Col. Ben F. Watkins, chief of police and one-time Regular Army officer, stated that, in his opinion, the prohibition law could be enforced with the proper exercise of care in training investigators. Asked by the writer whether prostitution was prevalent in Macon, and if so, what steps were taken to curb it, he stated: "We know that there are houses in the city for prostitution, but so long as they carry on the business quietly and are not reported for disorderly conduct, we feel it is better not to molest them. It seems better to have prostitutes where they are under surveillance than to have them scattered about the city, in apartments and other places, where respectable citizens reside." Reverend Jones, retired Methodist minister, now State superintendent of the Georgia Anti-Saloon League, with headquarters at Atlanta, expressed himself as highly satisfied with present conditions throughout the State. "Sentiment for prohibition and enforcement thereof throughout Georgia is overwhelming," he asserted, "notwithstanding the constant propaganda published daily by three of the leading Atlanta newspapers. Hon. Samuel H. Sibley, United States judge for the northern district, stated that juries in his court were generally satisfactory, but more especially jurors from rural sections dominated the panels. "It is infrequent," he added, "that jurors in this district are found to have preconceived antiprohibition convictions. Most panels pass upon the various cases in accord with evidence submitted therein." Judge Sibley stated further that prohibition officers in the district had always, from his experience, appeared capable. J. L. Beavers, chief of police of Atlanta, 41 years a police officer, stated that liquor is plentiful in Atlanta, notwithstanding vigorous enforcement efforts on the part of Federal and municipal authorities. He added, too, that the volume of crime in the same city for the past two years had increased and attributed it to lack of discipline in the home. Colonel Noble-Jones, assistant United States attorney at Savannah, Federal tax expert and one time special assistant to the Attorney General at Washington, disclosed that plenty of liquor was available in the latter city, but that the product available was of the moonshine variety, manufactured and transported from near-by counties. He added that some foreign liquor was also to be had; that very little of the same was smuggled in via the Georgia coast; and that liquor smuggling on a large scale, so far as people in Savannah were concerned, had become an unpopular enterprise since the passing of the celebrated "Haar ring" in 1924. Reed McNamarra, Savannah business man, clubman, and wet, advised that plenty of moonshine liquor could be had in the city; that most people manifested a preference for that product; that foreign liquor was available, but not in great quantities; and that the last dispenser of that brand in any quantities had been apprehended by prohibition authorities during the Christmas season. Mr. McNamarra stated that though not in sympathy with the prohibition law, he felt kindly disposed toward Mr. Tuttle, present prohibition administrator for the district, with headquarters at Savannah, and mentioned several instances in which the latter officer, upon receiving reports of liquor violations in prominent clubs, had, before proceeding against the same, issued warnings. This procedure resulted in officers of such organizations taking immediate steps to have such violations discontinued. EXHIBIT A RUM CONVICTIONS IN GEORGIA SHOW BIG GAIN FOR 1929 NUMBER OF PENITENTIARY SENTENCES INCREASE IN NORTHERN DISTRICT An unusual situation prevailing in liquor convictions in north Georgia is revealed in a statistical summary for the six months' period ending December 31, announced Saturday by United States District Attorney Clint W. Hager. That little official sympathy is being wasted by Federal Judge Samuel H. Sibley on dry-law violators is indicated by the fact that fewer cases were begun in the period than for the corresponding period in 1928, yet number of penitentiary cases was sixty-nine times greater than for the same period in 1929 and the number of jail sentences was more than doubled. In addition, the report shows the aggregate number of years meted out in prison sentences was more than ninety times the total for 1928, while the amount of fines assessed was greater in 1929 also. cases. FEWER CASES BEGUN From July 1 to December 31, 1928, the Government initiated 734 liquor In 1929, same period, the number was 730 in the 1928 period, 381 cases were concluded, while in 1929 the total was 718, almost double the corresponding 6-months period. Jail sentences for the half year 1928 were 54. For the half year 1929 they were 114. Only one prison term was inflicted by the court the first six months of 1928 and that was for one year and a day. In the 1929 period Judge Sibley sentenced 69 to prison for an aggregate of 90 years, 1 month, and 9 days. Fines for the 1928 period totaled $11,636.10, as against $13,833 for 1929. A summary of narcotic activities showed 27 cases opened in the 1928 period as against 34 for 1929. The Government concluded 26 in 1928 and 32 in 1929. One person was sent to jail in 1928 and none in 1929, but there were 16 prison terms given in 1928 and 27 in 1929. There was one fine in 1928 and none in 1929. The number of acquittals and the number paying fines were not available in the liquor summary, but the annual report for the year ending June, 1929, showed that convictions amounted to 94 per cent of the cases opened. Approximately the same ratio obtains in the present summary, District Attorney Hager believes. JONES LAW IN EFFECT Two reasons were advanced by Mr. Hager for the contrast reflected by the comparative report, namely, operation of the Jones law, which placed many liquor violators in the felony class that call for prison terms, and the fact that the 1929 period caught a large number of "second offenders," and these invariably draw prison terms from Judge Sibley. |