The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-02-01
ONE MONTHS RESULT
UNDER PROHIBITION
Decided Falling Off In Number
ofArreStS
FEAGIN LAUDS NEW REGIME
Long Sentences For Blind Tigers
Promise To Keep Jail and Street
Gangs upplled-Fieures
For the Month.
FEAGIN LAUDS NEW REGIME

At Il o'clock last night prohibition had
been on trial in jefferson county one
month.
Number of arrests for January, 1908.
554
Number of arrests for December, 1907,
1914
Number of arrests for January, 1907.
794
There were 81 drunks arrested last
month, against 246 In December and the
average of 1877 per month for last year.
Six white men and % negroes have
been convicted on the charge of violating
the prohibition laws. Each one was fined
$50 and 1870 days.
This is what Judge Feagin says: 1.-The
results from the prohibition laws are mar
velous, both for the promotion of peace
and moral uplift. We have witnessed
almost a revolution. But for the extra
efforts of the police for the arrest Of
gamblers and blind tigers the arrests
would not number one-third the figure
for the same month in any other year.
with a prosecution in the spirit of
fairness and irmness, free from fanat-
| icism, prohibition will result in great good
throughout the state. OF all places Br-
mingham has been severely put to the
test with her large floating population,
and industrial enterprises. and little
| moral restraints in the homes. 1t Is
| life that exists in no other part of the
! state.
by the cooperation of tho police and
the sheriff's forces with the view of hav-
ing the law respected, the spirit of pa
| triotism will be inculcated into our cit
izenship and will insure the enforcement
| of the prohibition laws, and rebound to
| the welfare of the community. The out
look now promises soon to have all the
| lawless element of society in the chain
gang. and the community rid of the de-
| moralization upon other citizens.
In jail last night there were 164 prison.
ers. which approaches the maximum num-
Der for any day last year. For a while
1t was feared that the city would not
have enough prisoners to supply the street
department with sufficient labor. When
asked last night about this matter. Street
Commissioner McCartin said
IF Judge Feagin continues to give long
sentences for drunkenness and violating
prohibition laws, 1 now believe the street
department will have the usual working
force. and the chain gang can accom-
plish the same work as heretofore.
1.-THE increased sentences balance the
former large number of convictions. We
have far more long-term prisoners. When
negroes are fined s25 and prohibition vio-
lators are fined a whole year in Jail, they
are not so apt to pay out. l apprehend
no trouble in the future along this line"
The collections by the clerk of the city
court and the warden for January are
approximately $500 or less than half of
the average for last year which was
$1,000 per month"; and $4,000 for the year
While there were IL New Years eve
DRINKS tried this year, 81 actual 1908
DRINKS have been arrested. Considering
the fact that SO much cheap liquor was
launched during the last weeks of De-
cember, this record is considered re-
markable.
Ninety-fiye were arrested charged with
larceny last month, nearly three times as
many as there were DRINKS. Ffty-seven
were for petty thefts, and IS were for
grand larceny
The gamblers numbered 12, but only
three of them were professionals. Dis
orderly conduct cases numbered 81, va
grants IT, carrying concealed weapons, Is.
Six white men were convicted of vio-
lating the prohibition laws before the
18th of the month. Since that time only
negroes have been caught. 1t is not
known whether that has any significance
or not. Fifteen negroes have been con-
victed, since that date, making total of
oq fo,. tho month