Norwich bulletin., 1919-07-04
w ES TIE

David Cosma and Benjamin Suchlo- vitz, arrested during Old Home Week,
 charged with peddling without town
 license, none being issued during the period, were give F hearing Thurs day before Judge Oliver. H. Williams in the Third District court. Police Sergeant Ferguson and Policemen Chase, Mitchell and Champlin, testi- fled to seeing the accused selling pen nants, canes and toy balloons in the whether the men had right to sell under license from. the state, inde-
 pendent of the town license required
 by ordinance. Both men are hon.
 orably discharged soldiers and held licenses that are issued gratis to sol
 diers, sailors and all who served the
 United States honorably during the
 great war
 Judge Herbert W. Rathbun, counsel
 for accused, stated that the question
 before the court was purely a ques-
 ton of law. The town solicitor claims
 sales were made in defiance of town
 ordinances. The question of licenses
 had always been. trou blesome one.
 The latest state statute beStows upon
 the m who risked their. lives for
 their. country special privileges as
 reward for their sacrifice. Tn the con-
 struction of all statutes, those of
 the stats prevail when they do not conflict with federal statutes. The
 policy of the state is to favor men who
 have been in the service. and have granted them special peddlers' lice1s-
 es free gratis, to do business within
 the stat. honorable discharge is admitted as a certificate of character, and no state law specifics that a town license must be obtained. It is not in the book. This law concerning men who were in. military service is special law for a special purpose. The license gives the holder the personal authority to sell thro- .-< ut the state. and ought not be th,1arted by the technicality of a town ordinance. It If the holder of this special license must get a license in every town in the state where he operates the special state license is of no benefit. The attorney did not believe any jury in the superior coF-t of Washington courty. or any other county. would brir< in a verdict of guilty against these former soldiers who are oper- ating under special state license.
 Town Solicitor Agard agreed with possible to get any ir.-v to convict. when the defence would base the case on sentiment for the soldier: and the glorious work accomplished for coun- law and so decided, verdict would be for the state. The law on the point at issS is plain and should not be hidden by patriotic dust. The law is explicit and gives the towns au- thority to issue licenses in accordance committed as charged. the law vio- lated, as the town license is essen tial.
 MT Aeard said the soldier. though brave, is hume/ and may not be a fit person. to peddie. in towns, and that point is best determined by local authorities. The state does not pass upon character in issuing these li censes.o He said that. not only sol diers and sailors. but all persons who served the United States honorably during the war, are entitled to these special licenses, and means perhaps ninety nine per cent. of the population of Westerly.
 Judge Williams said he did not see anything in the statutes that take away from towns the right to regulate peddIers 1icen ses- The court is bound to be directed by the law. The law has been violated. he said, and the accused were found guilty as charged. He had no right, he said, to act only as. ,thc statute requires. regardless of his personal feeling. The minimum posed upon each of the accused. Judge Rathbun gave notice of appeal to the superior court and bond of 500 for each of accused was furnished
 John Bentley Sheldon died from heart, trouble Wednesday at his home on the Usquepasg road West Kings ton He was supervisor of bridges and buildings for the New York. New Haven and Hartford Railroad com pany for the last eighteen years and he entered the employ of the railroad company as a carpenter thirty eight years ago, and three years later was made foreman of. bridge construction work Subsequently he became su pervisor of bridges and buildings.
 He was the son of Benjamin and Margaret Sheldon and was born in South EI1gston in 1857. He was mar ried thirty eight years ago to Nellie