Evening star., 1902-01-27
Mr.. SHOEMAKER EXPLAINS
MORE ABOUT HIS UTTERANCES BE-
FORE COMMISSIONERS.
Believes O6ense Taken to BE Due to
MisunderntandfnE and Mis-
representation.

Mr.. A E. Shoemaker, attorney for the
And-Saloon League, has submitted state
ment to the District Commissioners In re-
ply to the recent report made by Mr.. James
l.. Pugh., jr., the assistant city solicitor, in
regard to the prosecution Of liquor cases
In the Police Court. 1t will be remembered
that at hearing granted the Anti-Saloon
League by the Commissioners some days
ago Mr. Shoemaker submitted certain state
ments regarding the course Of the prosecu-
ton of liquor cases in the Police Court,
and Mr.. Pugh took exception thereto. as
heretofore published in The Star. In his
statement made to the Commissioners Mr.
Shoemaker says:
The Figures Given.
Your representative in the Police Court,
Mr.. James L. Pugh, jr., has taken excep-
tion to the figures used by me in illustrat-
ing the unsatisfactory conditions that per-
tain to the prosecution Of cases against IL
censed liquor dealers since the present law
went into effect.
In presenting these figures 1t was not
my intention to attach to Mr.. Pugh. solely
the blame for the aforesaid conditions. and
you will remember that I did not do so.
The figures, as you well remember. dealt
solely with cases against licensed dealers
since 1898; and Mr.. Pugh, with his usual
fore he furnished his broad statement Of
denial. which he based upon the total num-
Der OF all liquor cases, including those made
against 'speakeasies.' There being more
class as those against licensed dealers, the
reason for the discrepancy between his
figures and mine becomes quite apparent.
The Ani-Saloon League has made no
complaint as to the disposition of cases
against unlicensed liquor dealers. They
seem to be well looked after by attorney,
judge and jury. But Mr.. Pughs figures
supplement very well indeed those present
ed by me at the hearing
Alleged Delays in Trials.
'Mr. Pugh again takes exception to what
I was reported to have said about long de-
lays in bringing cases to trial. You will re-
member that about all that was said at the
hearing as to this feature of the leagues
complaint was the reading Of quotations
from two reports of a lieutenant of police
recently filed with the excise board. The
delegation might have said considerable
about delays IN the trial of liquor cases.
many of them inexcusabie, apparently, but
further than the reading of the above men
TONED reports there was nothing said about
the matter, as now remember. 1 will not
attempt to enumerate the cases that We're
continued from time to time during the Pc
riod In question, apparently for the most
trivial reasons; suffice 1t to mention one
case that remember very distinctly was
held up for a full year before 1t was
brought to trial. and then 1t was forced to
trial by the Anti-Saloon League. The cases
known as the Third of March Cases.
some of which were made by the league.
were not brought to trial for six months
after they were made. and then only after
repeated efforts upon the part of the
league. And some Of them were never tried
at all However. have never blamed MIR.
Pugh for all Of this.
There Is no questioning the fact that
there have been unnecessary and frivolous
delays In the prosecution OF liquor cases,
and that the results have been disastrous.
A Word as to Juries.
'.Now word as to the juries They un-
doubtedly play the most important part In
the prosecution Of offense or crime. Those
who serve on 1uries should. of course. be
men OF sterling character. fully conscious
of their high responsibility. And believe
that the great majority Of the men who
have served us In the Police Court have
had these qualifications: many Of them !
have known personally to be such men.
But we have time and again been made
painfully aware OF the fact that there are
some men who are % friendly to the de-
fendauf tu . liquor case that. apparently,
under no circumstances win they convict
him.
Il desire to ada here. however. IN re-
mfnder that did not state before you at
the hearing that had seen jurors brfbed
by liquor given them In the interest of
liquor dealer defendants for the reason