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Self-Respect at Home and Commercial and Political Reputation Abroad Suffer Tremendously Because of Lawless Liquor-Selling.
W. B. Stubbs, Leader of Law and Order League, Tells of Shameful Conditions—Judge and Juries to Blame.
S a basis of the widespread declaration that
Savannah’s political and commercial repu
tation will suffer more and more if she does
not clean up and drive out her lawless liq-
ra
uor shops I7r Golden Age is reproducing by special
request the recent letter of Hon. W. B. Stubbs on
“The Liquor Situation in Savannah.” It ought to
be read and studied by every patriotic Georgian
and, indeed, every patriotic American who is anx
ious to help conquer that spirit of lawlessness which
liquor-selling, loyal or illegal, always produces:
The Liquor Situation In Savannah.
An appeal to the law-abiding citizens of Geor
gia:
In order that you may know the facts, I am ask
ing that the following statement be published by the
papers who are in favor of law and order in Geor
gia:
In November, 1913, Hon. Seaborn Wright spoke
in Savannah at the request of the Women’s Chris
tian Temperance Union, and at the eoncluslion of
this address, I announced that I would join anv ten
men who would agree to make an effort to enforce
the law. Several volunteered and on December 18th,
about eighteen men met in the hall of Trinity church
and agreed that they would secure the evidence on
which to base prosecutions. To the credit of the
laymen, be it said there were enough to relieve the
preachers from going out to buy liquor. There were
ten who went in pairs. Three of them, W. B. Stur
devant, P. M. Doogan and F. W. Stradman, are mem
bers of the Independent Presbyterian church; E. G.
Cabiniss and C. W. McCall are deacons of the First
Baptist church; A. J. Owens is a member of the
Christian church; E. W. Strozier, B. B. Mingledorff
and F. H. Williams are members of Grace Methodist
church, and the writer, of Asbury Methodist church.
Two of us are Sunday school superintendents. All
are men whose word is their bond. We went to
about twenty-five places and purchasel liquor in bot
tle and paid for it and marked it so there could
be no mistake. It was so near Christmas that we
decided to at once seek injunctions against the whole
salers, and if possible stop the flood of liquor that
was being sent into the country for the holidays.
Major George H. Richter, a Middle Georgia boy of
German extraction, represented us at much sacrifice
of time and in the face of overwhelming odds, Judge
Charlton granted a restraining order and on the
hearing, a temporary injunction. This was appeal
ed to the Supreme Court, where it now awaits de
cision.
We thought it but right, in order to avoid over
crowding Judge Charlton’s docket, to press matters
on the criminal side of the court and indictments
were prepared and set before the grand jury. The
men above named swore that they bought the whis
key and exhibited it to the grand jury who promptly
returned “no bills” on each of the indictments.
Believing that a majority of this first grand jury
were interested in or dominated by the liquor inter
ests, we requested the solicitor general to present
the indictments to the succeeding grand jury em
paneled for the March term of our superior court.
He did offer to do so. but told the grand jury that if
they did not-wish to consider them he would not
insist, but would be guided by their pleasure. They
“THE DEVIL TO PAY” IN SAVANNAH
The same is true in Bibb county. It was Chat
ham county alone that was openly defiant. Bar
rooms remained open. Judges refused to instruct
grand juries to return bills. Grand jurors re
fused to consider violations of law and to hear evi
dence. It remained for a Chatham county judge
to speak disparagingly of those who attempted to
enforce the law.
We need law enforcement in Georgia. Not en
forcement of prohibition laws alone, but enforce
ment of all laws. The highest official in the state
is the one with greatest influence and he should
speak out for law enforcement. And we will plain
ly say that no governor chosen from Chatham
county could lead a movement for law enforce-
Savannah Law-Breakers Hurt The City
THE GOLDEN AGE FOR WEEK OF JUNE 11, 1914
evidently desired to shun the responsibility and voted
to postpone the matter. A second time we asked
that they be considered, but received no satisfaction.
The third time, after a conference w>ith the solicitor
general, I wrote him a letter and asked that the
indictments be placed before the grand jury and the
witnesses were present and ready to testify, but they
were refused a hearing.
We then decided to ask the court to issue a man
damus. On application he issued a rule nisi calling
on the grand jury to appear and show cause why
they should not consider the indictments.
The solicitor general appeared for the grand jury
and took the position that they were a law within
themselves, and that the court had no right to re-
qudre them to consider the cases. Judge Charlton
sustained Mr. Richter’s contention, and suspended
judgment to give the grand jury time to act in ac
cordance with his opinion.
Grand Jurymen Break Their Oath.
The jury was reconvened and went through the
form of hearing the evidence and did what the for
mer grand jury had done, returned “no bills” in
every case. This is in face of the evidence of men
whom, they knew, had bought the liquor, and ex
hibited it then and there wiith no motive but to en
force the law. Our information is that a respecta
ble minority desired to regard the oath they had
taken and find according to the evidence. Two re
turns of “no bills” under the law of Georgia amount
to an acquittal, and it comes to pass that the grand
jury who swore to “diligently inquire and true pre
sentment make” have turned loose, without a trial
these men who were openly and shamefully defying
the law, and three of them had been found guilty
of contempt for defying the court’s order not to sell
intoxicants.
The license issued by the city authorizes the deal
er to sell “nontintoxicating beer made from cereals.”
The license issued by the ordinary for the state reads:
“Received of dollars for license fee
for near beer, etc., which authorizes said business
ment. He would be laughed at should he mention
such a thing. We care not what Mr. Anderson’s
ability may be, or how charming his personality,
the fact remains that he hails from a community
where lawlessness has run riot, where a people
have said they will not be governed by laws made
by the legislature of their state, and living there,
ha h s raised no voice of protest against the vio
lation of law. He is discredited by his environ
ments. He can’t shake off from his candidacy the
reputation his county be#rs. If ho did promise
law enforcement, his promise would have no weight.
What he has failed to do as an influential citizen
of Chatham coun’y speaks so loudly that what he
might promise to do as governor could not be
hoard.”
*'l||r ■
■ r
HON. W. B. STUBBS.
from date of this certificate to December 31, 1914.”
A Liquorized Boycott.
As soon as our identity is disclosed, it is passed
down the line and all the saloons refuse to sell to us.
If we had money to hire detectives, the cry would
probably be that the evidence could not be believed.
So far no prominent citizen has raised his voice
publicly to give encouragement to our effort, al
though many we believe are in sympathy with the
object. Our daily papers will not express any sym
pathy with the effort and the officers of the law
seem afraid of the political influence.
One of our witnesses was discharged because he
testified and he found employment in Atlanta. An
other good man was notified that his firm would be
boycotted by one of its largest patrons.
An abject fear and lack of faith in the ability
of the authorities to enforce the law seems to per
meate the rank and file of our ditizens. Men prom
inent in the church seem afraid to speak out their
convictions.
By chance a copy of the constitution and by-laws
of the Savannah Protective Association fell into the
hands of the writer, and the following was sent to
be printed in paid space in the papers and both re
fused to publish it after receiving it and in one
case having the proof ready:
Constitution and By-Laws of the Savannah Protec
tive Association of Savannah, Ga.
Officers —John Sullivan, president; H. F. Kuck,
vice-president; George F. Harms, secretary-treasur
er; Osborne & Lawrence, attorneys.
Board of Governors —George Peters, R. F. O’Con
nor, H. H. Geffken, Harry Garfunkle, John Cot
tingham.
Adopted December 3, 1913.
The objects of this association are the co
operation of its members. The advancement and ele
vation of the near beer business in the city of Savan
nah; to encourage a spirit of fellowship among its
members and to aid in the repeal of the “prohibi
tion act” and re-establishment of local option in the
state of Georgia.
Article 3. —Each member who is in good standing
shall be entitled to be represented by the attorneys
No member of this association, however, shall be rep
resented by the attorneys thereof for violation of
the Sunday selling ordinances or ordinances passed
for regulating the hours of the opening and closing
of “near beer saloons.”
Mr. W. W. Osborne, head of the firm mentioned,
is Mr. J. Randolph Anderson’s campaign manager
for governor. Is there any wonder that the liquor
dealers defy the judge’s orders?
One of the aidermen of the city, and chairman
of the police committee, was present and behind the
bar when a purchase was made at one of the places,
and the internal revenue record shows that a license
was issued to him, and another to retail liquor.
M e have not given up the fight, but we wish the
law-abiding citizens and praying men and women of
Georgia to know what we are fighting and we request
that the papers and business men of Georgia let
our busmess men of Savannah know that such an at
titude is injuring the Forest City and losing friends
whom she needs in her business.
28 Drayton St., Savannah, Ga. W .B. STUBBS.
One thing is clear—very, very clear: If The
Savannah News had spent more time in lead
ing a crusade against lawless liquor-selling she
would not now need to spend so much time
explaining her attitude and defending one of
her honored sons. But in this special article
the position of The Golden Age is not political
—we simply declare in definite desperation
against the criminal neglect on the part of
the grand juries that break their oath by re
fusing to indict in face of evidence; of petit
juries that refuse to convict on evidence; of
newspapers and officers that allow, without
(Continued on Pago 4.)