The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1896-01-10

W. S. HOLMES, EXPRESS ACT, TELEPHoNl
EXCHANGE.
Did not vote for local option. Hav
changed my views, am satisfied it is sue
cess; hold up both hands against an,
saloon. Trouble, only too near Eagle an,
Lansing. Offered a man $1,000 in Char
iotte TO come here and get drink of whis
Key. Have quit drinking; was one of tn,
sports OF the town. Used to have lot O.
beer put In my cellar from Lansing; quit it
beer men from Lansing came little while
ago. cleaned up all their old cases-no
trade here now for them. The defiant
Duily spirit gone and men see In their right
minds. Have boys growing up and care fol-
them. Would not have saloon here be-
cause OF my boys. Now they are safe.
MR.. b. S. PRATT, MERCHANT.
Some liquor sold on the sly, but it takes q
sharp man to get 1t. Not drunken man
now where there used to be dozen. Can
90 to Eagle and Lansing and get it. Rooted
out OF cellars and livery stables. A stranger
cannot get 1t here. We do not want license.
Local option the heaviest blow against
liquor we have yet had. Has not hurt my
trade. Had better trade than expected
we could have. Has not increased my
taxes. A difference in young men. Many
would get drunk, often Is years and up
ward. Only one drunk for months. Had a
saloon next door for or years. Cleaned
out now, then run ALL the time The low
est debaucheries. Proprietor now in Ionia.
Not one-tenth part of liquor now sold as
BEFORE"
JUDGE MCPEEK.
Geo. r. Malone, of Lansing, interviewed
Judge McPeek by telephone the other day
on the operation of local option in Eaton
county. Following is the Judges opinion,
as printed in the Lansing Republican,: "The
hest and most successful law ever had
anything to do with. We have had over 80
cases In the county and only four acquittals.
Our first conviction was that of the prOpri-
etor of the king bee saloon of Charlotte, who
was fined $500, when twenty-five Others
pleaded guilty and paid fine of $500 each.
Fifty-One others paid an aggregate fine of
S4,610: four were acquitted; nine nolle
pressed; one was sent to Ionia for two years;
one to same place for twenty months; two
were sent to the Detroit house of correction
for six months; one to Jail for thirty days
and one to Jail for twenty days. Fifteen
more cases are now pending, in ten of which
the persons arrested have left the state. If
there are any persons in Lansing who are in
darkness upon this question, send them
down here and we will give them light"
j. w. EWING, of Grand Ledge, director
Of the Farmers Mutual Fire Insurance Co.
says: l am pleased to learn that the good
people of Shiawassee county are uniting in a
fight against the open saloon. In regard to
the rumors that the Local Option Law as
applied in Eaton county being failure, is
The open saloon is no more and
the selling of Intoxicating liquors., if done at
all for beverage, is done as stealthily and
secretly as burglary or larceny. can sure
y say the best elements of our county are
pleased with the operation of the law and re-
fused by much larger majority than first
adopted the law to 60 back to the license
system.
Now do not expect to succeed In enforc.
ing the law with prosecuting attorney,
sheriff and deputy sheriffs who are opposed
10 the law or who will wink at its violation,
nor with board of supervisors opposed to
The law. Select supervisors and township
clerks who will return lists of jurors fit to
serve and who are in favor of enforcing a
Jaw adopted by majority. Enclosed. find
synopsis of the cases we haye had i'm Eaton
county and the disposal of the same, and
would say that there were proposals made
10 the board of supervisors at the last Octo-
Der session to allow some of those WHO are
put of the state to avsld the penalty of a
second offence to come back and plead gull
~ to a first offence and pay heavy fine and
promise to never engage in the business
again. The proposition was not counten-
snced by the board, such citizens not being
Hoping for your success and the saving
Of your boys from the open saloon, and If
here is anything 1 can do to assist you i
will be glad to do it."
&ro0 RaWard SIOo