Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1920-11-17
NEWPORT NEWS
Ward Prouty Loses Drivers License

ward Prouty Loses Drivers License.
Ward Prouty was found guilty of
operating an automobile while under
the influence of liquor, at a Jury
trial at session of the municipal
court held Wednesday afternoon.
siding.
The offense for which he was
charged took place at Derby Line on
the night of July 15, 1920 and from
several causes a hearing could not he
| held until this time.
Mr.. Prouty appeared in the munich
pal court Monday and called for a
jury trial, requesting that same be
selected outside of Newport. On
tuesday the following men from Low
ell, Westfield and Troy were drawn
Tor jury: E. H Hitchcock, Lee Mil
Ter, o. w. Bailey and Thomas Gil
bert of Westfield, A A. Macomber,
II. E. Mann and C. r. Holden of
Troy; S. B. Cello, Frank Barney, c..
Z. Curtis and d. P. Naramore of
Lowell and Joel Bly, of Newport city.
The case opened at 1:30 p. m. We'd
nesday.
Frank Thompson States Attorney
prosecuted and the respondent, Ward
Prouty, acted as his own counsel.
Attorney PROXY questioned each
juror to ascertain if there were any
among them who for any reason
would be unable to give a fair and
impartial verdict. No objections were
made and the trial proceeded. The
first witness for the State was Dep
uty Sheriff Edwin Crosby of Derby
: Line. Mr.. Crosby testified that he
was employed by the Secretary of
State, Harry A. Black, and received
his appointment about May 1st, to
look after the traffic crossing at the
line and report all cases of reckless
driving, and the operating of cars
while under the influence of liquor to
!; him, also to report such cases as he
saw fit to the States Attorney. He
said that on the above night he came
from his house at about 1920 o'cloci
) and in walking toward the Derby
: Line hotel saw the car in question
come up the hill and pass him, stop.
ping near the band stand, nearly OPP.
posite the Derby Line hotel. The
7 car was being operated in a man
ner that attracted his attention, anC
he approached same and the driver
: who was Prouty, ahghted. He wa!
satisfied by the smell of liquor on hi!
, breath and the unsteady step that ht
was under its influence, and told hin
that he could not let him drive the
) car further, upon which Prout!
walked across the street and entered
: the hotel. The car was placed in the
t Ames Garage.
+ Crosby was crossed examined b.
= Prouty in which he tried to bring ou
/, other points in the case as he remem
= bered them, but was unable to chang,
: his testimony. Prouty tried to get ;
: statement from him that he hat
talked the case over with Constabl,
r o. A. Sweet, it being Prouty's opin
ion that SWEET was responsible fol-
prosecuting the case. This was OBJ
jected to by the States Attorney
his objection being sustained by tn,
! Judge.
The second witness was Horact
> Chadduck, teller in the Bank of Com
merce at Rock Island. He testified
: that he first saw Prouty at dance a
Stanstead Plain; that his step wa
! unsteady and at a later hour stool
q on the Derby Line hotel verand;
3 preached the hotel. Walter Norri
!. who was with Chadduck at the dane
E when Prouty left the car and ap
: also at the hotel corroborated Chad
ducks testimony.
A. v. S. Cullins, proprietor of tn
4 Derby Line hotel, testified that Prout.
q was at the hotel and sat at the tabl
\ In a sleepy mood; that his breatl
\ had the odor of liquor. AT the clos
of this testimony the State rested AM
a Prouty called to the stand Arthur
0 Girardine also brother, Albert Cir
4 ardine, the two men who later in tn
: evening were hired by Prouty t,
: bring him to Newport. Their testi
n mony was to the effect that Prout.
t could walk all right when they lief
$ him at the corner of Third stree
o from where he walked to his home
e but they did smell liquor upon hi
|. breath when he approached them a
r the hotel, to engage them to brin,
e him to Newport.
o. A. SWEET was the next witnes
), which resulted in hot discussion owe
!, the serving of the warrant, but faile
o to bring out much evidence bearing
:, on the case.
4 John Prouty a brother of the res
= pendent then took the stand, bu
d failed to furnish evidence of any ma
o. terial value, as the conversation the
in had over the phone on that night wa
r. objected to, as we'll as the convers;
Is ton that took place with the tv
r, Girardine boys, who brought Prout
a. to Newport.
a Respondent Prouty then took tt
ne stand and testified his own defense.
ne States Attorney Thompson spel
but very little time In reviewing ii
case and was willing to submit it
4 the jury on the evidence which shows
"a a that Prouty violated the law
81 charged in the complaint. He w;
81 followed by the respondent Preu
= who argued the case at home leng
i, taking up each witness and the test
n mony they gave. He claimed tn
IF no evidence had been presented tn
in he had been seen drinking, that tv
a. Girardine brothers testified that
II could walk all right. His argumel
- was followed by the closing argumel
in of Thompson and the Judges charg
Id and the case went to the jury abol
or a o'clock. After an hours deliber
T. ton they returned a verdict of gull
e. of the charge. Judge Wright Sc
ed fenced respondent to pay fine
10. 500 and costs of prosecution and
u voked his license for a period OF OF
tn year.
Id,T~
rs
Grange Elects Officers