The Portland daily press., 1868-01-17
Report of State Constable I'VE.

This document, just trar smitted to the Leg.
stature, contains some interesting facts ana
Statistics MIR. Nye claims that the new laws
were needed and are efficient. he says That
the Prohibitory Liquor Law in different forms
has been on the statute books for many years
past, and yet until the past year 1t mas been only
partially enforced. In some parts OF the State
men have not been permitted to violate the
law with impunity, but in most parts the deal
ers in intoxicating drinks have Lad their own
way. 1t is true that periodical efforts have
been made to enforce the law, but the liquor
dealers have very soon learned at what tunes
these efforts were usually made, and so pre-
pared for it, and most generally escaped by the
payment Of small fine making It all even
again with the next days sales. AS it was not
made the special business of any class OF per-
sons or officers to enforce the laws against the
sale of Intoxicating drinks, they soon become
dead letter in most parts of the State. Rum
sellers have often said to Mr.. Nye, he states,
that they don't care how severe and stringent
the laws are against the sale of Intoxicating
liquors, provided they are not enforced. Hence
arises the violent opposition OF the rumseie t1
rum drinkers and rum sympathizers 70 tne
Constabulary law. They know it Is surely the
means of The impartial enforcement oI our pro
hibitory laws in every city, town ana plahta-
ton in the State. =,
AT the time this law was passed, says Mr.
Nve more than 5000 persons Ill this State
were engaged in the illegal sale Of in
toyicatino drinks. After the passage of the
law. and previous to the first day of May,
Gttle more than 1000 of these persons aban-
doned the traffic, without one prosecution; the
most remarkable case OF the effect OF moral
sua sion within his knowledge.
On April 20, Mr. Nye issued instructions to
his deputies who commenced their work, and
visited, as he says, the 542 municipalities of
the State, called upon all persons who were
supposed to be engaged in the illegal sale of
Intoxicating liquors, and asked them to
promise to abandon the traffic at once. OF the
394 hotel keepers in the State, 254 were found
to be engaged in the traffic, and ISL persons
in shops and private houses were found to be
so engaged. The deputy constables notified
346 keepers of hotels not to sell intox-
icating drinks, and 961 persons in other buSl-
ness received the same notice.
During the time the State Police force have
been on duty they have prosecuted 436 per-
sons, most of whom have been convicted and
appealed 10 the higher courts. The State Con-
stable states there can be no doubt most OF
these persons will be convicted on final trial.
There have been paid as fines 1898.
There have been 66S searches made for in
toxicating liquors, 279 of which have been sue
cesslul aud 1910 gallons obtained, valued at
S. 1923. Other offences to the number of VI
cases have been successfully prosecuted
From the reports received, about two-thirds OF
the amount seized was supposed to have been
whskey, and the balance made up of rum,
gin, brandy, ale, sc. The number Of seizures
made says Mr.. Nye, may seem small, but 1t
only proves how little has been brought into
the State, and into what close quarters the sale
has been driven.
Early in the year the State Constable was
surprised to learn with what perfect looseness
q large part Of the liquor-agencies of the State
were conducted Many were purchasing their
liquors from agents not authorized to sell in
this State, keeping no record at all of their
sales or purchases, and selling to ally person
almost who asked for liquor; in fact, most of
them were fast becoming nuisanceS, and liza
BILE to Indictment as such. Many of these
agents confessed that they had never read any
OF the laws re gulating agencies, and many OF
them said they did not know there were any.
Some of the deputies report that they are
more troubled with licensed agents in their To-
calities than with all other persons. The more
the law is enforced against unlicensed persons,
SO much the more will persons rush to the Ii
censed agencies for liquor, and the many COM
plants made against appointed agents show
conclusively into what close quarters rum
drinkers are driven, and how hard it is for
them to get their liquor, because the law is so
etfectually enforced.
The labors OF his deputies are satisfactory
in the highest degree. They are in constant
communication with him by mail or by fele-
graph He has in commission twenty-nine
deputies residing in the several counties of the
State, as follows: Androscoggin, 8; Aroostook,
/; Cumberland, 4; Franklin, /; Hancock, /;
Kennebec, /; Knox, 0; Lincoln, 2; Oxford, l;
Penobscot, 5; Piscataquis, 1; Sagadahoc, 2;
Somerset, /; Waldo, 1; Washington, York,
g. Total, 20.
Appropriation of Legislature, 1867, $4,000 GO
ACTUAL EXPENSES.
Salaries OF deputies, $1O.ssJ 90
Expenses of deputies, $3.50 "a
Printing and stationery, 1852 55
Rent OF office for State Constable, so 90
Furnishing same, 153 45
Postage express telegraphng, statonery,& &C. 1O2 so
Total, $i7,3tO "a
From the expe mixtures should be deducted
the amount already paid for fines, the value of
liquors seized and the fines that probably will
be paid on final action of the appealed cases,
with the saving to the State of the deputies
taxable costs, and the balance will not be more
than $4,000 grinst the State Police to Decem-
Der, 1867.
The amendments passed by the Legislature
of 1867 and ratified by the people of the State
in June following, are working wonders in
keeping liquors out of our State, and almost
entirely annihlating the sale in the State. Ii
the first penalty had been a fine instead of inn
prisonment he has no doubt but the State Po-
lice bill would have more than four times paid
their expenses. But on the other hand he
most sincerely believes that more can be done
to stop the illegal traffic in Intoxicating drinks
under the law as it is than in ten years under
the old law as it was. 1t is estimated ON reli-
able authority that in 1866 more than one and
half millions of dollars were paid for liquors
brought into this State, while in 1867 not one
tenth of that amount was brought into Maine.