The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1904-03-17

A correspondent vriiipg the
, hariotte Observer regarding the
blind tiger business says:
Fayetteville. March l3.-There
has been IN progress for some days
befnr. Magistrate ID. y. Mclean.
and ID continues tomorrow. q case
which il called an ''inve-tigat.on
into The existence III blind tiger in
he community" but inqui-ition g.
drastic aud radical a. anything In
he days of the French Revolution,
the reign Of hariss ! and III, and
the reign Of Jane. IL. Section
,050 Of the code thus reads
"Ail justice, of the peace, Inten-
dents and magi,sra e. of police,
mayors Of towns, and judge. Of tn
supreme or Superior & ~urt-, who
shall have good reason to be,ieve
that any person within their juris
iict:ons has KNOWLEDGE Of the exf--
teuce and Establishment Of any faro
bank or faro table Or gaming tables
prohibited by this chapter, within
their general jurisdiction, and such
p.rson not being minded TO make
voluntary information thereof on
oath, then ii shall be lawful for such
justice Of peace. intendent, mayor of
police, judge ofSupreme or Superior
| Court, to issue to the sheriff of the
county. or any consta bic of the town
or township in which said faro
bank Or faro table, or gaming table
or tables are supposed to be, sub
poena capias ad testificandem, or
sun mons in writing, com manding
such prrsOn to appear Immediately
before said justice OF the peace, in
tendent or magistrate of police. or
mayor or judge, and give evidence
on cath as to what he may know
touching the existence, establish
ment AMI whereabouts of said gam
ing table or tables, faro bank or faro
table, and the lanes and personal
descrip ion of the keepers thereof,
and such evidence, when obtained,
shall be considered and held in law
as an information on oath, and said
Justice, intendent, magistrate, mayor
or judge may thereupOn proceed to
seize and arrest said keepers, and
destroy said ia bles, or issue process
therefor in like manner as they may
do in the preceding sections"
| Now, it was this piece Of legis-
Iation passed forty five or forty-six
years ago, which set the reformers
of the sitting city of Charlotte after
the gamblers not great while ago.
In the legislation of 1889, if the
writer mistake not, there was inter
pOlated into the above section an
amendment giving authority to
summon witnesses. under like con-
ditions, as to places where intoxi-
eating liquors are kept and sold, and
it is this amendment which is now
prompting the truly good of Fay
etteville, to put the Morally Stunted
in big sweat.
Now, nobody wants to see "blind
tigers" flourish in Fayetteville.
Even the opponents of prohibition
would rather see the law enforced
than have it dead letter on the
statute books-a reprOach to the
city. But if "blind tigers" exist,
why do not the authorities go to the
root of the matter? Why do they
not indict the "blind tigerists" and
then produce their witnesses
But no; the authorities start at
the other end of the line. They in
dict no one, but they haul up first
one and then another reputable citi-
zen, asking him where he buys his
liquor, and If he has bought any
from John Smith. The investiga.
ton is developing three things:
Fl st, it is dangerous for anybody
to "cast the first stone ;" secondly,
that if it was intended to boost pro-
hibition it is having the opposite
effect, and is greatly dlscrediting it
the correspondent has heard seve-
raj former prohibitionists say that
they would never vote for the mea--
ure again; thirdly, everv day that
the investigation goes on amounts
to gain for the r Republican and
loss f r the Democratic party in the
county,"
Judging from the above, Fayette-
vile is having some trouble in the
prohibiting business. The Justice
who is now investigating lawless-
ness in Fayetteville was in the
"goOd old days" a Methodist divine,
but for several years has bean and is
yet noted Democratic Registrar,
whose performances is. well: known
to the people OF Fayetteville and
Cumberland county. This fallen
divine has been more successful as
a Democratic Registrar than he was
as a preacher. His performances
and tricks have been ventilated on
several occasions, both as a jurist
and politician