The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-01-19

vi q DOtOfCikn 0tttG . DOCS III i
mean the submission OF the lives aud
homes OF honest citizens to govern
ment Of rumsellers and illicit dealers
In whiskey ? DOES it mean the free
parade through the avenues of lawless
Italians with whiskey barrels wrapped
In the flag of the Union? II SO, then
let this conception of Jefferson perish
in South Carolina. Under the laws of
this State, police officers are State Of
fcers. Municipalities are formed for
the purpose of aiding the State gov
ernment In enforcing the laws of the
State. They are intended as subordi-
nate limbs OF the government, and
when they fail to perform their
functions they should be put under
State control, or have their charters
repealed. 1t has been commended that
the police have been taken from the
control of the citizens. This is untrue.
They are In the hands of native born
Charlestonians, whose interests are
linked with those of the city. They
are under the control of a chief who
has enjoyed the confidence and respect
OF the city, and they cannot be other
wise under the law.
The report of the commissioners has
been made to me as Chairman of the
State Board, and / herewith. transmit
"tV oho hopO budb ~ Will Ut
printed, for this is the only way that
1T a be done aud laid upon tho desk
OF every member of the General AS
sembly. The following table of cases
OF arrests made for being drunk and
drunk and disorderly Ia taken from the
Recorders docket, police court, during
tho period extending from January,
1890, to November 1896:
1890, 294 drunk and d~isorderly, 5O7
total, 8Ol.
1891, drunk 272 drunk and disorder
ly, SIT total, $40.
1892, drunk, 1872 drunk and disor-
derby, 498; total, 800.
1893, drunk, 1I6 drunk and disor-
derby, 296 total, Alp.
1894, drunk, 100; drunk and disor.
DERBY, 339 total, 459.
1895. drunk, 101 drunk and disor-
DERBY, 304 total, 4O5.
From January %, 1895, to November
80, 1895, drunk, IL; drunk and disor-
derby, 243 ; total 800.
From January %, 1896, to November
so, 1896, drunk, IA; drunk and disor-
derby, 203 total, 277.
1t will thus be seen that the total
drunks and drunks and disorderlies
have gradually decreased from sol in
1890 to PIT in 1896 under metropolitan
police-a decrease Of nearly 35 per
cent.
During the year 1896 there were
bound over by the Magistrates for vio-
lations of the dispensary law 231 cases.
Their names and and residences ar
number 80 have been tried and con.
victed and have paid into the county
treasury $3.50 in fines. A better
showing than this would have been
made, but for the fact at the last term
OF court every case was continued upon
the afidavits Of attorneys who claimed
to be sick and were seer upon the
streets tho next day. The grand jury
found "a additional true hills. In 1895
not a conviction was had, the grand
Jury refusing in many cases to find
true bills. 1t is a notable TACT that
two OF the city council who were sworn
to enforce this law, were among the
number indicted and against whom
true bills we're found. Possibly the
best evidence of the effective. work of
the force would be q comparison of the
sales from the dispensaries. The
amount OF dispensary profits paid to
The city and county during the first,
second and third quarters of 1895 and
the corresponding time for 1896 is as
follows:
1S95-Paid city and county, first
quarter, $l,436. SO; second quarter,
S~2,995.72 third quarter, SO, 1922 F.; to-
tai, 81, 625. 02.
lS96-Paid city and county, first
quarter, $~4,44o.41; second quarter,
u, 9o4. rs; third quarter, $5,627 80 +;
total, $l5, 052.O 6.
Gains in profit under metropolitan
system to the city and county, S., 427. O2
nearly 100 Der cent.
The police made during the year
1896 562 raids and recovered 4l8 bot
ties OF whiskey partly filed, 80 bottles
of wine partly filed. 10 demijohns OF
whiskey partly filled, 6 kegs of wbis.
key partly filled, 5 half barrels of
whiskey partly filled, AZ full half bar
rels of whiskey, "a ten-gallon kegs of
whiskey, 16 cases of whiskey, 8S kegs
OF beer and lO,3O4 bottles OF beer. The
raids where no seizures were made
have not been entered.
Thirty.on ex-barkeepers and illicit
dealers have beer made to discontinue
their business, and most of them have
left the city.
The police department consists of
the powers conferred by law upon the
department. The strength of the force
Is as follows: One marshal and chief
OF police, three lieutenants, two order
ly sergeants, eight line ~sergeants, one
chief detective, three detectives, sew.
enty-three privates, four gatemen, two
draymen, five drivers, ten special
officers.
The discipline of the force has been
thoroughly maintained the morals
and efficiency kept up to a high stand
ard. AS an evidence of the superior
character of those appointed it is
worthy of note that the city has
gained 1855 so, saved by the difference
in lost time, caused by sickness, etc.,
as against the past year under the
municipal management. No criticism
as to b management and efficiency
of the force has been made even by it's
bitterest enemies. The work Of the
department, as the foregoing viii
show, with reference to the dispensary
law In comparison with the old regime,
not only vindicates the course which
brought about the establishment of the
system to any unprecedented mind, but
proves the necessity that exists for it's
continuance, except 10 the political
machine. The decrease of arrests for
drunkenness and drunk and disorderiy
cases and the increased yield to the
city and county of dispensary profits,
the large number Of convictions OF
dispensary Offenders and the amount
OF fines collected and turned into the
county and city treasures, Is @. idence
enough of faithful work.
Much more effective work could
have been accomplished by tho de-
partment had another tribunal been
....1 -. 80 A..