The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-02-01
Attorney Generals Opinion
Contrary to That of
M. ]. HapgoOd
GAMBLING DEVICES
WE'RE NOT LICENSED
Complaint by Peruvian that Rutland
Fair Was Not Entitled to Share in
Appropriation Valley Fair Asso-
citation to Meet Soon

Marshall j. Hapgood Of Peru loses
out in his effort to prevent the Rut-
land County Agricultural society from
receiving a share in the state appro-
priation of $4,000 for aiding agricul-
tural fairs of Vermont. Attorney Gen
eral Herbert G.. Barber of Brattleboro
today notified State Auditor Horace F.
Graham of Craftsbury that in his
opinion the Rutland County Agricultur-
al association was entitled to receive
share in the appropriation.
This will be good news, not only to
the Rutland fair officials, but also to all
the other fairs coming within the state
aid statute, because the whole appro-
priation has been held up pending the
outcome of Mr.. Hapgood s complaint.
The Valley Fair association of Brat
tleboro, for instance, has not vet re-
ceived the 5000 to which it is entitled
out of the state appropriation. The
annual meeting of the Valley Fair as
sociation usually is held about this
| time, and a financial report usually is
issued two weeks in advance of the
meeting. No financial statement has
been issued this year, however, be-
cause the state appropriation was held
| up.
1t had been decided to issue state
| IleII anu put IHH snare IN the dDDTO-
priation down as an asset, but the mon
| ey may come in time so that it will
not be necessary to do this L. Z.
| Holden, of the board of directors, has
been i'll, but as soon as he is able to
participate the annual meeting will be
held which probably will be within a
few days
Mr.. Hapgood is the father # the sec
tion of No. 20, Acts of 1915, which
reads as follows: No sum appro-
priated by this act shall be allowed to
any fair unless on or before the first
day of December in each year in which
the fair is held a sworn statement or
declaration shall be made to the au-
ditor of accounts by the superintend-
ent or secretary of the fair that no
gambling establishments or obscene ex-
hibitions have been licensed by the Of
fcers of such fair to operate on the
grounds by such fair.
After the last fair in Rutland Mr..
Hapgood wrote to the state auditor OBJ
ieeting to the payment of any state
aid to the Rutland society, on the
grounds that gambling establishments
were operated on the grounds. The
correspondence was turned over to At
! torney General Barber, who directed
the state s attorney of Rutland county
10 investigate, winch was done.
The state S attorney reported in eff
feet that he could not find that the
Rutland society had licensed anv es-
, Establishments mentioned in the statute
to operate on its grounds. Attorney
General Barber found that the officials
had filed an affidavit with the auditor
: of accounts that no such establishment.
had been licensed to do business on
: the grounds.
This seemed to be satisfactory to the
q attorney general, so far as the statute
: is concerned, and accordingly he mott
fed Mr.. Graham that the Rutland so
cietv was entitled to its expected aid.
:, Had the Rutland fair been denie,
state aid the shares to be paid othel
fairs would have been increased.
:. Mr.. Barber holds that the WORD
" licensed means written permission