Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1874-08-13
SELLING LIQUOR TO MINORS.

Our saloonists should read, pom
der and inwardly digest the follow
ing language Of Judge Reading, Of
Morris, used recently in sentencing a
saloon keeper found guilty of selling
liquor to minors.
"The jnry having found you gull
ty of selling intoxicating drinks to a
minor, it remains for the court to
pronounce the sentence of the law.
The penalty for this offence fixed by
the legislature, indicates that it con-
sidered the crime to be of serious
character. BY the law you may sell
to men, and to women, if they will
buy. You have given your bond
and paid for you license to sell to
them, and no one has right to mo-
lest you in your legal business. No
matter what the consequences may
be, no matter what poverty and des-
titution are produced by selling ac-
cording to law, you have paid your
money for this privilege, and you
are licensed to pursue your calling.
No matter what families are distract
ed and rendered miserable, no mat
ter what wives are treated -with-.i-
olence, what children starve or mourn
over the degradation of a parent,
your business is legalized, and no
one may interfere with you in it.
No matter what mother may agon-
ize over the loss of son, or sister
blush for the shame of a brother,
you have right to disregard them
all and pursue your legal calling;
you are licensed. You may fit up
your lawful place of business in the
most enticing and captivating form;
you may furnish it with the most
costly and elegant equipments for
your lawful trade; you may fill it
with the allurements to amuse;
you may use all your art to induce
visitors; you skillfully arrange and
expose to view your choicest wines
and most captivating beverages;
you may then induce thirst by all
contrivances to produce a raging
appetite for drink, and then you
may supply that appetite to the full,
because it is lawful; you have
paid for it.; you have license.
''You may allow boys, almost
children, to frequent your saloon
they may witness the apparent salts
faction with which their seniors
quaff the sparkling glass; you may
be schooling and training them for
the period Of 81 when they too can
participate; for all this is lawful. |
You may hold the cup to their lips;
but you must not let them drink, II
that is unlawful. But while you
have all these privileges for the
money which you pay, this poor
of selling to children is
denied you. Here parents have the
right to say, Leave my son until
the law gives you the right to de
,troy him. Do not anticipate that
,errible moment when / can assert
or him no further rights of protec-
ion. That will be soon enough for
ne, his mother, for his sister, for
his friends, and for the community,
% see him take his road to death.
Give him to us In his childhood at
east. Let us have a few years of
his young life in which he may en-
oy his innocence: to repay us in ,
some small degree for the care and
owe we have lavished upon him."
This is something you, now stand {
ng a prisoner at the bar, have not
paid for; this is not embraced in s
your license. You have your bond
% us to its full extent; but, in thus
,aking your "pound of 1esh," you
lraw the blood, and that which is {
nearest the heart. The law in its
wisdom, does not permit this, and {
,ou must obey the law. By the
,erdict of the jury, you have been
ound guilty Of transgressing the
aw. Its extreme penalty is thirty
lays Imprisonment in the county G
nil and $1O0 fine; its lowest, ten j
lays Imprisonment and $40 fine. o
'sFor this offence the court SEN C
ences you to ten days imprison- C
nent in the county Jail and that a
ou pay fine of $75 and cost; and )
bat you stand committed until the L
ne and costs of this prosecution be n
aid."-EarsviHe { ny Transcript. e
Phil. Sheridan is not ont West. ID