The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1901-07-25
CHARLESTON AND
THE TIGERS.
Mayor S1nyth's Statement as to
Difficulties of Fnforcing the Dis
pCnsary Law.

special session on the 10th inst. III re
gard to the blind tigers in Charleston
at which Mayor Smyth and Chief Boyle
were present by invitation to show
cause why the dlspcnsary profits fol
| Charleston should not be withheld on
account of the non-enforccmcnt of the
dlspcnsary law. Nothing startling
was brought out and the intimatlUn<
OF interesting developments did not
| matcriaiiZc.
The proceeding was opened with the
reading OF the boards resolution.
Chairman Williams stated that official
~ and unUtliclally 1t had been reported
to the board that things were running
wide open in Charleston. The mem
bers knew of the violations IN Charles
ton and they wished to hear about the
failure Of the municipal authorities to
enforce the law.
Mayor Smyth then read a statement
he had prepared. lie referred to the
peculiar difficulties surrounding the cn-
forccmcnl of the law in Charleston.
Its geographical position made it i'm.
possible for an army Of c0nstablcs and
police TO strictly enforce the law there
The same conditions had been ap-
parent under the metropolitan police
system. He had enforced the law
with his police to the best OF his ability.
lie related the difficulties encountered
by uniformed men III cndcdvoriny to
locate tigers. The police, he said !,
were specially directed by ordinance
TO enforce the dispcnsary law. The
city had tried detectives, but their
names soon became known. This was
The way the names of the same men
usually appeared as witnesses in dis
pcnsdry cases.
Mayor Smylh said that uniformed
policeman couldn't get ~ positive evil
dcncc against bind tiger dealer, be-
cause he was not allowed to drink; if
he did drink and SO testified he would
be discharged. Hence his testimony
along thai line could not be obtained
The very appearance OF uniformed
policeman was warning to illicit
dealers, SO thai they would be pre-
pared for their coming.
Another reason why the policemen
of Charleston cannot absolutely cn-
force the law is from the fact that IN
the city there arc siXtv-ninc miles of
street. These are pairollcd by only
clghty.iivc men. Half of them alc on
at night and half IN day, and taking
the sick list, there IS yrncrally only
about thirty or thirly-livc policemen
on the streets. This gives each man
ovcl two miles to look after. AS is
well known Chareston's population is
largely made up of negroes and there
is Il constant growth of that population
through negroes coming to the city
who are OF a lawless character. The
small police force have these people to
attend to and If they did not it would
be greatly TO the dctcrihlcnt of the
peace and the good order of the city.
Nevertheless strict orders have been
given by the mayor and the chief that
policeman must report all illicit sales
of whiskcy and to cooperate with the
in every instance.
Recognizing the fact that uniformed
incn colli,i not properly carry out the
law, the administration of Mayor
Fickcn appointed three special police
men who were to be in citizens
clothes. This number was later in
creased to ten. Their special duty
was TO look after violations Of the dis
pcnsary laws. This was under the
metropolitan police system, and they
cost the taxpayers OF Charleston &c.
900. Notwithstanding the records
show that illicit sale of whiskcy went
right along.
a nj ND
sumcd charge Of the police, under the
law | could only appoint three such
detectives. This | did. But they
soon became known to the dealers and
their work didn't amount to much.
Then The appointment of these de-
tcctivcs was left to the chief of police,
and the mayor himself did not know
their names, nor dld they appear on
the pay rolls. They were appointed
even before the terms of the other de-
tccuves had expired, SO that no one
should know them. Yet Of all the
cases made out by them none were
considered by the grand jury. Chief
Boyle and myself have honestly tried
to enforce The Law, and 433 cases have
been sent up to the circuit court.
AZ tins point, Mr.. Dukes wanted to
know whether any cases had come III
before the city court, and whether any
ordinance had been passed by the city
against the Illicit sale Of whlskcy.
Mayor Smyth replied that the juris
diction of the recorders court was
quite limited. 1t could not hear case
of burglary, for instance.
Mr.. Dukes insisted that all cities
had been instructed, under Govcrno'
Tlllman's administration, to pass or
dinahccs against the Illicit sale oI
whlskcy, and h iuSlstcd that Charles
ton had such al ordinance.
Mayor Smyth replied pleasantly tha
he had studied the ordinances of Char
lesion quite thoroughly and he kncv
there was no special ordinance on tn
sub jcct, az the State law fully ,covcrc
the matter.
Mr.. Dukes insisted that all cite
had passed such laws.
WhcrcupCn Mayor Smyth askc
whether there was such an ordinanc
in Columbia and whether the pole
enforced the law in this city.