The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-28
TROUBLES OF SHIPP
MORGAN COUNTY SHERIFF SUED
 FOR DAMAGES.
Tells Tke Governor That He Has Ex- hausted Hs Power To Make The Peey1e Behsve Them-
 selves.

Decatur. Sept. 27--tspeciaL )-wai- ter Armstrong. Of Hartselie. has brought suit against Sheriff Thomas R. Shipp ana his bondsmen in the sum of S6.o0o.
 few weeks ago Sheriff Snipp was at Hartselle and he says Mir. Arm strong was pointed out to him as a man engaged in the sale of whiskev He says he arrested Mir. Armstrong and found a bottle of whiskey on his person.
 The case against Sheriff shipp will be prosecuted by D. c. Almon. so- ltcitor of this judicial circuit, and w. w. Callahan and A. J. Harris
 Sheriff Shipp has also been sued for $l.O00 damages by Q young man of tfartselle. who Sheriff Shipp says he does not even know. The young man claims that he was arrested by Sheriff Shipp on the charge of selling whts- key.
 A few days ago Sheriff shipp re- csived . letter from Governor Conner In which the Governor said that he bad been informed that whiskey was being sold in the Decaturs and re- auesting Sherin Shipp to enforce the law. The Governor told him he would give him assistance if necessary.
 Sheriff Shipp said today that he had made seven or eight arrests in the county for the alleged violation Of the prohibition laws and that in every case the defendent was acquitted by a jury.
 He said that he had already paid out S250 attorneys fees to defend him. self in cases where he had beer suad Tor damages on account of having ar. rested parties in this county on laws.
 Sheriff Shipp says he will call on the Law and Order League of thi. county to refund to him the money he has paid out for attorneys' fees.
 The sheriff has searched the soft drink stands, where saloons formerly were. besides other places. He found nothing but empty beer and whisdk ey bottles. but did not find any uouors and has so reported to the Governor. eShertn Shipp said that he had been auVised by counsel that he was liable to have a number of damage suits on fds hands If he swore out search war rants to search any place for liouors
 The prohtbitionists and the mem bers or the Law and order League have criticised Sheriff Shipp considerably but he says he has received no assist ance from them financially or other. wise. &e
 There have been a number of retail liquor dealers license Issued in this county. not only in the Decaturs but in other places. since the prohibition laws went into effect. These licenses were Issued to soft drink stands, drug stores and to other places of business. In Decatur the soft drink stands pay an annual, license to the city of $500 each and in New Decatur they paid $100 annually.
 Nearly all of the soft drink stands in New Decatur have gone, out Of busi- ness and the men who conducted them have asked the city to refund their H. censes since the Fuller -weakley and the Carmichael-W Weakley bills have gone into effect.
 The matter Is now in the hands of the Finance Committee of New Deca. tur. Mayor Payne. of New Decatur, says so far as he is concerned, he does not favor refunding one cent that the city of New Decatur had nothing to do with the passage of these bills and that these men have right to conduct soft drink business on these licenses, so far as New Decatur is cont erned.