d that inspired this fiendish act. They seem to think it
impossible that "respectable (?)" citizens of a temperance county
should attempt in such a reckless, lawless way to prevent opposition
to their traffic in strong drink. But what is there incredible in
this? When we consider that traffic in strong drink means a trade in
the souls of men, women and children, and in innocence, virtue and
hope; when we remember that the bartender daily takes from his
customers the price of food, clothes, health, respectability and all
that he has of real value in the world, and gives him in return
nothing but liquid ruin; when we know that the rumseller's business is
a sort of wholesale murder continually, inasmuch as by it millions of
lost souls are sent into eternity annually; in view of all these
facts, why should we be surprised when the liquor sellers of a
community plan together to rid themselves of one who has vigorously
opposed their dangerous work? It is only another form of the same
business.

The disclosures following the assault upon Mr. Smith convinced many
people of the evils of the liquor traffic, and some who had favored
and pitied the hotel keepers when they had been fined for lawbreaking
now turned against them, feeling that they could no longer uphold
their deeds. Meantime, some of the hotel keepers of the vicinity gave
evidence of their guilt by disappearing from the locality very soon
after the assault took place.

The investigation of the affair was placed in the hands of S. H.
Carpenter, Superintendent of the Canadian Secret Service, and
detectives were at once set at work upon the case. Either Mr.
Carpenter or one of the men under his direction was constantly in the
vicinity, seeking to obtain clues by which to determine the guilty
party. One man, who lived near the mountain pass between Sutton and
Glen Sutton, declared that, early on the morning of July 8th, he had
seen two men pass his house driving very rapidly and going in the
direction of the latter village, one of the men having no hat, but
wearing a cloth around his head. Of course this story had an air of
significance inasmuch as the assailant of the previous night had left
his hat at Sutton Junction, but it did not prove to be of much
importance. It was soon settled in the minds of many that the
stranger whom we have mentioned as having been frequenting the hotels
at Sutton and Abercorn had been the wielder of the lead pipe on July
8th, but his name