Norwich bulletin., 1909-05-31
25Oth ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
 of the Founding Of Norwich, July 5th and 6th
RYAN LIQUOR CASE
 A HUMlLIATING FARCE

So Declares Judge Brown When He
 Discharges Accused-Remedy Sua-
 eested.
 In the city court Saturday morning, Judge Brown handed down his decis- ion in the case against W. E. Ryan, charged with violation of the Sunday liquor law. In his finding he said:
 The accused is not presented on a charge Of selling on a week day, but for a violation of the law on Sunday. The fact that the accused has his ap- peal now pending in the superior court and that there has been any un- reasonable delay in the hearing of that appeal ought not to prejudice the court in the case on trial. The ques- ton here is, has the state proved its case?
 After reviewing the testimony he discharged the accused.
 He also said: Although it may not have very much to do with the ques- tion of guilt or innocence of the &C., cused and should be considered mainly iE determining the degree of punish ment inflicted, if found guilty, I will make brief statement concerning this case:
 AAA~ @S~A1CA WGSg pA4OI LO 1NONGILlD6I l, 1908, duly licensed dealer in spir- ituous and intoxicating liquors at 65 West Main street in this city. His license expired at that time. I un- derstand he made an application in proper form for a renewal of his u- cepse for the same place, which appli- cation was considered by the county commissioners as provided by statute. A remonstraEce was filed by certain citizens fha cFnI1nd ha cant was an unfit person to be licensed and also that the location was im- proper for the sale of spirituous li- quors. Upon full hearing, both sides being represented by counsel, the com missioners refused to grant the li- cenSe.
 An appeal to the superior court was st once taken by the applicant and the case Is now there upon the docket, sleeping as quietly as though 1t was the sleep of death, apparently with no one to molest or make afraid. The result is that the accused, being re- fused license, has been doing busi- ness at the "old stand" for seven months.
 Now. if my any publicity this case should be tried and the decision of the county commissioners sustained. then. whether or not this man, together With his bondsman, will contest lia- bility to pay to the authorities any compensation for the past, remains to be seen. If they should succeed in avoiding payment of any money ex- cept to their counsel. what will be the feeling of the regularly licensed deal CTS who have paid their money for a like privilege?
 The law as 1t has been applied in this case is nothing more than a farce, and no one can laugh more heartily at it's defects than the accused in this case.
 What Is the defect in this case. which has given immunity from prose- cution to this accused six days every week for seven months?
 The statutes places the hearing on such appeals in preferred class be- fore judge holding any regular term Of court or before a judge in vacation to be called in for a special trial of the case, so that it would seem 1t was possible to have secured a court for a speedy trial of this case.
 There seems to be one defect at least in the present statute-that 1t makes no provision for a prosecutor to look after the interests of the public. It says the county commissioners or any taxpayer may enter in the case; but If they do this, they would natur- ally subject themselves to the expense of counsel; and any taxpayer so en- tering to defend, in the event of an adverse decision, to a bill of costs.
 So the chances are, as in this case, that no one cares to go to the expense of appearing in the case in opposition to the applicant for the license. Con sequently, what has happened in this case is the natural result Of course. this applicant Is easy, so long as he is allowed to continue his business un- molested, and his counsel will never urge the trial of the case because this ts against the interests of his client.
 There is a remedy at least for this serious defect in the present law. If the applicant for the renewal of his license is to be allowed the right to continue in the business. until his ap- peal is heard, then it should be made the duty of the states attorney to en- teri and press the appeal to a speedy trial, looking out for the interests of the public. The public would then be spared the humiliation of sue ha farce as the present case presents
 Charged with stealing flowers from the city cemetery and doing other damage there nine boys had their cases continued until this morning.