The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1905-07-14
Abstract of Laws.

oOme queries udNluR Uttu uhue as 10
the provisions of the statute regulating
the sale of Intoxicating liquors and bev.
erages, we present the following brief
summary of the existing laws on the
subject of the liquor traffic:
The general liquor law-Public Acts of
Michigan, 1903, page S3-provides that
retail dealers shall pay tax as follows:
Upon the business of selling spirituous
or intoxicating liquors, malt, brewed or
| fermented liquors, $500 per annum.
Every person engaging in such business
must execute a bond of not less than
| $1,000 nor more than $4,000, to be APP
proved by the city, village or township
authorities where such business is car
ried on, and file the same with the county
treasurer. This bond provides that the
dealer shall not sell furnish, give or de-
liver, directly or indirectly, by himself,
his clerk, agent or servant, any spirituous,
malt brewed, fermented or vinous liquor
to a minor, 10 an intoxicated person, to
person in the habit of getting intoxicated,
TO any Indian or any person OF Indian
descent nor TO any person when forbid
den so TO do by the husband, wife, pa
rent, child, iguardian or employer of such
person, or by the supervisor of the town
ship, mayor of the city, director of the
poor, president or trustee of any village
or superintendent of the poor, and that
| he Will pay all damage actual and exem-
plary that may be adjudged against him
for any such illegal sale. See compiled
laws, volume ., section 1856.
Section 1891 enacts the above pro-
visions of the bond into penal statute
and makes the furnishing of liquor TO
any of the above prohibited parties prima
facia evidence of intent to violate the
| law.
Sections 1855 and 1886, make every
| illegal sale punishable by fine of not
more than 500 and costs or imprison-
ment in the county Jail not less than 10
nor more than 90 days or by both such
fine and Imprisonment.
The foregoing provisions of the law are
| imperative in local option counties,
where all persons are forbidden by stat
ute to engage IN the business of selling
Intoxicating liquors as a beverage, and
all offenses of the kind are punishable
under the provisions of the local option
law.
BY general law section 1881, druggists
are permitted to sell liquors for chemi-
cal, scientific, medicinal, mechanical or
sacramento purposes only. \ druggist
is required TO file similar bond to that
of the retail dealer, with the additional
clause that he will not sell liquor to any
person to be used as a beverage nor to be
drank on the premises; druggist must
also keep a record of all sales, which
shall contain the names of all persons
applying for liquor for lawful purpose,
the date of sale, the amount and kind of
! liquor sold to each person and the pur-
pose for which such liquor was purchased,
such book TO be open for the inspection
Of all persons during business hours. The
penalty for violation of this section by a
druggist is fine of rot less than a 800
nor more than 500 and costs, or mprs-
! onment in the county Jail not less than
80 days nor more than one year, or both
such fine and imprisonment, in the dis
erection of the court In local option
counties, however, the supreme court
holds that actions against druggists
must be brought under the provisions
of the local option law which is the law
under which all illegal sales made in
Van Buren county are punishable. The
law prohibits the liquor traffic, but per
mits druggists to sell for lawful purposes
under the restrictions and requirements
imposed by the general liquor law, and
who are required to send to the office of
the prosecuting attorney weekly reports
of all sales of liquor made by them.
The penalties imposed by this law are
as follows: See section Is, public act
No. 1S3, 1899, page $50. For a first of
| Tense fine of not less than $50 nor more
than 500 and costs and Imprisonment
not less than 20 days nor more than six
months for the second or any subsequent
offense fine of not less than 800 nor
more than $500 and Imprisonment 10 the
Ionia reformatory for not less than six
months nor more than two years.
The local option law absolutely pro-
hibts the sale of Intoxicating beverages,
except that wine or cider may be made
from home grown fruit and sold in guam.
titles of not less than five gallons, and
the manufacture of wine or cider in any
quantity is not prohibited and the same
may be legally sold at wholesale il sold
without the borders of local option
county. See public act No. 10, 1903,
page 20.
The foregoing synopsis of the liquor
law Of the state is published for the in
formation Of our readers and for the en-
lightenment Of the Grand Rapids Press
in particular.