Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-08-13
DETECTIVE SERVICE WASHINGTON
COUNTY.

In Washington County from December
list, 1912, to May 1st 1914. the Wood
Morgan Detective Agency was paid for
services eight hundred sixty one dollars
and for expenses eight hundred twelve
dollars and flfty-six cents. making a
total OF one thousand six hundred seven
ty-three and fifty-six cents. During the
same time under the head of detective
service local officers and parties We're
paid one thousand seven hundred sixty
two dollars and flfty-eiEht cents. The
larger part of this expense was made in
connection with the case of State VS..
Turley The respondent in this case is
charged with the crime of murder. The
case was tried by jury during the last
term of my predecessor in office and re-
suited in a conviction of murder in the
second degree. The case was taken to the
supreme court and sent back to the coun-
ty court for a new trial. The officials who
had to do with the prosecution of this
case from it's inception were firmly con-
WINGED of the guilt of the respondent
and the local officials as well as the
present Attorney General believed and
still believe that every effort ought to be
made to secure all OF the evidence pos
bible for the second trial of this case.
Another matter which has been the
subject Of some detective Investigation is
State vs.. Coon. This respondent was in
dicted by the Grand Jury of Washing
ton County several years ago for the
crime of nanslaughter He furnished
bail pending trial and subsequently
fled the jurisdiction, FORGETTING his ball
Later investigation showed that the bail
was irresponsible. Effort was made and
further effort will be made to locate
the respondent and return him to this
jurisdiction for trial.
Another matter which has been the
subject of Investigation was the larceny
of a large sum of money from resi-
dent of Washington County. The inves-
tiSation of this matter has not been COM
pleted and no details can be furnished.
Another matter of investigation was
State vs.. r. c, Slack of Mortified, who
was charged with attempting to extort
money from one Frank Severance of
Mortified by means of threatening let
ters This matter was in the hands Of
the Wood-Morgan Agency. On January
4th, 1914 the respondent was arrested
and held for trial in the County Court.
States Officials and was tried in the
United States Court at Burlington, con-
victed and sentenced to serve one year
and three months In the Federal Prison
Mt Atlanta, Georgia.
Many offences Of less serious nature
have been investigated in Washington
County.
The most prominent among these has
been the investigation and prosecution of
illegal sales of intoxicating LIQUORS. AS
the result of such investigations and
prosecutions, there has been paid in
Washington County In fines and costs,
approximately twenty thousand dollars
(s20.0O0).
This report of Washington County COM
pletes the reports of all the counties In
the State. AS soon as possible without
neglecting official duties, | shall offer for
publication a summary of detective SER
vice and its results covering the entire
State This summary will be offered
chiefly for two reasons:
First. because it is believed that aside
from all 'he important matters that have
been investigated and in most instances
successfully prosecuted such summary
will show that the State Treasury has
not been depleted by the employment
of detective service but that on the
other hand in the final round up more
money has been paid into the Treasury
than has been taken out.
And secondly because of the continued
attitude Of certain newspapers which
from the outset have shown a marked
disposition to be unfair and to mislead
the public regarding these matters,
1t Is expected that a fair considerable
OF this entire matter will disclose that
the people of the State have not been
deprived % much needed extra ses-
sion of the legislature by reason of the
extravagant use of detective service as
was sometime ago suggested In two Of
the so-called leading newspapers of the
State.
Respectfully,
K. e. BROWN
Attorney General