The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-09-26
WARRANTS FOR RIOTERS
Prosecutions to be Instituted fer Sat
urday Nights Disturbance

Warrants vera made out in the Of
fee of States Attorney w. ]. Meagh-
er this forenoon Tor four of the par
Elephants in the riot at the Putnam
House corner Saturday night. 1t Is
expected that these warrants will be
served during the day upon the par
ties named and that they will be pros
ecuted for their part in the rescue of
Patrick Kerns out OF the hands OF the
officers who were attempting to ar
rest the man for creating a disorder
ly disturbance while intoxicated.
There is a general feeling among
the law-abiding people OF the COM
munity that Kerns is the least at
fault of all concerned in the disgrace
full proceeding. Any man under the
influence of liquor is likely 20 resist
arrest and the fact is so well known
that due allowance is always made by
officers when arresting drunken
man. Those who brought about the
release of Kerns from the officers
were most OF them in full possession
of their faculties and for this reason,
in the opinion of the general commu-
nifty, they should be punished.
SO far as known only one of the
participants in the riot, Edward o.
Donnell, has considered himself sui
ficiently implicated in the affair to
absent himself from town. ODonnell
up to Saturday night was in the en-
ploy of Street Commissioner A. X.
Dunn but had finished work for the
village with the close of the day.
Chief Brazil says that he is reason
ably sure that he knows who hit him
over the head with Special officer
Ashton's billy" He has as yet Ia
ken no steps toward bringing about
prosecution for assault and his In
tentions in this direction are unknown
Corroborative evidence in a case OF
this kind will be difficult to obtain for
the reason that those who were close
enough to the actual occurrence TO
assist in a conviction are more friend
ly disposed toward the alleged culprits
than toward the officer.
Special Officer Joseph Murphy on
Monday night handed over his key at
police headquarters to Chairman
Nash of the police committee OF the
village board OF trustees. There were
number OF persons present at the
time and it was not expedient for the
officer to give his reasons for seyering
his connection with the force.
Chief of Police Brazil regrets the
resignation of officer Murphy fol
whom he has always had the best Of
feelings. Murphy was in the thick Of
the trouble Saturday night, the CHIEF
SAYS, and was pulled back into the
crowd By the young men who were
trying to take Kerns out OF the hands
| OF the officers.
The affair Is not SO very important
in itself but will surely lead to some
thing worse If the authorities allow
the offense to go unpublished. Some
of the participants in the trouble were
around the street last night, according
to report, Dragging what they would
do the next time the police try Z
make an arrest for intoxication.
The only one punished thus far hai
been Kerns who was the least guilt.
of any OF the party. He is said to b
always noisy when he has been drinl
ing but is not accused of making tn
attack.
His son, James Kerns, told repre
entative of The Banner last night tina
he was not the one who called 10
help to attack Chief Brazil, but tha
he was some distance down the stree
and did not get there or take any par
until the riot was under way.