was one
brave man, a train hand, who was sleeping above the scene of the
assault, who declared that he had heard the blows when given, but did
not go down to learn the cause as he "did not want to mix up in it,"
and was afraid he might get hurt. There are far too many people who
display the same disposition when others within their reach are in
danger or in need of assistance. When the people of the house were
awakened it seemed already too late to capture the retreating
criminal, but Mr. Smith's injuries were attended to, and a message
sent at once by telephone to Sutton for a physician. The bruises
proved to be very severe, and it seems to be a modern miracle that
life itself was spared.

The article from the _Witness_, part of which we quoted above, after
describing the assault, says:

"A good deal of indignation is felt by the law-abiding people not
only of Sutton Flats, but of the county, and it is hoped that
every effort will be made to discover the perpetrator. The
woollen cap and slung-shot should give a clever detective a good
clue to work upon. Some time ago, at the public meeting called to
discuss the liquor question, Mr. Dyer, M. P. for the county, said
that the authorities had been twitted by the liquor men for not
enforcing the Scott Act. That reproach might have been justified
in a measure at least, as there was some doubt as to the opinion
of the people in its favor. But in 1893 the liquor men had
appealed--and perhaps it was well they did so--to the county, to
decide whether that law should be enforced or not. The county had
declared against the liquor men. Now the time had come when this
majority should stand at the back of the officials, and all
should endeavor to enforce the law. Mr. Dyer's remarks at the
time were taken to represent the desire of the law-abiding people
of Brome County. In carrying out this idea, Mr. Smith, they
contend, was simply doing his duty, and it is expected that in
doing it he had the majority of the people of the county with
him."

This brutal assault, made upon a law-abiding citizen by one whom he
had never injured in any way is a fair sample of the fruits of
intemperance wherever found. There are those who have seemed loath to
believe that Mr. Smith's strong temperance convictions and his
activity in carrying them out were the real causes which led to the
bitter hatre