Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1907-11-21
HOWARD LOSES HIS CASE.

The Howard verdict was not. in the
amount of damages found, $50 deep as
well, or so wide as church door, but It's
enough, twill serve"-as a warning to
other grafters. The presiding judge
ruled out the items covered by the rather
remarkable system pursued by Mr.. How
ard in making train connections at Hard
wick, on the ground that the state is ac-
customed to pay for a whole days service,
when only part of it is given-doubt-
less proper ruling, in point of law.
Howard lives at raftsbury, some miles
off the railroad line. Whenever business
as railroad commissioner called him
from home, instead of taking the early
morning stage to Hardwick, or driving
over himself at that time and connecting
there with the train, he used to have his
boy or hired man hitch up the afternoon
before, drive him to Hardwick, where he
put up for the night at the hotel, leaving
in comfortable way the next morning,
or sometimes he went on to Burlington
for greater comfort. He drew pay at S6
day for the day on which he started, had
his own team paid for by the state at liv-
cry rates for driving him over to Hard
wick, and the state also footed the bill at
the Hardwick or other hotels, so that it
cost about so to start Howard off on
every trip.
The legislative committee-very proper
ly it seems to us-condemned this prac-
tice, but the court, in its judgment as
court, held that there was legal warrant
for the charges. There was no dispute,
we understand, as to these facts. II they
did not constitute breach Of the law,
they certainly stamped Howard as prod
igal public servant, worthy of retirement.
The balance of the items claimed
against the reconnaissance consisted Of
charges for time and expenses alleged not
to have been devoted to the service of the
state, but to private business or pleasure.
The jury's adverse verdict covered every
one of these, so that. while the amount
was considerably scaled down by reason
of the courts ruling, it was a pretty clear
triumph for the state on the issues joined.
This was civil action, to collect from
Howard his overcharges. 1t goes to the
supreme court on exceptions. Probably
the criminal aspect of the affair will new
err come before the court; at least, this is
the common course with such matters.
The trial seems to have been very
sharply contested. There were frequent
clashes between counsel, OF whom Mr..
Howard had summoned the leading quail
ity that Vermont could furnish. The
charge of the defense that the prosecution
fostered at the last legislative session, for
the purpose of creating vacancies on the
board of railroad commissioners now
filed, in two instances, by members of
the investigating committee requires only
the mention of the names of these two
gentlemen, Eli II. Porter of Wilmington
and 5. HOLSTER Jackson of Barre, TO dis
prove. Neither of them would so foully
pattern after David OF old-and the whole
state knows it. Their service on this in
vestigating committee was unsought, was
GENEROUSLY, but conscientiously performed,
with no evidence of malice or Interior de-
sign disclosed. The aspersIon is as I'M
warranted and ill-mannered as Alex
Dunnett's reflection on the jury-that it
needed bath.