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Our great-grandmother Bridget Waters, John Delehanty's mother, was evidently quite the colorful character. On this page we include a series of snippets from the "Local Notes" and "Police Court" columns of The Rutland Herald from the summer of 1874, when Bridget, a 24 year-old unmarried Irish immigrant washerwoman, was arrested for public drunkenness, refused to disclose the source of her liquor as the law required, and languished in jail for 28 days before she finally gave in. In the process she gave the court a good piece of her mind, and gave us some valuable insights into her person and character. (Illustration in masthead: Our symbol for Bridget Waters, drawn by Thomas Nast, from the cover of Harper's Weekly, 28 Feb 1880, www.harpweek.com)
In the 1870s and 1880s, Rutland, Vermont was a "dry" city and county: producing, trafficking, and consuming alcoholic beverages of any kind were illegal. This state of affairs was brought about by a very well-organized and powerful temperance (anti-drinking) movement, spearheaded in Rutland by the Good Templars and the Union Temperance and supported by most of the city's churches, its most prominent citizens, and conservative bastions like The Rutland Herald. (Illustration: penny postcard of Merchant's Row, Rutland, probably from the 1920s, from http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/vt/ppcs-vt.html)
Perusing the pages of the Herald from these years,
one is struck by the extremes to which local authorities went in enforcing anti-liquor laws,
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the extremes to which local people went to hide their booze. "At
Charles Allen's place they dug up a gallon of gin from a secret place
under the basement floor," reads a typical item of 27 July 1874, under
the headline "Saturday's Seizures." "At J.
McLaughlin's house they secured a six-quart milk can full of liquor on
the top shelf of the buttery," reads another. And so it went, day
after day, week after week, year after year, into the 1890s and beyond.
In early August 1874, a few days after the foregoing items appeared, a woman identified as Bridget Waters was arrested for drunkenness and thrown in jail. Then, a few days later, a woman claiming to be Bridget Waters "called at" the Herald's office and "stated that she was not the woman who figured in the Police Court report a few days ago. She says that the woman's name who figured there is 'Besey' Waters . . . and [that she] is no such woman as the other."
Less than two weeks later, Bridget
Waters (evidently the real Bridget Waters) was arrested and thrown in jail for the same reason.
Thumbing her nose at the judicial system, she
concocted a ludicrous story that she'd
gotten
her "liquor from a cucumber." Thrown back into the pen and hauled
before the judge again two days later, she repeated the story, declaring
she was "quite comfortable" and "willing to stay inside a while." Stay she
did, until mid-September, when the tedium of jail doubtless became too
much for her. What's remarkable is that she remained defiant for as long as
she did.
(Courtroom artist's sketch of Bridget Waters
displaying the cucumber pulp out of which she distilled her liquor.
Not really. This is of the Salem Witch Trials, but close enough;
from www.encyclopedia.laborlawtalk.com)
What insights on Bridget's life and character can we glean from these tidbits of local news? More concretely, we learn that on August 17, 1874, she was arrested for drunkenness in the company of one Mary Kennedy, both denizens of Green Street. Bridget elected to stay in jail for four weeks before finally revealing that her supplier had been one James Kennedy. From this it seems clear that Bridget Waters and Mary Kennedy were near neighbors, friends, and drinking buddies, and that James was Mary's brother or cousin, or, less likely, her husband.
More generally, we see a spirited young woman, unattached to any
man (with neither father nor husband) and thus free of patriarchal
control,
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openly
defying the judicial authority of Vermont's most populous city, and in a
way that that city's largest newspaper portrayed as funny and amusing.
"Bridget Waters . . . clearly showed the Justice . . ." What,
exactly, did she so clearly show him? I'd dearly love to know.
Perhaps a piece of her mind. Whatever it was, the woman in these
news items was portrayed as scrappy, defiant, saucy, sassy – a real local character.
(Detail of "Beer Street" by William Hogarth [1697-1764]; see
hover-text for source)
We also see that it took about six weeks for her to become "well known" in the eyes of the Herald. Considering what a stuffy, stodgy newspaper it was, that's a pretty short time. And, considering Bridget's working-class background, intemperate habits, and irreverence toward authority, it's nothing short of remarkable -- though "well known" was probably ironic (following the Herald's wont), a euphemism for "notorious."
One can readily imagine the scene that led to her arrest -- one
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pair of unattached 20-something working-class ethnically Irish women
drunk on streets of Rutland Town, active participants in the city's
vibrant street culture, howling at the moon on a warm summer's night,
with lively tongues and streaks of independence to match – virtues when
practiced by men, vices (or sources of amusement and derision) when
practiced by women. Hauled into jail by the local constable, and
then, at her arraignment, spinning an absurd and perhaps ribald yarn, Bridget preferred defying the
city's authority to squealing on her
friends. (Street scene, London, by William Hogarth; see
hover-text for source)
Before these 1874 news items, just about everything thing we know about Bridget Waters comes from the 1870 census, which lists her as a 30 year-old unmarried washerwoman (an error; in fact she was 20) living with Mary Waters, age 11 (probably her niece) in a working-class district near downtown Rutland. It also shows her living next-door to one of Rutland's few black families, and right around the corner from several of the city's wealthiest and most prominent citizens.
For instance, two
doors down lived the relatives of Horace
H. Dyer, a 50 year-old farmer with a net worth of $42,500 elected as
"Lister" on the Rutland Town Council in March 1870. ("Listers,"
along with "Selectmen," were the most influential members of the town council.) Six doors down in
the other direction lived
Evelyn Pierpoint, age 54, a real-estate speculator with a net worth
of $90,000, also a "Lister" on the town council, and a member of the
Rutland School Board (see
rutland herald notes, march
1870 and
Rutland Town's Political Class in the Early 1870s
and related pages).
(Photo: a classic of
the temperance movement, www.nps.gov)
In other words, Bridget Waters lived around the corner from the city's premier power-brokers and their families. In this light, and in light of her behavior in court, it seems entirely possible that her irreverent demeanor, bawdy wit, and lack of deference, day after day on the streets of Rutland Town, prompted one (or more) of her wealthy and politically connected neighbors to arrange her arrest on trumped-up charges – like swatting at a neighborhood pest, on the presumption that a few days in the hoosegow might teach her some respect for her social betters. That might explain her defiance in court and the absurdity of her story – because she knew the whole thing was a sham, a frame-up, a bid to squelch her spirit, and she refused to be a party to it.
Indeed, this episode has all the hallmarks of
a small act of civil disobedience: a non-violent, open, and
intentional violation of a law on moral or political grounds,
followed by full acceptance the judicial consequences. These
events have a strong political feel – political in the sense of an
unseen power struggle. Very few people stayed in jail for four
weeks before confessing, or so unabashedly defied the court's
authority, or fabricated such outrageous tales. More
prosaically, her prolonged stay indicates that she had no dependents
and was thus childless as well as husband-less.
(Photo: www.buzznet.com)
We have no proof of her neighbors' involvement in her arrest. What we do know is that Bridget Waters defied the authority of the police judge in Vermont's most populous city, and that her colorful behavior piqued the interest of Vermont's largest municipal newspaper, whose news items were clearly meant to amuse. It would be helpful to know how many stories circulated, in this time and place, that cast an unattached woman's defiance of authority and law as funny and harmless, as depicted here. I have found no others. In this male-dominated world, this was not a common trope.
Reading these snippets "against the grain,"
we see a young woman using her humor,
wit, and stubborn resolve to deflect attention away from her
unapologetic defiance of the anti-liquor laws. It is true that
those laws were widely despised and ignored by the working-class
immigrant
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communities
at which they were principally aimed. It is also true that
defying a judge's authority can constitute a very
grave offense. She did it anyway, and with panache, painting
jail-time as easy, "comfortable," far better than betraying a friend and
admitting defeat. (Painting of Bridget's
confession of Sept 14, 1874, with Judge Marshall looking on. Ha ha ha.
Actually the Salem Witch Trials again; www.encyclopedia.laborlawtalk.com)
In sum, we see here a tough, resilient, spirited young woman, stubborn, resolute, independent and outspoken, loyal to her friends, defiant of authority, with a keen theatrical sense and a wicked sense of humor.
Skeptics might counter
that we are reading
too much into the evidence; that our speculations are merely
that; and that we ought to be more cautious and circumspect in our
interpretations. To this we respond: (1) with such
paltry evidence to begin with we figure we need to milk these
snippets for all they're
worth; (2) spinning out various scenarios
by filtering the available evidence through one's historical imagination
is entirely appropriate and entirely fun; and (3) show us where we're
likely wrong! (Illustration: "Woman's Holy War,"
icon of the temperance movement, www.pdimages.com)
In what follows, the items describing Bridget appear in blue text, and appear with a handful of related stories from the Herald, mainly to help situate her arrest and her behavior in court within the larger social and legal context of Rutland Town's culture of prohibition, and to give a sense of the Herald's pompously ironic voice (see also rutland herald research notes).
[ go directly to cucumber-whiskey clipping ] [ back to top ]
Police Court. [ Before Justice B. W. Marshall. ]
On yesterday the delegate who made the row with Crawford on Wednesday evening was brought out and plead guilty to a drunk, which ensured a fine of $13.94. Not having that amount of money he was put back and still remains in confinement.
He disclosed on Charles Allen and the latter was fined $17.50 for keeping the liquor and $17.50 for selling it.
William Wallace Tower was brought up by officer Perkins and charged with drunkenness and concomitant charges. It appeared in evidence that he had somewhere procured a half-gallon jug of benzine which he had persistently attached himself to, to the intense annoyance of the neighborhood as well as his own family. He was fined $13.94 and laid away in the apartment with iron windows. He solemnly declared that he procured the liquor in Whitehall and the Court believed him -- or pretended to.
Mon, July 27, 1874
Union Temperance Meeting
The regular monthly Union Temperance Meeting was held at the Baptist Church last evening. The house was not crowded, but tolerably well filled. The meeting was opened with the rendering of the beautiful anthem, 'God is My Salvation,' by the choir. Prayer was then offered by Mr. Meeker, followed by the singing of the 34th Hymn. Mr. Haven then read selections from the Scriptures and followed by a few remarks in which he said we believed in the efficacy of prayer and we were here to-night for the purpose of appealing to God for help for he has promised to answer prayer, and called upon Deacon Horner to offer a prayer. He was followed by Rev. O. B. Hulbert and Rev. H. F. Austin. These prayers were followed by a selection from the choir: 'Onward Temperance Soldiers.'
J. M. Haven then made a short speech in which he said we ought to rouse the public conscience against the manufacture of intoxicating drinks. Parents should realize the danger of the drinking practice and their responsibility in the matter and do what they could in regard to the prevention of this great crime. Perhaps some of us might differ as to the methods to be employed for the suppression of the traffic, but we all agree as to the great crime of intemperance. It is said that three-quarters of the crime of the world is caused by rum. We know that a great amount of the crime in our community is caused by it, directly or indirectly. When we get ready to do our whole duty as temperance people there will be an end of a great deal of the drunkenness that prevails in our community. . . .
Tues, July 28, 1874
Police Court. [ Before Justice B. W. Marshall. ]
. . . On Sunday Sherrif Fields arrested Edward Phalen in a rum shop on Main street, and on yesterday he was brought up charged with drunkenness. The evidence showed that when the sheriff arrested him he was in a drunken stupor, but when he had recovered a little he became pugnacious and wanted a fight with the officer, which the latter would by no means consent to. On the showing Phalen was fined $13.94.
A subsequent examination revealed the fact that he procured his liquor of John Derven, a Main street grocer. The latter was fined $17.50 for keeping with the intent to sell and $27.50 for selling to Phalen. The extra size of the fine was because the present was a second offense. An appeal was entered in both cases with Martin Fitzpatrick as surety.
Phalen then proceeded to make a supplementary statement to the effect that he procured a bottle of liquor at the drug store of George E. Graves. The proprietor being out of town Edward Fenn, the clerk who made the sale, was brought in and fined $17.70 for selling the liquor.
Tues, Aug 4, 1874
Police Court. [ Before Justice B. W. Marshall. ]
The first entree into the judicial ring on yesterday was made by Sylvester Hawkins (colored) who was found guilty of being drunk and fined $13.94.
On being asked where he procured his liquor, the culprit accused John Haley of selling it to him and the latter was brought up and fined $18.86 for keeping liquor with intent to sell and $27.50 for selling to Hawkins.
Patrick McCauley was adjudged to have been drunk to about the extent of $13.94, and, after a fine of that size had been imposed upon him, he was asked to reveal where he got his liquor. The only reply that could be extracted from him was that he got it in Whitehall. This not being entirely satisfactory, the court ordered him to be immersed in jail again until his memory could be refreshed.
Bridget Waters denied that she had been drunk and at the same time acted in so outrageous a manner as to produce a suspicion that she was still suffering from that disease. She was fined $13.94 and put back to enable her to collect her senses and to allow the remainder of the alcohol to evaporate out of her system.
Thurs, Aug 6, 1874
Local Notes
— A woman by the name of Bridget Waters called at our office yesterday and stated that she was not the woman who figured in the Police Court report a few days ago. She says that the woman's name who figured there is 'Besey' Waters and lives on Gouger Hill, while her name is Bridget Waters, she lives on Green Street and is no such woman as the other.
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Tues, Aug 18, 1874
Police Court. [ Before Justice B. W. Marshall. ]
. . . Mary Kennedy, an exile from Green street, labored under a complication of disorders. She was unnecessarily full, unaccountably noisy and terribly pugilistic. The first of these troubles was met with a fine amounting to $13.94, the second and third with another fine amounting to $9.06. Not having fully recovered from her disorders she was put back up stairs to try to think where she procured the cause of all these troubles.
Another female was engaged to perform in the judicial circuit but was not sober enough to appear.
Wed, Aug 19, 1874
Local Notes
. . . No police court was held on yesterday, the persons who are in jail awaiting its action being so far indisposed as to require considerable evaporation before they will be dry enough to try.
Thurs, Aug 20, 1874
Police Court. [ Before Justice B. W. Marshall. ]
Charles Butterfly, whose name is too conspicuously open to puns to make it worth while to particularize them, was arrested by Officer Crawford and proved to have been drunk. This cost him $13.94, and in addition he had to divulge some facts which he would rather have kept hid; for instance, that he procured two bottles of liquor of Fred Shattuck in the Home Restaurant, one of them on Monday and the other on Tuesday.
This was not altogether pleasing to Shattuck, who was fined $17.50 for keeping liquor and $47.50 for two second offenses of selling.
Bridget Waters, who had a little explanation to make, clearly showed to the Justice that she got her liquor out of a cucumber, but the doubt which the said Justice cast on so plausible a story caused Bridget to be placed back in the pen.
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Sat, Aug 22, 1874
Police Court. [ Before Justice B. W. Marshall. ]
The only case called into the ring yesterday was that of John O'Brien, of West Rutland, who is of the descent that would be indicated by his name. It appeared that he came to Rutland on Monday last, having $65 in his possession, and in the course of time found his way up to Gouger Hill where he procured much firewater and got rid of all his money. When he was arrested he had not enough money to pay the $13.94 imposed for drunkenness. The question as to where he procured his liquor has not been settled.
Bridget Waters, who was put away up stairs to await a time when she could remember where she procured her liquor, manifests no desire to get out; on the contrary, she declares that she is quite comfortable and is willing to stay inside a while.
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Tues Sept 15, 1874
Police Court. [ Before Justice B. W. Marshall. ]
The first delegate to come before the justice was the well-known Bridget Waters, who was put in on Aug. 17 last. The story that she told at the time was that she got her whiskey out of a cucumber, but after making up her mind that she had staid in long enough on that story she owned up that she had procured a bottle of stimulant of James Kennedy. This state of things brought up James, who was fined $17.50 for selling to Bridget.
John Manney was brought up charged with a complication of disorders, which, taken together, proved that he was hardly an indulgent father or kind husband. First he was drunk, and for that was fined $15.19. It appeared also that he was the owner of four children and a wife. When he had become drunk enough he went home and commenced operations by knocking down his wife, who had a babe in her arms, and repeating the process with his young son. Then, as a matter of amusement, he spent some little time in throwing his knife at his wife with force enough to stick it in the wall, when she managed to dodge it. Once she was not fortunate enough to do so and received a severe cut on the wrist. She was also cut and terribly bruised about the head and face. The child she held in her arms that its recovery is deemed doubtful. . . .
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And thus ends Bridget Waters' brief but illuminating appearance in the vaunted pages of The Rutland Herald -- as far as we know. Still checking.
Many thanks to C. Habes for posting the Aug 20 and Aug 22 items on Bridget Waters on the Rutland County RootsWeb message board.
