The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1914-11-03
PIPER SPEAKS IN
DEFENSE OF RECORD
Says Reformer Has Been Unfair in It's
Treatment of Him-Rally at Ell
iot Street Corner.

lhe last OF the campaigns rallies was
held last evening at the corner of Main
and Elliot streets with y V ID. Piper,
candidate for states attorney, Edward {.
Crosby. candidate for reelection as town
representative, and DR.. J H. Blodgctt Of
Bellows Falls, candidate for state senator,
as the speakers. Probably 100 heard the
arguments.
Mr.. Piper, the first speaker. devoted
his entire time to a defense OF his record
a states attorney for the last two years
severely criticizing The Refoumer for
what he termed its unfair treatment of
him and his candidacy and charging that
most of the things that bad been said
about hlm by his opponent, o b.
Hughes, were false.
He opeucd by saying that as lac was not
in good standing with The Reformcr and
as he was not a newspaper man, as was
10. +. Hughes, the only way in which he
could reach his constituents was by means
of rallies. The Rcformer. he said, three
days before had declined to print a com
muuieation because it was unsigned. That
night 1t had published one because it was
signed A West Brattlcboro Hughes
Man, a man who did not have the nerve
to sign his own name. That Indicated he
said, the unfaiInes> of The Reformer. He
said that everything that had been said
IN the communication about Mr. Hughes
was true and that everything said about
him was false, whether the author OF the
communication knew It or not
He said in the Laudnan case that Mr.
L-andman went to his office SIX weeks
after the alleged burglary and asked for Il
warrant and was given one Immediately;
that Mr.. I.andmans >on-in-law knew
about the burglary all of the time and
was IN Mr. LaEdHan'S : employ then and
| Is now and had signed Alr Ppeus numi-
nation papers, Il clear indication. in the
opinion OF the speaker, that Mr.. Landman
was satisfied with his work
! He said that in the Staten case the con
duet of which had been criticized. he did
not put the county to the expense of call
| ing special grand jury and preferred Il
charge that might have caused Hugh Col
lms, Mr.. Ntaten~ assailaut. to serve ~
years, but the court saw tit to give him
only from eight To ten years.
He admitted that he had mol pressed
1onr cases because he believed that when
there was no chance OF a conviction ii
was the business of the. states attorne&
to save the county expense. Reasons
why othcs had mot been tried were be
catt~e some of the defendants were in ai
and could not be- tried until they got out
and in the eases Of others the absence ot
witnesses from the jurisdiction of tn,
court and the death of others made it i'm
Ipo>~Iblc to thy them.
Speaking OF AIr Hughcss record d.
town gIaud juror, he said that he ha,
tried only enc case hccause in the tow
where the states attorney resides thu
town grand Juror receives no fees for Try
ing cases, and the one case that Mr.
Hughes tried was thrown out OF COURT hc
cause OF the improper preparation OF tn,
papers.
lIfs explanation for not seeking the Re
publican nomination was that hc Ina,
been one Of those who had forced upon
: the Republican state convention two year
, ago the putting in Of plank requiring
direct primaries and this had been vote
for. : to /. but the party had failed L
provide for It, tie decided to make hi
candidacy Il direct primary and accord
mgly went before the people on non
partisan basis.
Mr., Crosb, explained in detail his rec
ord. taking up the charges made in al
, adv vcrti~cmeut in The Bcformcr last might
and DIR. Blodgett spoke briefly ON stat
issues.