Norwich bulletin., 1917-03-21
GIVES REASONS FOR
 NOT OFFERING DEFENSE
pr. Shahan Says Those Who Bore
 Charge Did Not Appear.

In statement made on Tuesday aft ernoon by Dr. Dennis J. Sha.han with reference to his removal from the of- flee of milk inspector on Monday by Mayor Allyn L. Brown. he sets forth reasons why he did not attend the hearing set for last Saturday in the mayors office and why he did not offer any defense. 'I refused this invitation to attend my own funeral and be pres ent at the obsequies." said the doctor. Dr. Shahan further stated that none of those who bore charges against him had appeared in the mayors office at the stated time.
 When my head dropped into the tor. T picked it up-apd this is what it said: There's no use crying over split milk. old man. Take your medi- cine and look happy"
 "YeS, I believe in medicine" he con- tinued. "and that good cheer is great aid to it. I also believe that in politics, to the victor belongs the spells, and that in victory the poli- ticianr should always remember his friends and that if the other fellow is in and Con't get out. why simply put him out. That's politics and that's how politics is worked nowadays. Simply a case of two cats and one mouse: two dogs and one bone. Otherwise, why are we in it ? Let the other fe1 low cant to his hearts content. Well. | a Dropos to the head and basket story:
 
 1 month, His Honor Mayor Allyn L. Brown walked into my rooms during ! office hours and after a short inter view, probably not to his liking. walk ed out acain and returned to his office from which he sent me posthaste. registered billet -douX, summoning me to his chambers to show ample cause and reason why I should not immedi- ateIv stoD das,ling in the milky way of the office of ipspectorship. because i- of complaints and Of the manner you have been conducting your office for the last eighteen months.
 Ten of those months were under the atimiristra ton of his predecessor. the Hon. EX-Mayor Murphy. I went to his chambers. at the appointed time, to meet those who bore charg-
 es against me. but they failed to ap pear. No milk vendor or purchaser was there with grievance: and no affidavits from farmers or citizens of our city. Presently His Honor un- rolled a long parchment of whereas l es and wherefores' 'whiches and ftoth- era thus and sos's' and long list of 1 senseless alterations. 9 meaningless play upon legal phra aseology, to be- foegIe the reader or listener. much as the cutie fish elects his venomous 1 nlly fluid, t6, deceive it's enemies or to 1 lure it's prey. This was the man who 1 would initiate star chamber proceed l ings here. forciblv remindir:E one of the so-called chambers of Spanish Jn- puiEition. This was the man who 1 suddenly becoming intoxicated witt, mower would enact the part of political 1 buffon and church fanatic. and who vaS to act as my accuSer, judge and executioner while I would stand be- | fore him with cap in hand seeking l inStice. What a travesty on justice. What a moclkerv of human conscience And because of some sense of self-re- spect left within me: and because of some independence or spirit remaining. | and because rather 1y-lilxe, declinins 1 to enter the web, I refused this i1vi- | tation to attend my own funeral and be present at the obsequies: it must be 'thums down and heads. off
 '1 would gladly and anxiously put my case before impartiab disfn- terested and unprejudiced judge, but not before one who nearly alone had constructed this f1imsy and fictitious frame-up and who already had accus- ed and pre-judged me and who was | more than anxious to play the part of accuser, judge and hangman.
 That is why I refused to take part in such nonsensical proceedings, and rather thafa take the part cast for me in the farce. remained away to take absent treatment, which in the end would be just as effective but not quite so stagey..
 T believe that much of our mayors judgment is poor and ill-directed; part of which is due to raw inexperi- | ence perhaps. and an unexpected pow CT too suddenly thrust upon him. He should feel that it is one thing to have the strength of a giant and another to know how to use it. He should real ize that any man occupying the mayors chair in this city. today, and passing as an exponent of municipal reform should himself be possessed of a conception of sound. practical. politi- cal principles and not the mulish, un- governable freakishness so ignonini- ously prevalent among the Salemites and their witchcraft of other days. "In our times we look for adaptive nes and progressiveness we'll as liberality of spirit, social and church. wise, in our mayors; and if they are lacking in these things the whole city suffers for the deficiencies
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