The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-03-30
suarRrsr and dismay was thrown broad

SURPRISE and dismaY was thrown broad
cast over the county, on Wednesday,
when the grand Jury made its present
ment. OF the II liquor dealers in Bur.
lington, is were indicted. A man who
owns 'beer ark. and his two drivers
were returned, and two of Mount Holly's
liquor dealers were caught In the dragnet.
Some Of the Burlington people are loudly
protesting their innocence, while others
are quietly awaiting developments. 1t is
probable they will pool their issues and
fight the charges, although one or two
have declared their intention of ''going
1t alone" and letting the balance take care
Of themselves. There have been many as
sertions on the part of the liquor people
with reference to the present situation.
One was that Sheriff Worrell had set up
q grand jury for this very purpose. That
is quite wide Of the mark. Sheriff Wor-
rell does not have to stoop to such action.
What he did was to select grand jury of
the best citizens of the county, men who
had proper regard for their oath and
who acted In q conscientious manner.
The jury had practically ended their de-
alterations when there came report from
Burlington that schoolboys had been get
ting liquor In an illegal way. The body
was called together to investigate, and
the parties engaged in securing evidence
showed q state of affairs that had not
been imagined, and instead of catching
one or two dealers, 1t became apparent
that there was much work on hand.
Then the jury adjourned until the fol-
lowing Friday. A few days later one of
the indicted men published letter to
which his name was signed, In which he
attacked one of the jurors, and accused
him of perjury and of launching ''vitu-
perative and Incorporate" harangues for
the purpose of infiaming the general pub
lie and perhaps to influence the views of
his fellow -jurymen." The foolishness of
this epistle Is shown from the fact that
there was no chance to influence the other
jurymen, as the indictments had been
found before the letter was published, the
jury having taken recess that the Pros
ecutor might have time to draw the pa
pers without being hurried. There is no
use trying to put the blame upon any man
or set Of men for the present condition.
There are laws that must be respected
and the grand jury, which has not yet
been discharged, has taken that fact into
consideration. Local option may be dead,
but the laws are still in force, and per-
haps more good may be accomplished by
having the statutes obeyed than in any
other manner. Some, possibly all, of
those who have been presented, may be
innocent of wrongdoing. If SO, they will
be given the credit that is due them, but,
If guilty, they will have themselves alone
to blame. Every liquor dealer In the state
knows the law under which he gets his
privilege to SELL Ignorance cannot be
pleaded. and to say that getting caught is
the result of somebody's spite. or that 1t
is the result of "fanatical excitement" is
all nonsense. If reports are true the mem
bers of the excise commission of Bur
lington have warned the dealers In that
city that there was evidence of too much
illegal selling.