Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1905-03-03
DON'T MAKE THIS PUBLIC
ASKED Mr.. Fits OF THE L.
cENsE COMMISSIONERS
And Then Proceeded to Use His Yer.
sion Of the tel.keepers' Examin-
alton as a Prohibition Argument
What the Commissioners Say.

alton as a Prohibition Argument
What the Commissioners Say.
Since both the Statement from Mr.
Fits" as published in last weeks Re
former and the article sent the Phoe'
nix by him for publication in tina
paper were evidently written for th'
purpose OF misrepresenting the actud
conditions and creating false Inn
preston, we feel called upon 10 give
this statement of what actually oc-
Cured In connection with the charges
made by Mr. Fits.
AT the regular quarterly meeting
of this board held at the office of the
selectmen, February IL at s p. nj.
Clarke c. Fits appeared and In
formally reported that he had reason
to believe that the proprietors OF botn
the American and Brattleboro houses
were selling liquor to young men of
this village until they became SO in
toxicated they had to be put to bed
and that the practice ought to be
stopped He further stated that If
| the licensees denied his charges he
| stood ready to meet them and prove
| them true He declared that there
were not less than half a dozen he
could name, but because of his In
terest in one of the young men he
preferred to call no names, as he
wished to have no publicity in the af-
fair.
Immediately upon adjournment of
the meeting the board proceeded TO
both the hotels named and informed
the proprietors of the charges made
by MIR, Fits, which they both denied.
They were desirous to meet Mr.. Fits
and il was arranged that night that
such meeting should be had as soon
as possible Sunday evening one of
the members of this board called ny.
on Mr.. Fits TO arrange date for the
meeting, and having learned who two
of the young men were who were re-
ferred to by Mr.. Fits, told him frank
ly that If he was moving in this mat
ter for political reasons there would
be no need of secrecy. and that furth-
er, the board would expect him to fur
nish the names of the rest of the
young men whom he had included in
his original charge of mot less than
half dozen" AS he wished for time
to get his evidence ready the meeting |
was arranged for Friday the 18th at |
the Office of the selectmen at p. IN. |
At this meeting were present the |
3 members of this board, Mr.. Fits, |
Mr. Duquette of the American house,
and Mr. Sullivan of the Brattleboro
house. Mr. Fits made his statement
that he did not desire to cause trouble
to the proprietors of the hqfxls and
that his complaint was informal and
made because of a personal interest |
in the welfare OF one of these young
men: that, while if what he charged
was true and complaint was made
70 him by any person he would, under
lis duties as attorney general for this
state, have to prosecute, yet under
he circumstances and because 1t was
/ personal matter, and also to avoid
he would waive such con-
He then made his COM
llaint, but only on account of one
foung man. Mr.. Duquette denied that
he young man in question had ever
,een put to bed in his hotel and stat .
ID that so far as he knew he had never
wen spent the night in his house, al
hough he had frequently registered
here for his meals His hotel regis y
ers were produced and it was shown {
" them that this young man had
een appointed a room at three diff |
erent times and one of the times the ]
ntry was not made in the handwrit-
lg of the young man himself. There $
'as no evidence whatever that the >
oung man was intoxicated the nights d
e stayed there but on the contrary q
he proprietor stated emphatically i
hat he was not, and further that he !
ad never seen the young man in the 4
ondition that Mr.. Fits alleged he was v
/. The hotel registers Of the Brattle- o
orc house were then produced by Mr.. U
ullivan and they showed that this G
oung man had spent nights in that 4
otel also and had frequently had \
leals there, but there was no evil .
ance that he was intoxicated when u
e was there and the proprietor said n
e was not in that condition. 8
Mr. Fits thanked both proprietors W
II their willingness to produce their n
,gisters and for their frank answers u
questions, and they were then dis p
issed. N
The matter was then discussed py s.
lie board and Mr.. Fits, and Mr. Fits II
as asked squarely if he had found q
'idence sufficient to warrant pro- oi
edings against the licensees by the Sc
and he replied that u
had not; in evidence of which we &C
tote this entry made in the Records ei
the License Board" which reads p'
follows nc
February 18th: The board met at in
e office of the selectmen at p. M. pi
conduct private hearing on in eA
rmation given by C. c. Fits re- WI
ling to the conduct of the proprie- ol
rs of both the American and yo
attleboro houses. Hotel registers 20
both houses were produced and ,s os
ne over carefully in an effort TO IN IN
bstantiate the information given co g.,
Mr.. Fits. After a two hours ses- TIC
m Mr.. Fits stated that he had no
NAL complaint to make, but sug-
sted that the proprietors of the two
tells in question be instructed by the tn;
ard to use caution as to the matter nu
furnishing liquor and lodgings to ma
ung men of this town. After the Ar
irement of Mr.. Fits. Mr.. Duquette tro
4 Mr.. Sullivan, the board discussed the
, matter and voted to meet at D s,
the 18th inst. for action in the iod
tier, meeting to be held at the of he
, Of the secretary" to
n this investigation instead of mot wh
5 than half a dozen,' only two fsMr
ing men were mentioned, one of
ON is 29 years old and whose par
s do not live. in this town, and the
er is 26 and does not room in the
ne house with his parents. con- W.