The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1920-11-08
BOOZE RUNNING
ACROSS VERMONT
LINE INCREASES
Main Avenue of Supply for
Massachusetts Mill Towns
SHIPPED BY TRUCKLOAD
Correspondent Says Liquor Can Be
Had Anywhere In Green
Mountain State.
SHIPPED BY TRUCKLoAD

Booze running through Vermont IS
the subject OF a three column article
In today's New York Herald. The
matter is evidently written by a cor
respondent who didn't take time
enough to get all the facts and some
OF the statements made have no
foundation but there Is also consid-
cradle truth in parts OF his article.
The following are a few extracts:
S.nce prohibition became fact, and
particularly since the thaws OF last
springtime broke the ice and cleared
the snow from the surface OF all roads
leading from Vermont into Canada,
this State has become a runway for
traffickers in Illicit whiskey. In the
main the runners who make their way
back from Canada through Vermont
are on their way to the manufactur-
ing towns Of Massachusetts, where
their cargoes are always in demand
and where by efficient arrangement
they are disposed OF as they stand to
middlemen and distributors But
enough OF the travelling liquor stays
in Vermont to afford its populace all
that 1t requires and enough over to
put by, and there is hardly a hamlet
in the State where drink can not be
had TO the fun extent of the pur-
chasers capacity to pay.
The State has few considerable
cities in It, but up 10 a short time ago
liquor by the glass could be had by
almost any one in almost any OF them.
There were no saloon keepers selling
il. The saloon has never been much
cf an institution in Vermont, local op-
ton for the most part having throt-
tied and killed Il long ago. But because
men will drink and are prepared to
pay well for the privilege ali sorts Of
small shop keepers have become re-
tail rum sellers to such extent as their
neighborhoods support them. and
since Vermont is so largely a State Of
communities and neighbcrhoods
where every one knows every one the
men who are in the Illegal liquor
trade run little chance Of detection.
A haul by prohibition enforcement
agents in West Rutland on a recent
Saturday night will illustrate how the
average Vermonter obtains the drink
he wants The officers took the field
early in the evening West Rutland
Is not an extensive place, but the Of
ficers penetrated its enyirons as well
as its ccre and did not bring In their
full catch until after midnight But
by morning they had brought In no
prisoners, only the names OF hye men
whose names and calings were the
striking facts in connection with
them. They were not native Vermont
ers. They were Valent Kempisti. a
shoe maker; Domenico Michel, pro-
prietor OF a pool hail. John Meleady.
who conducts "parlor' for soft
drinks. T. NJ Nobert who has a cigar
and stationery store, and Tomasso
Coats, retail dealer in fruit.
Upon the same evening that bottles
OF evidence were traced and seized in
West Rutland a certain number OF the
citizens of that community went ear
ly to their nights rest upon the side
walks Recovering by the next morn
ing and upon arraignment in court
room they quickly exonerated any
fellow townsman of theirs of having
given them 'the liquid that laid them
low. One Of them who still had the
dregs OF a pint on his hip informed
the court that they had stopped a
man in an automobile and asked him
Tor a ride. The man answered quick
ly that he was not going their way
and handed one OF them a $40 bill.
Upon the explanation being given him
that the request for ride was made
In sincerity and that they who had
stopped him we're not enforcement Of
fcers, the man had expressed his APP
probation Of their morality by giving
them a quart of the whiskey with
which his car, apparently was filled.
Undoubtedly the man meant kindly.
But It is unlikely that before taking
on his cargo in Canada he had swal.
lowed a sample Of Il, For what he
gave away in pure hospitality was
consumed under the nearest tree.
Four men divided the scant quart be-
tween them, and al though they
we're seasoned drinkers it knocked
the four men cold.
II might be expected that Lake
Champlam extending more than half
way down the western border of the
state, would be of great service TO the
rum runners, affording them a water.
way for their frieghts easy to travel
by fast motor boat and safe for their
purpose. since a man with an Illegal
cargo may always pass It overheard
when pursuit is hot, But the runners
seem to disdain IL. Whiskey carried
by lake transport has to be handled
four times between starting point and
destination packed in an automobile
at the border. thence to a boat,
/ thence to another car and unloaded
finally at It's terminal point-and the
runners have discovered that there is
no need Of all this handling expense.
exposure and delay. The roadways of
the State not only afford speedier
transportation than water travel. but
the runners have become convinced
by experience that few cars are halt.
ed and fewer detained by Government
agents. 1t is denied on all hands that
anybody is paying tribute or receiv-
ing IL, but none the less the roads are
travelled by the booze cars almost
openly night after night.
IL is an open secret that any in
dividual citizen if he is not in the
booze business and merely desires a
little liquor for the days trip or for
household supply can 90 on up into
Canada ON any bright day and get
what he wants and not be molested
Hundreds of cars cross the line
every Saturday and Sunday.A case OF