The aegis & intelligencer., 1907-09-13

they had just taken and their duty under
the same. He then called their especial
attention to the statutes relative to
abortion and the collection of excessive
or unauthorized fees by public officials,
and continuing said
"GENTLEMEN OF TIE GRAND jury:
Upon the organization of the grand
Jury 1t is customary for the Judge presid-
ing over the Court to call their attention
to matters pertaining to their duties
which may appear to him of Importance.
"At this term of the Court it is custo-
mary for the Clerk to furnish the grand
jury with n list of persons who have
taken out the various licenses required
by law. The License Laws of the State
requires that everyone who shall offer
for sale any goods, chattels, wares or
merchandise within the State shall OBJ
tain a license authorizing him to do so.
This license Is obtained from the Clerk OF
the Circuit Court, and before it Is issued
the applicant is required to make oath rs
to the amount OF the stock OF goods,
wares and merchandise generally kept on
hand bv him at the principal season OF
sale. The cost of these licenses depends
upon the amount of stock In trade.
Where the stock does not exceed one
thousand dollars, the cost OF the license
is twelve dollars; where it does not exceed
fifteen hundred dollars, the cost IS fifteen
dollars; between fifteen hundred and
twenty five hundred dollars, the cost is
eighteen dollars, and SO on.
There is also provision that atemale
engaged in vending millinery or other
small articles of merchandise, whose
stock in trade does not at any time dur
ing the year exceed five hundred dollars,
shall be entitled to license upon paving
therefor six dollars, or if her stock IN
trade exceeds five hundred dollars, she
shall pay the same rates as other persons.
These provisions are very clear and can
be easily understood.
II understand that a custom has grown
up in the county for parties who are
doing business as merchants or traders
to apply for and take out six dollar
license in the name of some female men,
ber of their family. This is unmistake-
ably an evasion Of the law and | give it |
to YOU in charge to scrutinize the lists |
which will be handed to you by the clerk |
and wherever you find that the parties |
are undertaking to do business in this |
illegal wav it will be your duty to pre-
sent them for trial before a petit jury.
"The attention of the court for several
months past has been repeatedly called |
to attemps now being made to evade
what is commonly known as the local
option law" under cover of incorporated
social clubs This same scheme was at
tempted some eight or ten years ago
with disastrous consequences to those
undertaking it; after much Litigation and
very considerable public expense it result
ed in conviction and punishment. The
selling of intoxicants or giving them
away in a place of business in Hartford
county, outside of Havre de Grace, is by
law a crime punishable by heavy penal
ties While this law remains unrepealed
those who undertake to violate it assume
a great risk and cannot complain if they
are made to suffer the consequences. 1t
makes no difference whether the intoxi-
cants are dispensed through the medium
of a club or by individuals doing business
in their own names. In both cases 1T is
a clear violation of law. | am informed
that at this time there are four OF these
so-called social clubs operating in the
county, one at Perrynan, one at Aber-
deem, one at Bel Air and the other at
Darlington, and it will be your duty to
carefully investigate them. The States
Attorney will furnish you with the names
of witnesses who have been summoned
in these cases, so that you may know
why they are before you.
THE duties of the grand jury do not
require them to try cases to which their
atten is called You arc to hear and con-
slider the testimony produced to you by
the States officers, and, if from this testi-
mony, unexplained, the party i'll your
opinion is guilty, then your duty is to
find bill, leaving matters of defence or
excuse to be produced before petit jury.
"If witnesses do not appear promptly
before you, it is not necessary for you to
wait for any length of time for them to
appear. because another grand jury will
convene November which will dispose OF
any business you may leave unfinished"