News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1914-07-15
Detective Service in Lamoille
County

Iu this county detective service to the
amount 1T approximately twenty-seven
| hundred dollars has been used. Of this
amount approximately ten hundred and
fifty dollars was for expenses. The work
in this county was done chiefly by the
Wood-Morgan agency, but in one in
stance the Sherman Detective agency
was employed and received for services
and expenses five hundred and one dol
lars and thirty-two cents. - Home
grown " detectives were paid about fifty
dollars.
Two cases, involving the writing of
threatening and Matchmaking letters
were investigated. In one case sufficient
evidence was not secured to warrant a
prosecution, but in that case the letters
ceased and one-half of the expense of the
investigation was paid by party entering
the complaint.
In the other case the charge was send
ing of threatening letters to II. G. Nc
Mahon of Stowe. This was a typical
Matchmaking case. This was investi-
gated by the Sherman Detective agency
and confession of the respondent was
secured. He plead guilty in the Lamoille
County Court, was sentenced to the
Repeated fires had occurred at the
house of Mrs. Maggie Buck in Johnson
and at a nearby house, all incendiary.
Investigation showed that these fires
were set by Mrs. Sarah Collins. a daugh-
ter of Mrs. Buck, and further that this
party was insane and she was committed
to the State hospital at Waterbury.
In former years many instances of
pocket picking had been reported and in
1912 after consultation with local officials
it was thought advisable to employ de-
tectives who were familiar with parties
engaged in pocket picking to patrol the
fair grounds for the protection of the
public. Two detectives were presen'
during the fair and no case of pocKe
picking was reported curing the fair For
since.
In another case the respondent is
charged with the crime of rape. He fled
the jurisdiction and was followed by
detective into Canada, back through
Vermont and New Hampshire, and was
finally arrested near Bangor, Me-, and
was brought back to this State without
the expense of requisition. He was re-
leased on bail of one thousand dollars
and the case is now pending in Lamoille
County Court.
One. other serious charge has been and
still is under investigation in this county.
Of course no statement regarding this
matter can be given.
Writing of detective service in La
mobile County, the States Attorney of !
that county says:
~ would say that in no case has this
service been used in Lamoille County |
without personal investigation by me |
of the whole matter, and not until was |
S satisfied that the local officers on account
OF their being so well known, could not |
secure the desired results. No criticisms |
should be attached to the Sheriff's depart |
ment as the officers have always been
willing to do their duty and render all |
the aid in their power in securing evI-
dence. 1 can say further, that in my /
judgment, based on six years. experience
as States Attorney, that it would have
been impossible for the local officers to
have obtained the results given in your
report, and if this service bad not been
used. the case would have remained
without prosecution on account of lack
Of evidence. There can be no honest con.
of the value and necessity of
work of this kind if crime is to be detect
ed and the guilty punished"
What is said by the States Attorney
Of Lamoille County is absolutely true
and applies to the detective service used
in every county in the state.
Respectfully,
r. Z. BROWN,
Attorney GpnaraI