The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1911-10-06
REFORMER FIGURES
IN RAILROAD CASE
It's Editorials Quoted to Show
Feeling Against c. V,
ARGUMENTS IN SUPREME COURT
Files of Local Newspapers offered as
Evidence by C. c, Fits in Effort to
Secure Change of Venue in Four
Suits Against Central Vermont.

Suits Against Central vermont.
Interest in supreme court at Mont
pelicr Wednesday morning centeted ~
the petition of the Central Vermont
Railway company represented ~ = -
Fits of Brattlcb0rO, 10 have the Jury
trial of four personal damage eases en-
tered against il heard IN some other
county than Mindham county where,
under ordinary circumstances, such
eases would fall within the jurisdiction.
These eases are those of l.. NJ, Carpen'
ter, Maria l.. Johnson, Noble \. John
son and Fred Ellis, All the plaintiffs
are residents of Nindham county, all
relate 10 accidents happening IN or near
the county. all call for large damages
and cite serious injury One Is the ease
of an emplOye and the others are those
of passengers.
Because the recent railroad war waged
around BrattlebOro rs a geographical
center created so great a feeling IN TINS
county Attorney Fits claimed that the
Central Vermont could not secure fair
trial in Windham county and based ms
petition in all four cases upon TINS ne
lief. "The railway company he SAID,
''does not seek delay. II believes the
plaintiffs are entitled to trial by Jury
hllt moi III w lltNlNlil AbNhNNs A'
mendous railroad war incident TO the
recent legislature was a battle between
gigantic Interests. Brattleboro was the
center of that war. The county was
tremendously interested and stirred
against the Central Vermont The rail-
way company suffered that amnesty
directed toward any individual or cor
poration who stood in the way of com
uetition. The county was stirred 10
deptbs never before felt by situation
sucb MS Vermont never saw before. The
newspapers aroused the people and fed
the flame II is for the court to say
whether Jury trial in that county would
he Just or fair to the defendant AT TINS
time NJ.
Fits, "were important TO the court IN
determining what there was IN the mat
ter. Newspapers circulated ID an tae
homes of this county could not fail to
indame the readers. To illustrate their
character he read from the Brattleboro
Phoenix of Dec. l6, 1910, recording the
disappointment of citizens who waited
two hours for the railroad officials whom
they did not hear. The Phoenix OF
Jan. 6 in n column editorial SAID the
Central Vermont did not take good
care of its passenger station and posi-
blv the Boston 4 Maine would do SO;
An editorial of Feb. 8 headed "Stung
refers to the Central Vermont as the
enemv.' 1t reports that the railroad
committee of the legislature as 1t went
to its room from assembly hall was sur
rounded bv Central Vermont oihclals
and no one else could get near 1t. These
reports inclined the, people to thhN
that someone was "doing' them.
s., &c Nov 1 Ont lines upIl-
orally that the citizens Ought to be unan-
imous in assisting the Boston 4 Maine.
IT saws that "the best service IS not
monopoly and in reporting a legis.
lative debate saws that "Stichney OF
the b. & NJ. got the heaviest applause.
The Reformer of Dec. l6 prints an ed,
itorial ''The Meat of the Nut, ana
saws, Brattleboro citizens to man are
in favor of the Boston & Maine right
TO extend its lines to South Vernon.
Issue after issue. week after week,
according to Mr.. Fits. this went on.
Brattleboro is handed lemon from
the hands of its friend. The Central
Vermont has a strangle- hold on the BoS'
ton & Maine, SAYS the Retormer, fol.
lowing the vote. Brattleboro boiIs at
the thought of the Central Vermont,
etc, - This was fed out to the public
repeatedlv. at is evident that Central
Vermont officials see that they are in
wrong in Brattleboro. There is no
doubt that at present a Central Vermont
svmpathizer is persona non grata IN
Brattleboro, etc :, 1,
s'Because such a petition said Mr..
Fits, sis rarely made and more rarely
granted is no reason why the court
should not readily grant this petition
based on an extraordinary situation
Here are these four cases for trial. Moth
ing initiates against the rights of these
plaintiffs if the trial is held elsewhere,
than in Windham county. The oentral
Vermont should not be compelled TO
submit in Windham county to the vlcls-
STUDIES of Jury trial before people
permeated with animosity. r
For the other side Attorney f.. W.
Gibson stated he could not acquit him
self as his opponent nor would he use
as did he. He would snow
from the files of the Bellows, FAILS
Times and Londonderry Sitter that the
feeling was not as deep as might be
intimated, through the county. If the
court read carefully the newspaper eX.
hibits il would see that a good share of
the criticism was directed at the Yer
mont senate and not at the Central Yer,
mont, unless, he said. "The Central
Vermont is the vermont senats'
(Smiles.) The Reformer said, it is true,
FThe Central Vermont has strangle-
hold on the Boston & Maine through the
senate. Mr. Fits let his voice fall on
those last three words, don t need It, to
let my voice fall on those, words. me
presiding Judge of Windham county
court could not see that there was reason
for transfer of county or that such ac-
ton could not be given fair trial in
Windham. His conclusions are, to be
General Manager Jones of the Central
We can't lay great stress
on newspaper articles which, in law. are
unreliable testimony. The claim is
that the Brattleboro Reformer and the
Phoenix said some things about the
Central Vermont. Will the, judicial ac-
ton of the supreme court be based on
such fiimsy foundation9 Will it make make
finding on what the Reformer and
Phoenix say9 God forbid. If it did,
tba recall would be popular. The case is