Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-03-01
HOTEL MAN GUILTY.
Proprietor Mctiee Convicted on Charge
of Selling Liquor.

A. Q. MCGEE. who nor the past three
or four years has run the Montreal House
on Battery street, was found guilty in
city court Thursday morning on the
charge or furnishing and selling intoxi-
eating liquor. His case was continued
until Saturday for sentence.
The case took up Wednesday afternoon
and Thursday mornns in court. Both
MCGEE and the Foster woman were
charged with furnishing liquor. The
main witnesses for the State We're Mrs.
Anna Thornton. James Collins and Will
liam Welsh. Several police officers were
also heard for the State. The witnesses
for the defense were MCGEE and Foster.
Most of the witnesses We're heard We'd
nesday afternoon. but Officers Simon, Col
Inns and Deputy Chief Cosgrove were ont
on the stand Thursday morning. The
principal testimony given was by Deputy
Chief Cosgrove. who stated that it would
have been impossible for MCGEE to have
had "a whispered conversation with the
soldiers while the prisoners We're at the
police station Saturday night This con-
versation was testified to by MCGEE and
was also denied by Welsh with whom
MCGEE claimed he had the conversation.
The court limited the time for argu-
ment of the case to an hour for each
side but the arguments We're completed
III IL IfluCn SnOTteT space Oh tlIne.
States Attorney Martin stated that
McGee's testimony was impeached be-
cause of the conflict of evidence. MCGEE
claiming he was at no time Saturday
night above the first floor of his place
while the officers were there. and also
in regard to the alleged whispered con-
versation. The same was true of the
testimony of the respondent Foster
stated Mr.. Martin. because the officers
testified that they saw her and she testi-
| fed she was not on the floor where the
rooms are situated in which the drinks
were served.
Judge Palmer. in his statement previous
to handing down his decision. spoke of
! the peculiar fact of the case i'm that the
| court must pass on the weight of the
evidence and the crediblity of witnesses
where all of the principal witnesses in
| the case were under a cloud. He said
the minor witnesses, the officers of the
| law and the attorneys, We're of course
excluded. but that not one of the prin-
cipal witnesses in the was outside
of the trouble zone. Judge Palmer gave
it as his opinion that the Thorton woman
had told the truth to her best knowledge
of what was going on Saturday night and
that her testimony was straightforward.
MCGEE had admitted that the Foster
woman had authority to book guests and
assign them to rooms. Why a man who
was attempting to follow straightforward
business methods and run a clean bust
ness should have a woman in his employ
with tile character of Irene Foster was
past understanding.
! Judge Palmer found MCGEE guilty and
whether or not an employe can be guilty
on the same count upon which the en-
poyer is found guilty will be ascer-
tanned by the court. In the meantime
Judge Palmer has ordered the Foster
woman committed TO Jail on the old nit
timus for adultery. for which she was
sentenced to serve from II to IS months
at the house of correction in Rutland