The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-10-10
BARRE'S POOR DEPT.
SEVERELY SCORED
Alleged Stingy Attitude Said to Be Driv
ing Poor People to Sale of Liquor,
Was Statement Made in Wash
ington County Court, \

ington County Court. \
When Mrs. Vera Granai of Bs 4
placed on probation in Washington 3un
ty court yesterday afternoon, after be
ing arraigned on the charge of illega
sale of liquor, prosecution and defense
joined in aondemning the policy of the
charity department of the city of Barre
for alleged failure to provide enough
funds for Mrs. Granai and Others who
it was declared, were forced to go into
the liquor business in order to get liv.
| ing for themselves and their dependents
| The respondent in the case, Mrs. Gra-
mai, is the wife of a man whose physical
infrmities were said to be such that he
could not support his wife and their ten
children; they pay $ll a month rent
in small house. where they are very
much crowded. 1t was stated that for
merly the Granai family were allowed
s23 a month. That was when o. d.
Shurtleff was oyerseer OF the poor. Now
they are allowed Sl3 monta
| In presenting tie case. States Attor-
ney Carver asserted that he had called
the attention of Overseer of the Poor
W. +, Shepard and the charity commit
tee of'the Barre city council to the case,
and that they had paid no attention,
and he believed that the city of Barre
was attempting to evade its obligation
and driving such persons as the re-
spondent to the sale of liquor for their
maintenance. He said that the Granai
children were not able to attend school
because they had no proper clothing.
The states attorney said that Barres
poor bill is Fight; but regardless of wheth-
er the amount was large or small he
thought the city's duty is to look after
its poor furnish snstenance and provide
clothing so that the children could at
tend school He added that it was very
embarrassing for him as a citizen of
Barre to do so. but he was compelled to-
condemn with the seyerest censure the
action of the poor department of that
city. He disliked to bring the state
prosecuting department in antagonism
with the city of Barre. but candor com
PEELED him TO express his belief that the
city of Barre is driving poor people TO
sell liquor or starve.
When States Attorney Carver had
concluded his statement to the court. |
been assigned to the defense by the |
court. arose and added his statements |
to the presentation of the case by the |
attorney saying that the
Granai case was but one of many in the !
city of Barre, in which the orerseer OF
the poor had driven people to crime In
order that he might avoid the expendi |
ture of money, although. the speaker |
said, the poor outlay was low.
At this point, Attorney John H. Senter
Of Montpelier jumped to his feet and
declared, although he was in no way
with this case, that if il had
come to pass in Washington county that
sl3, of which Sll went for rent, was
ioled out for the support of two grown
persons and ten children, it was time
that some action be taken in the matter.
Such an exposition he declared, was a
disgrace to our civilization and a dis
yrace to the state of Vermont; hence.
le asked the court to direct the states
attorney TO see if there is a law by /,
which the overseer of the poor in Barre
euld be prosecuted for willful neglect
# his duty and if no such law exists
IN the statute books of the state that
he states attorney be directed to draft
bill and present it to the legislature
is the unanimous expression of the court
nd bar of Washington county.
Liquor Theft Cases Heard. {
Louis Fortin of Winooski pleaded gull
V to-day to the charge of burglary ,,
rowing out of the theft of wine and ale f.
rom the Molinari house ON Barre street, !
Iontpeler, and he was sentenced to the
tate prison for not less than one year =
nd half and not more than two years. ,,
iichard Symes already had been con-
icted in the same case, and attorneys
or John f. McMahon, the third respon
ent in the case. asked that he be COM 7
lifted to the state insanr asylum for =
bservation as to his sanity, which order = D
as issued by Judge Stanton. Mcmahon n
i'll be brought before county court at Il
lie March term.