The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1905-08-12
AFTER v1oLAToRs OF THE Law.
The Civic League Addresses q Letter to
the County Commiesioners-Asks
Suppression Of Slot Machines
and Alleged Sunday
Liquor Selling


BALTIMORE, Md. August 9th. 1906
AessTs. George W Helzott. John ?. Sidds and Henry
p Mann. County Commissioners Of Baltimore
County, Toacson, Maryland:
Gsnasmen-I write you on behalf Of the Civic
League of Baltimore County. This organization
has been formed because of the open and fragrant
violations in your county Of the laws relative to
the sale of intoxicating liquors on Sunday and
the maintenance Of gambling machines and de-
vices. It represents particularly the residents
of Baltimore county who have formed local
organizations with the same purpose at Airing
ton, at Highlandtown and on the Belair road,
and proposes to extend it's field Of operation for
the purposes outlined throughout the county.
The attention of your Board was formally call
ed more than a month ago by the Belair Road
and Highlandtown Associations to the fact that
the law was being violated without pretense
Of concealment every Sunday by the illegal sale
of Intoxicating liquors. and every day by the
operation Of gambling machines, and you were
requested to prevent further attractions of the
law. Since that time the situation remains UNI
changed.
These violations of the law are known to the
police of the county. The local organization of
the Delair road has been personally informed by
Mr.. Abraham T. Street, your chief of police,
are being committed. 1 am sending letter to
him also. requesting, on the part of this League
and the residents of the county, that the law be
rigidly enforced.
The League is fully convinced that it is within
the power of your Board, through the agency of
your police force. to give the desired relief
The violations of the Sunday liquor law will not
continue IL the patrons of the saloons and re-
sorts know that they run the risk Of being raid
ed by the police and detained as witnesses. It
Will not be possible for the gambling to be in
full and public operation If the police exercise
their power and duty to seize the gambling ma
chimes. call your attention to the concluding
words of Judge Fowler in the case of Wagner
vs.. Upshur, 95 Maryland, %: ut is hardly neces-
sary to say that 1t is conceded that an article
like the one which is the subject of this case IA
slot machine used for gambling) may always be
seized and held for use as evidence against the
owner, possessor and others In criminal pro-
ceeding against them or either of them.'
send herewith list of comparatively small
number of places in Baltimore county-namely,
32-where the violations have been and are
taking place. We are in possession of evidence
as to illegal liquor selling or gambling at all of
the places in this list We will not be satisfied
merely to have prosecutions instituted against
these and other offenders by the issuance of
warrants for their arrest, because, as your Board
well knows, 1t is the privilege of the offenders
under the law to postpone their trial until the
fall term of the Circuit Court for Baltimore
county. This will not forbid a continuance of
their unlawful pursuits during the rest of the
summer or remedy the evils which menace the
homes and property of your constituents.
Very respectfully, MORRIS A. SoPER,
Attorney for the Civic League
of Baltimore county.
The central committee of the league is COM
posed of President w. n. Matthai, of Arlington;
Henry G. Shirley, William E. Dyott, William B.
Ehlen. Charles E. Keedy and Samuel 3. Pentz,
Of the Sd district; W. W. Incoming, Jacob Peters
and John Young, of Highlandtown; U. Grant
Seymour, DIR. Joseph B. Webster and Daniel T.
Kelsey, of the Belair road.