The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-10-21
TOWN OFFICERS PLEAD
Murray Justice and Deputy
Sheriff Explain Matters.
MRS. BELL REITERATES
DECLARES THAT SALOONS SELL
LIQUOR TO MINORS.

Investigations made by Assistant
County Attorney Van Colt yesterday
into the complaint made by Mrs Bell
on Friday of the sale of intoxicating
liquors to minor children by saloon
keepers at Murray and incidentally of
the allegation that Justice of the Peace
McOmie had dealt harshly with her
young by, who, with two others, had
been arrested for stealing candy from
a wagon while they were intoxicated,
convinced the prosecutor that the
grievance had been overdrawn.
. Justice McOmie and Deputy Sheriff
Goldman called upon the assistant
county attorney yesterday afternoon to
explain the matters complained about.
However, before they had called Mr..
Van Colt learned that the proceeding
in the village court had been taken
with the full knowledge and consent
of Assistant County Attorney Gunter.
who, it appears, had failed to report II
and no one in the Office knew of the
proceeding when Mrs. Bell made her
complaint On this score the justice
was acquitted of any blame.
As to the matter of the saloon keep
ers selling liquor to minors. alleged
by Mrs. Bell. both the deputy sheriff
and Justice McOmie assured the county
attorneys office that the boys were not
intoxicated when they were arrested
for larceny. They also declared that no
one had made complaint to them of the
violation of the law with reference to
minors getting liquor to drink, although
the justice admitted that he had heard
of youngsters being drunk on the
streets of the town.
How Boys Get Liquor
In her statement to Mr.. Van Colt,
Mrs. Bell Declared that her boy and
his companions had obtained a quart
of wine on Tuesday from Blinn's saloon
without an order from the Bell boy s
stepfather, although she admitted that
on a former occasion her husband had
given him an order for liquor to be
brought home, and that the drink was
promptly brought. Mrs. Bell added.
however, that it was we'll known that
young boys were permitted to stand
up to the bars and drink.
On the point that her boy is an in
cOrrigible, Mrs. Bell refused to admit
that he is any more unruly than other
lads are at his age. Justice McOmie
showed that in the month of August
last JOdey Bell was arrested for steal
ing watermelons and destroying large
number of them in a patch belonging
TO a blind man al Murray. The justice
said that the lad pleaded guilty to the
charges but sentence was suspended on
his promise to conduct himself better
Z
recommended the boy for commitment
TO the reform school had not his moth
er pleaded so hard TO give him one
more chance.
VIII Appeal Case
Notwithstanding tf1at the Bell lad had
| pleaded guilty to the charge of stealing
candy along with Curt Bullock and
| Willie Clubhouse and was fined 49, Mrs
! Bell announced the intention of appeal
/ ing the case.
Sheriff HOwells authorized The Her
aid to say that liquor Is not now and
has not been sold 10 minors by the sa-
looms at Murray during the incumbency
Of Deputy Sheriff Goldman. No COM
! plant has ever been made that the law
/ was violated. as Mrs. Bell alleges it
/ has been, and the sheriff does not be-
iieve that is cause for complaint
| Nevertheless he invites the aggrieved
mother or any one else who has the
| evidence to warrant a prosecution 10
come forward with A complaint against
I the guilty saloon keepers. as ali good
! citizens should do and thus help sup
/ press the alleged evil.
! Attorney Van Colt advised Deputy
/ Sheriff Goldman to keep an eve open
/ on the evil complained about by Mrs
{ Bell SO that a rigid prosecution of the
| ones who sold liquor to the boys who
! fell into sinful ways in their spree
could be instituted