Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1902-08-07
FIGHTING LIQUOR.
st. Louis Preacher In PrOhl.
bitlOn Movement.

o O'Breyen, Prosecuting attorney of
Shelby county, was in Macon to-
day on some legal business. While
here he told of the interesting and
somewhat ulusual variety of tenn
perance crusade now beng con-
Quoted in his county.
ri have in my Office" said Mr..
O'Breyen, "seve raj baskets of bot
ties of liquor alleged to have been
procured from drug stores of Shell
by county, where they were sold in
violation of the local option law.
They were deposited there by the
Rev. w Pinson of st. Louis, who
repres ents the National Anti-Saloon
League. He presented along with
his exhibits such evidence and ref
erences that make legal action
mandatory. The contraband comes
from some of the leading drug
stores of Shelbyville ,Shelbina, Clar-
ence and Bethel. There are some
half dozen workers for the League
in the county and they are still at
work. They walk into store,
call for the liquor, tender their
money and walk ont. don't see
how the defendants can get away
from their evidence. They seem
to be amply supplied with money
and are afraid of nothing.
"Of course, this sort of proceed
IRE stirs up controversy. The
point was made in some eases that
went up from Butler county that
the method used by the Leagnc in
getting up evidence against the
drug stores and illicit dealers was
against public policy and the courts
should not recognize it, bnt Judge
Bland in sustaining the prosecution
said that Bret Harte's Chinaman
was not the only mortal whose
ways were dark and whose tricks
were vain, and held that the League
had right to meet cunning with
cunning and stealth with stealth.
"There are no saloons i'm Shelby
county. At every election where
the question has come mp, local
option has been carried by an over
whelming majority. | doubt if
there is another county in the
State where the temperance senti-
ment is as strong. Yet there are
drug stores where the thirsty may
find relief, and the Leagners are
after them like the hunter after his
game, The penalty is heavy. For
every lO-cent drink the druggist
sells unlawfully the local option
law provides fine of $500. 1t can
be no less. In some eases there
are several af1idavits against one
party. II convicted You may imag-
inc where his business will be.
John j.. Sweeney, for fifteen
years II druggist of Shrlbyvill-. will
he the first man proceeded against
His trial was to take place there
this week but | have been notified
the defendant will ask n change of
venue to Emden. Mr.. Pinson in
forms me the League intends to
stay with every ease to the bitter
end. The whisky he has submitted
is Of the vilest sort. II the crusade
accomplishes nothing more than to
improve the brand it will have
done much. The stuff shown in
some of Mr.. Pinson's exhibits
would turn the stomach of Dig
ger Indian"
Felix Martins team, out at Mo.
limo, takes him to church and then
if Felix stays to n long sermon, the
team breaks loose and takes the
vehicle safely home without mis-.
sing bridge or scratching n post.
The st. Louis Post Dispatch
printed IN item last week will, the
following headlines:"C "C.&A. after
the X. &. Southern. Gates hand
is behind the deal. st. Louis may
he the end of the Port Arthur
Route-Agreement, it is said, will
be made with the Wabash by