The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-09-04
WILL ENFORCE THE LAW.
MAYOR MDoNOUGEs POSITION
ON THE SUNDAY QUESTION.

The Instructions Given the Police to
Trap violators OF the Sunday OBJ
servance Law-The Trouble Expert
enc ed IN Securing Convictious-Why
the Use Of Money Was Directed-T
Only Way to Get at the Sabbath
Breakers.
Mayor McDonougb's statement night be-
fore last to the city council as to the instruc'
tons given to the police to ferret out and
report violators of the Sunday law caused
considerable comment yesterday, and as
some parsons seemed not to fully UNDER
stand the mayors position and the motive
which prompted the officers to use money
to obtain evidence in the Mcbride case, a
MORNING News reporter asked the mayor
for q full explanation Of his Instructions.
MY first orders TO Chief of Police Green"
said be. after assuming the duties Of mayor,
were to look strictly after the enforcement
Of all the ordinances Of the city, aud
especially that relating to the closing of
saloons on Sunday, and instruct his officers
and 20 detail special men to sec that the
Sunday law was obeyed. At first officers
were stationed in the neighborhood of
saloons which were supposed to be open,
and were given Instructions to secure the
names OF persons seen going in and coming
out, and report the same at the barracks,
after which they we're subpPnaed, put on
oath and asked if they had purchased liquor.
THE USE OF MONEY.
Several convictions we're secured under
this method but the saloonkeepers became
more wary and adopted all sorts OF schemes
and devices to evade the surveillance of
officers and slipped pc ople in and out Of their
places by ways to which the police had no
access. Reports continued to come to me
that the saloons were carrying on the Sun
day traffic despite my warning, and sug-
gestion was made that the only possible
@ay TO secure evidence against violators
was to let officers get persons to buy liquor
" didn't like the idea, and opposed 1t at
the time, holding that l didn't want any
one reported unless officers knew Of their
own personal knowledge Of violations of the
law. For some time no saloonKeepers were
placed on the docket, but complaints were
made to me that the evil Of selling liquor on
Sunday continued to exist.
Then" continued Mayor McDonough,
seeing that it was impossible to obtain ev-
idence of violations by the methods first
adopted. Reluctantly, in justice to the oiti-
zens at large and those saloonkeepers who
evinced desire to comply with the require-
men OF the law, | issued orders to the
police to find out and report offenders by
whatever means they saw fit to employ
within he limits Of the law.
NOTHING WRONG IN IT.
II consider" said Mayor McDonough,
that there is nothing either morally or le-
gally wrong in a policeman furnishing
money to persons to obtain evidence of hid
den crime Suppose the city decided to
employ detective to ferret out violators of
the Sunday law, and he found it necessary
10 furnish money TO persons to buy liquor
for the purpose of securing evidence;
would any objection be heard1 l think
not, aud believe that every one would admit
that it was perfectly legitimate detective
strategy. Now, the principle is identcally
the same with the police. When an officer
is sent out on special duty on Sunday TO
find out whether any saloonkeeper is vio-
latin9 the law he is acting In the capacity
OF detective, and has the right to use
whatever detective skill is necessary to &C
| complish his purpose.
The trouble Of an officer finding out
from personal knowledge of a violation of
the ordinance lies IN the fact that those
| who violate it have spies hanging around
their places, which, in most instances, are
made up Of that class of people who from
| personal experience are In position to
| know every policeman, no matter how we'll
| he may DO disguised.
| GUARDED BY SPIES.
Tho moment one appears in sight of sus-
pected saloon these loungers give a signal
the place is promptly closed, and no one
can set in. When the officer gets out OF
the way, however, the place is opsned up,
and business carried on as usual.
1T is these difficulties which have COM
pelled the police to adopt the money system
to secure evidence to convict. There is no
bribery about the matter at all, as no re-
wards are offered to persons who buy the
| liquor. They are instead taken to the bar
racks and held to prevent being tampered
with by interested parties.
| Il have no desIre,n said Mayor No
| Donough, ito either Cypress or perseoute
saloonkeepers. but feel it my duty to see
that the Sunday law is enforced, and pro-
| pose to enforce it 80 far as am able Just so
| long as am mayor. am as fully deter
mined to compel obedience to this law as
some soloonkeepers seem to be to disregard
| II