The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1921-08-02
Trio of Badits Plead
Guilty to Liquor Charge
Continued from page one)

Continued from page one)
arm in a sling. He received Sc
we're flesh wound in the right hand
from a bullet fired at him from
behind when his companions were
alleged to have been engaged in an
exchange of shots with the man
from whom the liquor was secured
at Abercorn. He declared the bull
let just grazed his head. After
being wounded, according to his
story he drove for four or five
miles before he was relieved by
Benkosky.
The bandits carried four guns, :
Colt army automatic of A calibre
a 81 automatic 38-calibre and
another 32-calibre revolver. Saw
are denied that ne had gun in
his hand during the trip except
near Groton when he passed one
of the revolvers to Benkosky.
In relating his story OF the
shootin~ affair at Abercorn, Saw
age said: 1--WE arrived at the farm
house and loaded the liquor into
the car from the garage which was
attached to the house. / drove
out to the front of the house while
Steve and Pete settled. the bill.
Suddenly / heard shots and the
two men came running toward he
car and ordered me to get away.
| was wounded in the hand"
Savage stated that the trio
came out Of Canada thro Igh
Richford. They successfully
eluded the customs and immigra-
ton officials. Asked when they
first knew of being followed By
officers Savage said it was few
miles from St. Johnsbury Center.
Asked why he drove mast the off,
Ger stationed on the iron bridge
at the Center when ordered to
stop he declared, he did not see the
policeman until the car was right
on him. He admitted however,
that as soon as he did see the Off
Ger he put on the juice"
Under close questioning of the
witness it was learned that plans
for stealing the liquor; that is
"stickino up the owner were dis
cussed on the way up. He admit
ted that the men did not have
enough money, when they left
Pawtucket to pay for the booze.
When the car was abandoned
near Groton, the men started out
together but according to Savage
they saw a man on the hill, and
then divided their money and split
up. This was so that each would
have sufficient funds to get back to
Pawtucket, if they made a clean
getaway. Savage declared he was
unarmed leaving the guns in the
machine.
Bourget at the request of States
Attorney Campbell, reviewed his
war record. He said his father
and mother were both living.
In speaking of the shooting af-
fair at Abercorn Bourget admit
ted he fired couple of shots but
aimed them all at the ground.
He said il must have been Ben
kosky who hit Aeon Grassette,
the "middle man" in the liquor
deal. He said that he would not
have shot at the officers had be
been surrounded.
According to Bourgeois story be
has been mixed up in rum running
once before this year. He drove
a Buick car for a Pawtucket man
who purchased 81 bottles. The
three were held up by customs of
ficials and taken to Newport for
a hearing. He was released on
$1,000 bail for a hearino in thu
u. S. Court at ,Brattleboro and
was fined S125. His counsel Mas
Attorney E. w Gibson. The mar
chine was confiscatcd.
Bourget stated thai he made the
recent trip without any funds that
Benkosky. took care of the ex-
penses.
Asked if he pointed a gun at
Deputy-Sheriff Coffrin at Groton,
Bourget declared he did not aim
his gun at anyone. He said that
BenkoSky look care of Sheriff Cof-
frin and the rest of the crowd
"beat it,.