The Columbus weekly dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 1902-1905, 1906-07-26

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THE BLIND TIGER
THE LAW AS TO POSSESSION OF
REVENUE LICENSES MAKES
THEIR EVIDENCE
OF GUILT.
Believed New Law With Humphreys
Bill Will Stamp Out
Tigers I'm This
State.

| Jackson, Miss, July 20.-Proo1
sheets of the dram shop chapter OF
the new annotated code have been
received by the Secretary of State for
correction, and an examination of the
| chapter shows that it contains some
very important changes.
Aside from the several statutes
enacted by the Legislature aimed az
the C. O. d. liquor traffic. the chapter
contains other significant sections,
among them being a clause compel
ling saloons 10 close at 10 o'clock
p. m. and remain closed until 5
O'Clock a. m, which is quite a short
ening of present hours. Another new
section. which the public has here
tofore believed was lost during the
final crush of legislation. appears in
the chapter, and is as follows:
Stringest Provision.
The fact that any person not
authorized by law to sell. or barter.
or give away TO induce trade, and to
keep for sale, or barter, or 10 give
away to induce trade, the liquors,
bitters or drinks described in the pre-
ceding section, has in his possession.
or has posted about his place OF bust
ness, a receipt or license, or stamp,
showing payment OF the special tax
levied under the laws of the United
States upon the business of selling
oh .s,fI ola
special tax for the sale of such liquors
in this State, or shall be found in
possession of appliances adapted TO
retailing, unlawful or otherwise, shall
be presumptive evidence that the per
son owning or controlling such re-
ceipt, license, stamp or appliances, or
having paid such special tax, is en-
gagged in keeping for sale, or is TO
be given away to induce trade, in
toXicating liquors contrary TO law
There has been much misapprehen-
sion in regard TO this section, and the
Prohibitionists of the State will be
gratified to know that it is safely
within the revised statutes, for, in
connection with the Humphreys bill
passed by Congress compelling inter
nal revenue collectors TO furnish
State authorities with names of par
ties to whom Government liquor Ii
censes are issued, it means that the
larger class of blind tigers, men who
heretofore have not feared the State
authorities, but don't like to incur the
risk Of getting within the clutches OF
obtaining these licenses. and thus in
cur double risk, or encounter the GER
tainty of conviction in the State
courts, for the new statute is con
stitutional, according to attorneys
who have given it examination.
Evidence OF Guilt
1t will be noted that the section
also applies TO articles or appliances
ordinarily used in the sale of liquor
will also constitute prima facie evi-
dence Of guilt. This means that
party caught with an unusual guam
tity of liquor, or whose premises bear
strong circumstantial appearance of
being kept as a blind tiger, are liable
TO conviction. heretofore the laws
have required the testimony OF AT
least one witness to actual sale.
There are numerous other changes
in the dram shop chapter, all OF
stringent character, and when the
law goes into effect there will be nc
good and valid reason why officers OF
the law cannot break up the blind
tiger nuisance, which has grown to1
such enormous proportions in .hc
State