The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1920-07-06
SIDE JUDGE FINED FOR
BREAKING LIQUOR LAW
A. r. Richardson Of Canaan Assessed
$3.50 for Bringing Nearly 100 Quarts
of Whisky INFO United States

a. F. Richardson OF canaan ASSESSED
$3.50 for Bringing Nearly 100 Quarts
of Whisky INFO United States
Burlington, July 1.-The heaviest
sentence which Judge II. B. Howe
pronounced out Of more than q score
yesterday in United Sta es court was
a fine of $3.50, levied on Judge A. p.
Richardson OF Canaan, Essex county,
who pleaded guilty to bringing into
this country nearly 100 quarts of
whiskey. The session of court was
IA special one, called for the purpose
Of hearing pleas from The large num-
Der of respe ndents who had been in
dicted- at recent sessions Of the grand
jury, The day was fully occupied
with steady line of respondents, who
had been indicted for violation Of the
Volstead act and immigration law
al for draft eyading.
The fines imposed by Judge Howe
ranged al the way from 81 to the $3.50
levied on Judge Richardson. In pre-.
nouucing sentence on the respond.
ents, Judge Howe made it plain that
he drew a sbarp distinction be .ween
the man, who brought liquor into the
country in small quantities for his own
use and the man who brought it in for
commercial purposes The new law
enacted by Congress fixes he eXterme
penalty in the case Of FIRST offence
at $500 Judge Howe was Of the op-
inion that If that were not the case
he nigh impose more severe penal
ties on those who, attracted by the
immense profits wilfully violated the
law, after colby figuring the cos s.
On The other hand, he was inclined to
lbe leniout with the man who brought
"a little for himself He real zed that
this law was breaking up-a custom OF
imaly years standing and that for q
timc would be Difficult to live up to
liz This law while prov ding a com
tparatiyely light sentence for the first
offence provides a much more severe
Ipenalty apd prison sentence in the
second case.
The day was a strange one In Unit
ed States court and resembled from
the character of its business, the old
IprCh hi ion days In police court Ii
.court yesterday stories of the strang
est condolences ever chronieled were
related to explain the presence OF
liquor in the possession of the respon
dents There was also no limit to the
extent Of the excuses, which varied all
the way frcm a sick wife and the
brave husband defyine the law fol
her sake, to the brakeman up in
Grand Isle who boldly stated that he
stole the eight quarts he had and was
iby no means gully Of smuggling
In the case Of Richardson, Judge
Howe addressed the respondent as
Judge repeatedly and weighed his
decision wcll. He did not desire tC
fine him 90 severely and on the other
ihand dia not want TO be too lenient
The extent 5of Richardson's wealth
Twas qrrefully gone into and the man
lner ili wMehnhe committed The crime
1T Appeared that the liquor was founa
in his garage last March The .affaii
was kept very gniet and 7 the story
was printed exclusively in the Free
iPressy
Wilfred Crawford of st. Albans, &
former freight conductor on THE Cen
trial Vermont railroad, was another
respondent TO plead guilty to a viola
Etisn Of the Volsread act Twelve gal
ions Of whiskeyand two Of high wines
were found ON his traina Crawford
defence was that he only received 81
for the transportation of the liquor
He was siHply to wink at its being
.lplaced there and 10 allow it to be TAX
en- off without seeing it. He was
fined ,S150, which he pad.
Leonard l. Cole Of Gfoyeton n. II.
received the smallest tlne Of The day
81. Coles automobile valued at sew
eral hundred dolalrs, had been con
fisoatod by the government and Judge
Howe was of the opinion that the mar
fhad been severely punished Cole
acted the part OF liyeryman and tool
party into Canada He knew tina
they had II quarts Of whiskey which
they procured there but thought hi