The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1889-05-02
Our Local Authorities and
Blindtigerism.

DhuuAtktEhS"s
Awhile before Circuit Court met, the
Central Prohibition Club of Brook
haven had their attention drawn to
the fact that the Prohibition law was
being hagrantly violated by parties
here in Brookhaven, and they resolv-
ed, in their organized capacity, to
set about discovering who the guilty
ones were and bring them to Justice.
They began quietly to make Observa-
tioas and collect proof, and while in
tending originally to bring the viola
tors to account before the Mayor, who
has jurisdiction in such cases, and
who, though an anti-Prohibitionist,
they believed possessed the official
integrity to enforce the law, they
were soon led to conclude by the
number of violations apparent and
the opcnness with which some of the
blind tiger men piled their infamous
trade. that the Mayor and City Mar
shall were bliudly Indifferent to the
enforcement of the law, if not in open
sympathy with its violators. This
caused delay of action until Circuit
Court met. when the facts were sub
mitted to a set Of meu who had more
respect for their official oaths, and the
result was the indictment and convic-
ton of three of the blind tiger men
and the indictment and flight of a
/ fourth.
/ What VIC wish to emphasize here,
however, is, that what the Prohibition
Club had strongly suspected of the
official delinquency of the Mayor and
Marshal, was fully confirmed on the
trial of the indicted whisky sellers.
The testimony before the Court show
ed that the Prohibition law had been
repeatedly and VIGOROUSLY violated
right under the nose of the Mayor,
and that at least one of the tiger men
boldly piled his illegal traffic not
more than - yards from the Mayors
office, and where the Marshal might
easily have seen men going in and
out of it on his daily rounds. Indeed,
it was shown on the trial of Alex
Winston that a man who became in
toxicated on the streets on Alec's
blind tiger whisky, told the Marshal
where he got his liquor from, and
most wonderful to tell, that official
took the stand at the instance of
District Attorney McLain, and, under
oath, corroborated this proof of his
own official turpitude.
These and many other facts in their
possession have convinced the Prohibi
tionists that our local officials are
criminally Indifferent to the enforce
ment of law which they are just as
much in duty bound to enforce as the
law against larceny, arson, or any
other on the books, and it has led
ticiu " ICbC"Cu w
see that the law is enforced, whether
the Mayor aud Marshal, the justice
and constable, lend helping hand or
not. And notice is served on all
blind tiger men that their movements
will be recorded, and a reckoning had
in due time. A rather conspicuous
member of this fraternity, which Judge
Chrisman characterized as 'no better
than common thieves" escaped in
dictment by the late grand jury, SIM
ply because it adjourned one day too
soon, and lie will not be so lucky
hereafter. The sentiment of the law
abiding people of this county, ire
spective of how they voted on the
question, is, that whisky selling is
not to be tolerated or countenanced,
and blind tiger men and all their
official sympathizers had just as we'll
take due notice.