The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1888-01-27
Movement to Amend the Local Option
law

Law.
On Tuesday afternoon the County Tenn
perance Alliance held a.meetng in the NJ. E..
Church, Bel Air, "to adopt measures for pre-
venting the repeal of the Local Option Law 4;
and to consider the ACCESSIBILITY of amending
the law, and to give expression to the senti-
ment OF reputable people concerning the de-
fiant and fragrant violations of the law"
About $50 persons were present, so of
whom were ladies.
The meeting was organized with Mr.. N. N.
Mock, Chairman, and DR.. BENZ. Smith, Secre-
tary.
A committee of five was appointed by the
chair, consisting of Rev. E. d. Finney, Rev.
]. r. Schultz, P. F. Ball, Caleb J. Moore and
John McDoon, on the order of business.
Mr.. VIM. II. Harlan. by request, read and
explaineda proposed amended local option
law.
The amended law is in the main similar
to the present one, but containing number
ofimportant changes:
| Section one provides that the present law
/ Snail ItIIlhiu III iOICc uulu lHG HIst udy Oh
| January, 1889, ut which time the amended
law shall take effect.
Section secoud provides that the amended
law shall be submitted to the voters of Har-
ford county at the congressional election, in
| November of this year.
Section three prescrlbes how the vote shall
| be taken and the result declared.
| Section four forbids, after the LIST of Janu-
airy, 1889, any house, company or association,
or body corporate to sell directly or indirectly,
or to solicited or receive orders for the pur-
chase of, at any place in Hartford county, or
give away at his, her, their or its place of bus
ness in the county, any Intoxicating liquors
Section five forbids any person or persons
to have or keep in his or their possession any
intoxicating liquors with intent TO sell or give
away the same in violation of the provisions
of the preceding sections, or to aid or assist
any persons in such sale or gift.
Section six prescribes that the penalty upon
conviction for violating The law shall be a
fine of from 800 to 5000 and confinement in
the House of Correction for from six to
twelve months. In default of payment of
such fine and costs of prosecution, confine-
ment in the House of Correction for not less
than six nor more than twelve months.
Section seven permits the compromising
and sale ofliquor by druggists, upon the writ
ten bona tide prescription of a practicing ply
stefan. The provisions of this section are
nearly the same as those of the present law,
except that any physician giving prescrip-
ton unless the person for whom it shall be
made is actually sick, or such liquor is abso-
lutely required for medicine shall be fined
not less than $50 and not more than 5000,
and be committed TO the county Jail until
such fine and costs are paid and if the buyer
shall obtain aprescription by transformation
he shall be subject to the penalties set forth
in section six.
Section eight provides that in trials under
this law it shall be lawful for the State to
prove that the accused has paid Gf such be
the caseO government license tax under the
Internal Revenue laws, as a brewer or
dealer in liquors, or that the person accused
has made application for such government
license.
Section nine provides that any druggist
who shall violate any of the provisions Of The
sections under said subtitle, he shall be liza
BILE to the penalties set forth in section six.
Section ten enacts that one-half tie fines
imposed under this act shall be paid to the
iniormer and the remainder 10 the County
School Commissioners for the use of the Pub
lie Schools; if there is no informer then all of
said fine shall he paid to the School Com
missioners.
Section eleven provides that prosecutions
for violation of the act are declared criminal
offences, and may be either upon present
ment and indictment or by trial before JUS
tice of the peace, who shall have original
and concurrent jurisdiction with the Circuit
Court to try such cases and pronounce judg-
ment and sentence. The right of praying a
jury trial by the accused or by the States
Attorney, is provided for.
Section twelve provides that in any indict-
ment under this act it shall not be necessary
to specify the peculiar kind ofliquor battered,
sold or given away, or solicited or received
orders for the purchase OF, or kept or Deposit
ed with intent to barter, sell or give away, in
violation Of said provisions, but it shall be
sufficient If the indictment set forth that the
traverser bartered, sold OF gave away or
solicited or receive orders for the purchase or
kept, deposited or had, with intent to sell or
give away spirituous or fermented LIQUORS or
intoxicating drinks.
A motion was adopted directing the chair
man to appoint an executive committee of
five persons to wait upon our representatives
in the Legislature and urge them to secure,
II possible, the adoption of the proposed
amendments and their submission to vote
OF the people of Hartford county at the con-
gressional election in November next.
A motion was adopted requesting clergy
men of the county who are in sympathy with
the law and the amendments proposed thereto
to form organizations to secure signatures to
petitions to the Legislature in its favor, and
that the names of the chairman of each of
these organizations be sent to DR.. BENJAMIN
Smith, Bel Air, Secretary of the meeting
A resolution was adopted en- iorsing the
course of the Hartford Democrat and the Bel
Air Times in their structures upon the Circuit
Court for Hartford county, and condemning
the liquor interest of the county for their
efforts to intimidate the press.
A collection was taken up and $50 was
contributed 10 further the cause.
Certain amendments to those already offer
ed were proposed by Mr.. Geo. r. Cairnes, of
Marshall's district, which were taken under
advisement by the committee.
One ofthesc amendments was that the DOS
session of a government license to sell liquor
shall be deemed prima tacie evidence of a
violation of this law.
Another was that the vote shall be taken
at special election to be held in September
next.
A resolution was adopted that all law-abld-
ing Citizens, regardless of party or their indi-
Vidual views withregard to the policy of the
local option law, should give expression to
their sentiments in favor of its enforcement.
The meeting then adjourned.
The Road Question.