Norwich bulletin., 1909-01-16
COLUMBIA.
School Committee mems Payment Of
Lawyers Fees Displease Voters-Li-
hrary Associations Annual Meeting.

Mr.. and Mrs. Willard B. Clarke re-
Gently returned from two weeks visit
with friends iE New York, New Haven
and Hamden.
Trouble Grows Out of School Case.
A petition has been circulated among
the legal voters of the town, asking
them to call a town meeting 20 see IL
the town viii vote to sue the selectmen
for the money paid out by the town
treasurer or their orders in payment
for lawyers fees in the case of Mrs.
Ethel Fox Berkeley VS.. ]. n. Clarke
and Hubert P. Collius, members of the
local school board. This case was re-
Gently tried before the superior court
at Rockville. when the jury, by order
of Judge Wheeler, redered a verdict in
favor of Collins, but could not agree
on verdict regarding Clarke. 1t is
said the case Will be tried again at the
April term. Attorneys Charles F.
Clarke of New Haven and George z.
Human of Willimantic were counsel
for the defendants. The selectmen re-
Gently gave town orders for the amount
of their bills, over 5000. Inasmuch as
the town was not named as defendants
in the case and had therefore employed
no counsel, and the case against
Clarke has not yet been decided, the
action of the selectmen has caused
considerable comment. In response to
the petition a town meeting has been
called for next Monday afternoon.
There is every indication that it will
be a lively one.
Busy Year for Library.
The Saxton B. Little Free Library
association hello it's annual meeting last
Monday evening and elected the fol-
lowing officers: President, S. B. West;
vice president. William J. Johnson;
secretary, William A. Collins; treas
urer, Edward P. Lyman; trustees,
Alonzo Little. James p. Ldttle, r. P.
Lyman; members of library committee,
for three years, Mrs. Lillian P. Rice
l.. E. Winter. The report of the trust
ees showed that the library association
now has a permanent fund Of nearly
$1,000, invested in the savings banks
of the state.
The librarians report was as fol-
lows: Number of volumes now in Ii
brary, 5,737; No. Of volumes drawn
during past year, 1855, Of which 2,763
were drawn by regular patrons of the
library and go by school teachers for
use In their respective schools the
number of volumes added during the
past year was 1879, Of which As were
purchased by the library association,
lis were received from the state grant
20 were received from the estate Of
s. B. Little Of Meriden, and 4 by gift
from individuals.
At the close of the annual meeting
the library committee met and organ
lied for the ensuing year. Joseph
Hutchins was chosen chairman and
Mrs. Lillian P Rice clerk and librarian.
The committee then adjourned two
weeks. when they meet for the selec-
ton OF books and to attend to other
business pertaining TO the management
Of the li5IIy.
Other Local Inerests.
Nathan Coleman has sold his farm
property located in Pine street to Hy-
man Merker of New York The new
owner will take possession at once.
The funeral OF John G. Mitchell,
deputy secretary of state. was held on
Wednesday forenoon. A brief service,
conducted by the pastor, Rev. w. H.
Harris Of the Columbia Congregational
church, was held at his home in this
place and was largely attended. The
body was taken to Willimantic and SER
vices were held at the Methodist
church. Burial was in Wilhmantic
cemetery.