Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-12-30
Convictions. Fines Col Commitments

Besides these CAGES, there were many more dis
posed of by magistrates and police courts without
reaching the Supreme Court. 1t is believed that
at least $4,000 fines were imposed and collected
of violators of the laws against dramshops during
the past ycar-more than sufficient TO pay the costs
of prosecutions. 1t will be observed that there
have been during the past two years, under the
sherifle enforcement act and the temperance reform
movement, double the convictions, commitments
and fines collected Of rumsellers that there has
been in any similar period previous. The great
| Improvement the past year is worthy of notice.
The increase in the number Of commitments to
Jail is significant The great improvement in the
efficiency of the enforcement of the laws against
drains sellers, during the past eight or nine years,
is truly significant, and ought to give new encour-
agement to temperance men to press forward in
their work. Outside Of two or three cities, the
evidence is conclusive that the laws agains, dram
shops are almost as well enforced as the laws
| against many other similar crimes; and whatever
sales of liquor there may be, in seven eighths of
the State they are carried on very secretly ard
sparngly The beneficial influence Of the very
general enforcement of the laws against dram
shops is marked. Crime has decreased, the num-
Der of convicts in the State Prison being twenty
five per cent less than ten years since The num-
Der of sentences to the State Prison and ails,
elusive of commitments for liquor selling the past
year or two, is nearly thirty per cent smaller than
| in 1866.
In response to the call of the Governor, the sew
eral county attorneys of the State have furnished
the Attorney General facts in regard to the en-
forcement of the liquor law; and the following is
an abstract Of their reports:
Andyoscoggin-No open dram shops in the coun-
| ty and no secret sales Of much consequence out
side of Lewiston and Auburn.
-4roostook-The Sheriff has done his duty faith
fully, and there is less drunkenness and liquor
selling than ever before. In Houlton the change
| for the better Is remarkable. The enforcement Of
the law has diminished the number of dram-shops
| and d. iven the traffic into secret places.
| Observation-Disclosures and appealed cases
272; fines collected $l3, l4l-larger than ever be-
fore; rumseers imprisoned 10. Besides those
| there have been very large number OF seizure
| cases IN the Police Court of Portland in which
| So 900 in fines has been collected. No difficulty
in securing convictions. The only difficulty is in
getting evidence.
Fruaklia-The Sheriff has discharged his duty
faithfully, and there is no difficulty in enforcing
the law and suppressns dram shops. Law every
way successful.
| Haacock-There are few dram shops outside Of
Ellsworth, in the county. In Ellsworth the traffic
has not been suppressed wholly, but in no places
is liquor sold openly. Law works well. 2S ndict-
ments the past year against none the previous
year.
Knor-County Attorney Rice does not believe
in a prohibitory law, but admits that in the rura
towns of Knox county no liquor is sold. In Rock
land and some sea-board towns he says respect
able men have left the traffic, but it has fallen into
the control of low groggeries.
Liacoin-24 indictments and appealed cases in
1874 against 10 in lS73-liquor traffic driven Out
of the county except in Damarscotta, WaldOboro
and Wscasset. In the first two places the work
Of suppression is going on WELL Every rumselei