Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1911-02-10
ri for the annual town meeting in
Nbh.
blowing is the text of the letter to
selectmen:

- 10 John Calvin, j. G. Stafford. a. L.
at Merrill, selectmen of Brattleboro.
heGentlemen:-
Cd You have caused suit to be brought
" against this company, charging that the
company in each of the years 1904 to
Il 1910, inclusive, cheated and defrauded the
| town of Brattleboro in the matter of the
| payment of its taxes in the total sum of
$4,000. The suit is in seven counts, one
for each year. During all the period in
question up to June a. 1909. and COW
ering every tax period except the year
1910, the company controlled by
James f. Hooker, C. ID. Whitaker and
w. II. Corser, who owned three -fourths
of its capital stock and comprised three
| fourths of its board of directors. Mr.
Proctor being a director and owning ONE
| fourth of the stock. The president was
| Mr.. Hooker; the treasurer was Mr.
| Corser. Mr.. Corser signed and swore to
| every tax inventory that was filed for
/ every one of the years in question up 10
1910. For the years 1904, 1905 1906 1907
and 1905 the company did pay a very
| small tax; for the year 1909 it paid on Il
large sum, 100000 to $40, 900. Whatever
gain there came to the company for the
years 1901 to 1908 inclusive by reason of
the small tax the company paid went in
! dividends to the owners of the stock
and of that Messrs Hooker. Corser and
| whitaker got three fourths and Mr.
| Proctor one-fourth.
concorna1 :, i ii y, ms SUIT are
| divided into two parts:
FIRST. Those counts which relate to the
| years when Messrs. Hooker, Corser ana
| whitaker were in control and when Mr.
| Those AFRO ~ -. 1nn1 ~ II.'' -
elusive ~ i'''' ~
second Tho co,,,,+ l., .be -,,t. g.. a..
wear 1910 which ,eo, o a a..
present management NJ tho n,,,nr,,,,. ,m6
for which the nresent neicor .,,.a f,ii,,
| responsible ''' 80 NV "'''
As to tho sooo,, ,,,.i.., ,..,... ..e.....,
TO- that is 40 80 'T ,o,o ,, o gu
owners ana oa,o,,.' .nr ~ eseLlt
an ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, lu UinIeiS u. tIe COMPANY Jake
u-i o'ponSi"iitN' ne company pald
sush laX as II ala with the fuIl knowledge
,'o'u au.hoiIly OF me directors and the
do~a uiluer us present nahasement
80, az az. asN any consul OF the
oors 80 i .te ~ H. ~ tne present ON
dorr,' ,ne co!npaHE nave cheated and
as cbor,,d ' 'V oE ~, me tax OF 1910
40 o"aIseu ~ nc seIectmeh' the COM
pany snoulu De held TO run account for il.
ihe coHnpdhN meets mat issue squarcy.
too,'ni, i'''SI Pose no uliltoFy tactics nor
ot rnniV"i ueIGhses' II says that the
sniao,,,, i.,"iiu'ousiy I'Ise and that the
ords g., ~, N.eM 1t WIS iiIse' The rec
!
oe Ia use Inc company paid tax sutfi-
~ 70 cover an the property for which
, va rSdiiN HaoIe 10 pay tax for the
80 ioio, ~ denies the charge that is
! dnrto,,a s -, ulnS mat year. and will I'M
WI tahe 70 make the selectmen prove it
IT. .ne consequences.
me company mas under its present
management undertaken to be, and al
nmdSs VIII undertake TO be- law abiding
~ 'idS Palu all lawful taxes in full and
WI continue TO do so. 1t regrets that
tIiIs niaHclous charge has been made, but
II VIII undertake to defend itself The
SeiectHleh charge that the company in 1910
L"iu taxes on onlySoOOO. The records of the
~ ana the collector of taxes show
! hoot,s PAU laNes on $o3'4OO; and its
a. ,in NV ,hat mat Is the full amount,
| able nronort,' "a an 'he IaWiul tax
II, Vorr,tnt Wien me company owned
We dan,o,I pth l, l'lo'
tract tba ai,a, VI 9ou 'h"t you at once re-
count as - 81. n'due IN the seventh
fail 70 do 50 Wy, - iur I'lO' ana II you
resnonsib,a s oe,ii nolu you personally
contains ana we iloti Whlch mat count
which is maiinja,'s ou'loh OF that count
As to the years 100, ;, ,ooo
the comnan, "i l'of 10 1919 inclusive,
hrourht o. $50 81 mat the suit is
Hooker. Corsor ona ,Ssuoh OF Messrs.
counsel out -, - "nic"ker and their
really detern,inod me selectmen
law tbo,. uo,,id upon enforcing the
! Mr. Corsor co.. lust tne prosecution Of
suore od iot perJur!' lor ne signed and
of which tba,. ''IeeltorE Oh those years
counsel oronio,.o Soii,pI''i.; one of the
Franl[ T. pan, su ny me defendants,
is bis 49,. - - s'a'e attorney. 1t
comes 70 H. 20 prosecute crime which
Ijn,itotio, ms at'ehtion' Inc statute Of
year ions Tuio W. oi inns charge Tor the
IN Anil 6,.st .aot year oi tne small taxi
did nor 49,, "e ~. since me selectmen
! Corsor b,,t t lhe prosecution OF Mr..
attorno, ~ ."'schu eihpioyed the states
| 10 ,.'l.H :" a PlNdte SUIT TO undertake
80, w. Nel udiiages IN THIS action, which
'iSo'N c"he from parties entirely inno-
teht' mere can be no other conclusion
nan that the motive of the town officials
70 10 IhJure TINS company rather than to
punish the real wrong doors or enforce
justice as TO the rights OF the town.
MT Iroctor IN his suit to secure his
rlsIl's against Messrs. Hooker, Corser
ana whitaker fully disclosed the situa-
uon Oh me company as long ago as Feb
ruary' lSos The present board Of select
men came INTO the office within one
IIiohlh from mat time, Messrs, Hooker
Corser ana whitaker were in town and
oMheu properly mere for a long time
alter that. NO attempt was made to
Ieach them' II a wrong has been perpe-
udteu upon the town, any lawyer knows
| persons n tn,