The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-08-14
EAGLES AERE iisso w"
A TEST CASE WI MADE OF
1T,
Unlawful Storing Charged-Becr and
Whiskey Not Removed, But Locked
Up Pending Claim and Delivery
Proceedings.

1916 Main street. Quite a lot Of ex-
element was created as the lodge has
a membership of $50, and among the
members are number of prominent
citizens and public officials, including
the congressman from this district,
the State senator from this county,
The police recorder and a number of
police officers.
The raid was made upon informa-
ton that liquor was being stored in
violation Of the law. Chief Cathcart
stated that he made no case as to the
illegal sale Of whiskey, but would in
sist before the magistrate that the
section Of the law forbidding storage
was being violated. The officials of
the club declared last night that they
welcome the investigation, for they
contend that they have complied with
the letter of the law strictly and, as
there has been SO much talk about
what clubs have been doing, they
wish to get the matter settled with
reference to their own conditions.
Chief Cathcart took charge of L.
600 bottles of beer and 100 quarts of
liquor. AS notice was given that the
clubs attorney, Senator F. H. Wes-
tan, would bring claim and delivery
proceedings to secure the return Of
tie stuff seized, Chief Cathcart did
n It haul the seized beer and whiskcy
II the police station, but locked it
II a room and sealed it, pending the
decision by the magistrate. A careful
inventory of the seizrre was made.
Chief Cathcart stated hat the Of
ficers of the club were summon
ed were Harry S. Fox, president and
George Nafey, steward.
In the same raid the police visited
club in the postoffice block, which a
short time ago secured a charter un-
der the name of the Ravens" AT
this place were found SO bottles of
beer and seven pints of whiskey. The
manager OF this club was l.. B..
Dreher
Chief Cathcart stated last night
that he has positive informa-
tion that nearly all of the clubs
raided last week have suspended or
quit business entirely. The managers
of the places in some Instances have
left the city. In fact, the charters of
some Of these social clubs were Sc
cured just few days before the
prohibition law went into effect, for
the word seemed to get out that
there would be good pickings here,
but the police propose to enfore the
law strictly. They are using in their
raids the list OF clubs having char
ters and the list of persons having
government evenue licenses, and
there Is said to have been a marked
increase lately in the number of those
holding licenses
Chief Cathcart yesterday declared
two men to assist Capt T. E. Dick
son and the constables in the endea-
vor to find some contraband at w. n.
Sellers place, but the search was
fruitless.
Chief Catffcart has been watching
the freight depots and express Offices
and has found a lot of stuff that was
shipped in violation of the United
States laws-in other words, shipped
IN fictitious names. In each case the
shippers, usually houses in jackson.
vile, would have spoilers on the
grounds and would order the stuff
returned to them before the police
could make seizures. The shippers
could not be held amenable to the
law, but the persons using the
wrong names could be punished Sc
verely.
Il have seen what the Charleston
napers have had to say about drink
ing In restaurants in Columbia" said
Chief Cathcart yesterday. 1T is ell
bosh. / am satisfied that there is not
a restaurant on Main street in COlum-
bita that sold bottle of beer to any
man from Charleston. If a person
wishes to go into a restaurant and
drink beer which he himself had
purchased at dispensary there is
though the restaurants are careful not
to permit this as a practice. for it
would soon bring them into disre-
pute.
The police are not more than
usually active at this time. The rea-
son for these raids is that the police
have heretofore assisted the cOnSta-