
nominated fer sheriff to beat me. an
those in all the parties. who were no
J friendly to the law. understood that
Mr.. futile was elected he would not OK
| crt himself much to execute the law an