Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-11
Attorney Dumont Thinks He Ha. Devised
an Information That VIII Stand.

Autoruey DumOnt THINKS He Has Devised
an Information That VIII Stand.
Mr.. Neill Dumont, the attorney for the Dis
trict before the Police Court, ii see ms. has at
length successfully solved the problem of
prosecuting liquor dealers for carrying on the
business without license. Heretofore the in
formations in such cases alleged that tho de-
PENDANTS sold liquor without having first OBJ
tanned license therefor.
The recent decision OF the Court in General
Term in the Nau case declared that il was not
that the defendant had sold liquor with
out having first obtained a license
that the information must allege that
the defendant sold liquor without first having
paid the license tax. In order to meet the re-
quirements Of this decision Mr.. Dumont now
alleges In his information in the case Of retail
dealers that the defendant engaged in the bust
mess before paying the license tax" &c. And
further. that the defendant having failed to pay
the said license tax to said District before en-
gagng in said business is liable to said District
for the said license tax of 500. and being
so liable for said license tax, is fur
Their liable in addition to said license tax to
pay fine or penalty Of not less than IS nor
more than $50 for having so as aforesaid failed
to pay said license tax to said District before
engaging in said business and for engaging in
said business contrary to and in violation of sec
tioh dilu etCtOH VI an dCt OF Tue late ltklsld-
tive assembly of the District of Columbia entitled
An act imposing license on trades. business
and professions practiced or carried on in the
District of Columbia" approved August %,
A. d. 1871; and the amendments to said act as
shown by the said amendments to said section
4, In the act entitled Chapter
Xix, an act to amend an act entitled
An act imposing license on trades,
business and professions in the District of CO.
lumbia, approved August %, 1871. and pro-
vldlng for the enforcement and collection of
hnes and penalties for carrying on business in
said District ~ithout license" approved June
70, 1872. And therefore the District of Column
bla claims the said license tax of 800 and the
penalty OF $50 for said violations of the said
acts and amendments, with costs"
WHAT MR.. DUMoNr SAYS.
In conversation with a STAR reporter this
morning Mr.. Dumont stated that he felt conf
dent that he had devised an information which
would stand. SIN fact" remarked Mr.. Du-
mont, Il have already secured the conviction
of three persons under this new information
and several others have come in and plead
guilty."
Then, Mr.. Dumont" remarked the reporter,
those persons now selling liquor in the one
mile limit can be successfully prosecuted, can
they not?'
Undoubtedly" was the reply
Then, if that is So" questioned The STAR
why aic tues Iot pEOceeueu against.
For an answer to that question, SIR" re-
piled Mr.. Dumont. you will have to inquire
elsewhere. cannot prosecute any one until
the offended is brought into court But l do
think this, that the good people of the District
who live within the one-mile limit are
aiding in the spread of liquor saloons in their
neighborhood by not furnishing the evidence.
and in not aiding the police in finding evidence
that such business is engaged in there. The
police cannot make cases without evidence, and
no prosecuting officer can maintain an informa-
ton without testimony to sustain it. no matter
how good the code OF laws under which he
prosecutes.
AS soon as the summer vacation is over. ~
continued Mr. Dumont, there will be a num-
Der of cases tried before juries in
which jury trials have been demanded
and bonds for appearance given. These
cover cases not only in the one-mle limit
but also elsewhere in the District. The laws of
the District sadly deficient In every respect.
The most OF them are laws and ordinances which
belong to minor towns and villages in Mary
land. and until Congress does give some
| sufficient relief the officials of the
District will have to- beat back crime under
what law it has There laws can only be made
effective by being kindly sustained by the peo-
pie Of the District. who must have them en-
forced for their own protection"