Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-02-09

regard to the recent scandal which re-
suited in the arrest OF Edward Borette
and william Cote on charges Of furnish
ing liquor. The mayor did not mince
words on this proposition and as a result
Of his strong argument and also of n
strong feeling on tho part of members of
the board. a license to drive n hack was
refused William Cote who recently plead
ed guilty in county court and who 1t is
understood will be fined $780,
Attorney John j. Enright. who is Cote's
attorney, appeared and asked on behalf OF
Cote that q license be granted him. 1t
will be recalled that when Cote was ar
rested, the mayor discovered that he was
driving hack without q license. Mr..
Enright said that Cotes wife ia Ill In a
local sanitarium and that Cote wished to
continue driving n hack in order that he
might ~epay the money that had been
furnished him by friends during his trou-
BILE in court. Mr.. Enright explained to
the board that Cote had been charged
with furnishing liquor, but did not go into
the case In detail. At this point some one
asked the mayor his opinion The mayor
took firm stand against granting Cote
a license.
MAYOR is FIRM
1T regret to state" said Mr.. Burke,
that even though I should like to be
liberal In this matter, ! cannot conscien-
tlously recommend that license he
granted to Cote. The nature Of the Of
Tense is too serious and should feel that
I was violating my oath of office in rec
ommending any such action by this board.
To-, ,ia nj, ,,,'z o
Tense and the feeling that exists in tho
city against some of the hackmen. Cote
should not be allowed to wear badge
bearing the word Burlington for single
moment"
Mr. Cowles: 81 do not think this
offcnse should be overlooked. There IS
700 much of this Joy riding in hacks
about the city now and Cote has been
fined $500 on his plea Of guilty to a
charge of furnishing liquor This
man should not no allowed to wear a
Burlington sign on his hat and drive
a hack through the streets"
Alderman Coffey stated that there
had been severe criticism of the hack
men and certain alleged conditions
that exist in the city. He stated.
however that Cotes furnishing liquor
was not the point the board had to
consider but the other matters that
had developed during the affair He
was in favor OF giving Cote another
chance II the other members were
willing.
Alderman sullivan expressed him
self in favor Of giving Cote another
trial until April LIST, when the licenses
run out.
Mr.. Cowles: ct think this board
should take firm stand right here
on this matter This man shouldn't
have the idea that he can come to
this board two or three days after this
affair and be granted a license with
out any questions being asked"
Mayor Burke: Gentlemen, there Is
no reason why you should hesitate
moment in this matter. You have
had hackmen up here before for n
slight violation of the hack ordinances
and have revoked their licenses. Here
is a case ten times graver than any
you have ever had Are you going to
set a precedent by giving Cote Ii
cense without q word? What will
you require the offense to be next
before you will refuse license, MUIR
der"
The matter was put to vote and
the chorus of nays" was much
stronger than the ayes" The chair
declared the motion to give Cote Il
trial license lost. There was mild
attempt made shortly afterward to
take a vote on this question by ayes
and nays but 1t met with little sue
cess, as the matter had seen disposed
of.
WORD FROM MIR. Villas
Two communications were received
from City Attorney Villas In one, the
city attorney recommended that mas
much as he is still confined to the house
by illness and as r. Z. Brown, who has
been retained by tho city as counsel in
the injunction proceedings brought
against the city by the Burlington Light
& Power company, is just recovering
from illness and will be busy in county
court, additional legal talent be secured
by the board to assist in the city's fight
in the injunction matter Mr.. Villas re-
commended that Robert Roberts be re
tanned with Mir Brown and himself
Mr.. Cowles moved that the matter Of
the selection of lawyer to assist i'm
y.
TIE mayor stated that he had talked
with Mr.. Brown and that Mr.. Brown
had expressed himself as being salts
fed with the assistance Of f. NJ Horton,
II his services could be secured
Alderman Drew and the MAYOR then
proceeded to have a littlo passage at
arms. Mr.. Drew wanted to know If the
mayor had consulted Mr.. Villas at the
same time he consulted Mr.. Brown re-
garding the matter Of assistance. The
mayor said he had not but that as Mr..
Brown was to be tho principal attorney
in the matter, he supposed the engag-
ing of Mr.. Horton would be satisfactory.
Alderman Cowles took exception to the
mayors statement that Mr.. Brown was
to be the leading attorney The city at
torney should be considered in the mat
ter. he said, and he added that it would
be considered very unprofessonal among
lawyers TO force one attorney upon an
other without a proper consultation as
to the agreeableness ON all sides. Mr.
Cowles's motion that the selection of an
attorney to assist Mr. Brown and Mr.
Villas be left to the latter two was final
Is passed.
The other communication from Mr.
Villas related to several matters passed
upon recently by the board, one of which
was the sustaining of the veto by tho
mayor Of the resolution authorizing the
sale of the remaining electric light
bonds.
At the time Of this vote the mayor
stated that the resolution as drawn by
Mr.. Villas was defective" In that IT