sheriffs or police and Federal agents are taken in the United States courts. The chief of police of Florence puts all his cases in the Federal courts because he can get convictions in that court, while he can not in the State court. Quicker prosecution is had in the Federal courts. In one case of a large operator, a negro, they could not get conviction in the State court but did in the Federal court, and he was given seven months. Another offender got two years in the Federal court. He says prompt action is had in the Federal court, and the docket has much improved during the last four months as an additional judge has been assigned.

In the western judicial district (Greenville and Spartanburg) the State courts are handling 10 to 1 cases now, when formerly most of the cases were taken in Federal court. Now the Federal court will not handle cases where the State courts have convicted the defendant of the same offense.

The court (Watkins, judge) has laid down a rule regulating the bringing of cases in his court, as follows: To bring a case of violation of the prohibition laws there must be two prohibition_agents with one State (city or county) officer; where there is one Federal agent and two State officers making a raid and arrest, the case must be taken in the State courts.

UNITED STATES COMMISSIONERS

INFERIOR COURTS

The United States commissioner at Columbia, S. C., who is one of the oldest commissioners in point of service, having been appointed about 1908, says he thinks it would be a good idea to give United States commissioners greater authority and constitute them an inferior or lower court; that in the district court one can hardly get in the court, and most of the cases are petty cases. Continuances are now many in the district court, as there is much congestion there.

As to the matter of comparison of expenses if such inferior courts were established, he says that the present duplication of expenses of subpoenas for witnesses before the United States commissioner and again before the district court or grand jury would be stopped and the mileage fees would be much less. It is double up now.

The United States attorney for the western judicial district says that he is of opinion that it would be a fine improvement, and the prohibition enforcement and prosecutions benefited, if there were junior judges or inferior courts established for prohibition casesto handle such work as would be assigned them by the district courts. He thinks the United States commissioner should be promoted to this position or an outsider, a person duly qualified to hold the position. In that way considerable progress would be made to clear the dockets and justice administered.

The sheriff at Greensboro thinks it would be a good idea to make United States commissioners inferior courts.

The United States commissioner at Spartanburg said he thinks it would be a good idea to have United States commissioners constituted an inferior court. Thinks it would reduce the expenses in witness fees and mileage.

JONES ACT-EFFECT OF-PROCEDURE

The deputy administrator at Charleston says there have been no Jones Act cases prosecuted in the eastern judicial district as yet. The clerk of the United States district court for the western judicial district thinks the Jones law has a salutary effect on the violators and bootleggers. Most of the cases in that district are second offenders, but not old enough to apply the Jones Act.

The United States attorney for the western judicial district says the Jones law is being used in that district now. Only two types left as misdemeanors-first and second offenses for possession.

JURIES-ATTITUDE OF

The grand jury for the county, during last year, at Charleston, assumed a very antagonistic attitude toward prohibition violators and returned no true bills in nearly all clear violations.

In the western judicial district the attitude of the grand juries and petit juries is for good government, and they indict and convict in cases where the defendants are shown to be guilty of the offenses charged.

Court will not excuse business men from serving on juries.

In this judicial district the court (Watkins, judge) will not excuse big business and other men from serving on the juries, as is usual in Federal courts, except in cases of sickness.

The court has instituted an original plan of selecting petit juries in that court. He has the clerk of the court select a panel of 40 men and changes them every week-a separate panel for every week-so as to get good, substantial men to serve. The clerk, from about 3,400 names, puts in the jury box 2,500 names, and in about three or four years has a complete change in names.

The juries will convict, if they have good cases, so the defendants usually plead guilty, as they fear the juries.

Most of their cases have been repeaters, or second offenders.

BUYER SAME AS SELLER

The sheriff at Columbia says purchasers are not prosecuted, though the law covers them, unless possession or transportation elements are also involved.

PENALTY AND ASSESSMENT SUITS

The United States attorney at Charleston for eastern judicial district of South Carolina says no suits have been filed in that district yet, and he received his first certification of cases the other day.

He personally thinks that to begin to file such suits will hurt the criminal prosecution side of the case, for juries can not understand that you can lawfully tax anything that is prohibited. Then, again, 90 per cent of the defendants have not sufficient financial responsibility to make collections on.

The United States attorney for the western judicial district says no suits have been filed in that district.

COLUMBIA

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Besides being the capital of the State, where the different State officials are and the legislature is located, it is a large industrial and social as well as financial center, and the State university is situated there also.

The population, according to the Federal census of 1920, was 37,524, and the State census of 1925 placed it as 41,225, which is augmented to a large extent by the population surrounding and tributary thereto.

The present chief of police of Columbia has only been occupying that position since April 16, 1929, the former chief having died. The present chief is an old member of the police force and has a long record of police work in Columbia. He seemed very earnest and conscientious and was very courteous to me, as were all of his force. His force consists of 74, including all of police department. His cases are taken before the recorder's court every day. The chief of police of Columbia gave me the following data on the violations or crimes involving liquor and other laws since January 1, 1929, to December 1, 1929.

The annual report of the chief of police for 1928 shows that they made total arrests of 8,159 and sent up to the court of general sessions 98 cases; collected fines (net), $30,728.50.

Causes of arrest and offenses: Drunk and disorderly, 801; drunk, 895; disorderly conduct, 1,253; petit larceny, 886; grand larceny, 39; concealed weapons, 135; violation of prohibition law, 467; gaming, 752; operating car while under influence of liquor, 128.

The sheriff keeps no statistics that are available. He has one deputy sheriff and eight rural police working under him. He personally attends court and serves papers, chiefly. The rural police arrest for prohibition violations as well as miscellaneous offenses. Most of the arrests are for prohibition violations of transporting and manufacturing.

The rural police swear out warrants in prohibition and other violations before magistrates who, upon appearance, dismiss or send to circuit courts (general sessions).

The judge of the recorder's court agreed with the views of the chief of police on the conditions existing in Columbia.

The mayor of Columbia thinks there is less drinking than under the former laws, and conditions in Columbia are now better, though a larger number of the upper class keep liquors in their homes, and home-brew is made in a good many homes for personal use but not for sale. He says, "business now demands soberness among employees, which has done much to stop drinking."

The deputy prohibition administrator in charge of this judicial district says he does not think the conditions as to prohibition are satisfactory in Columbia; that he has not had much cooperation from the police and his force, and, in fact, they have interfered with and exposed the prohibition agents in some cases. He does not think the sheriff there is sincere in his attitude. The deputy administrator says he has just changed his tactics or plan of operation there to secure better results. He has increased his force, and will further increase it, if necessary, to stop the supply and traffic there.

CHARLESTON AND VICINITY

The population of Charleston was given in the Federal Census of 1920 as 67,957, and according to the State census of 1925 as 73,125. In 1927 there was a population of 80,139, according to a census taken.

Charleston is a large shipping and commercial center and a first-class navy yard is located there. It is the official State port and has been a world port for two and one-half centuries. It was first settled in April, 1670. It is served by four trunk-line railroads and nine steamship services. It is only 30 minutes from the open sea. It has about 160 manufacturing plants.

The United States district court for the eastern judicial district is held here and the United States attorney for that district has his headquarters there. The United States marshal also has his office there, as well as the clerk of the district court.

The chief of police of Charleston furnished me the following statistics relating to arrests made by his force during the years 1917 to 1929, inclusive:

Report of the chief of police, showing the record of arrests

The deputy prohibition administrator located here and having jurisdiction for this judicial district, which comprises 28 large counties, says 20 per cent of the population is mixed up in liquor violations, one way or another. The cotton growers, or many of them where the boll weevil is bad, have gone to bootlegging.

In one county the constable or his people are mixed up in the liquor traffic. The bad economical conditions in the eastern district tend to bring about the liquor violations. In the western district there are more factories and the people can make a livelihood. He says the mayor of Charleston has charge of the police and he is aggressive and O. K.

CHARLESTON-COOPERATION

The chief of police of Charleston said the cooperation by the Federal agents could not be any better. He said that while he did not know the administrator for that district, his associations with the deputy administrator were very pleasant and there was close cooperation between them. He thinks most of the supply of liquor is being brought in by auto from Berkeley County and from Florida and other such places.

The sheriff keeps no available statistics in his office as to crimes and arrests. He furnishes the clerk of the court with same, who sends it to the attorney general of the State for his annual report purposes.

The sheriff personally attends court and serves writs and warrants. He has one deputy, whose title is chief deputy.

The rural police are really deputy sheriffs and take orders from the sheriff, who is the chief police officer for the county. There are 14 rural police attached to his office. They make reports monthly to