Smyrna times., 1911-10-25
DOVER HAS SHAKE-UP OVER
ILLICIT LIQUOR SELLING
DR.. EDWARD r. O'DAY FINED 5000
FOR GIVING PRESCRIPTIONS
Which We're on Blanks Other Than
Those Furnished BY the State and
in Violation of the Law

'"OSS FuT"Shed 6Y the State and
in Violation of the Law
DR.. Edward F. O,Day, a practic.
ing physician of Dover, on Wednes-
day entered a plea of guilty to the
indictment found against him charg-
ing him with giving prescriptions
Tor intoxicating liquors on blanks
other than those furnished by the
State. Chief Justice Pennewill
imposed a fine of 5000 and costs.
which were paid. Before his de-
cision Judge Pennewill said: "You
have pleaded guilty to this indict-
ment, but you insist that you did
not knowingly and Intentionally
violate the law. Ignorance of the
law does not of course, excuse the
offense, but it may under some
circumstances mitigate the punish
ment. The law was enacted for a
good purpose and with the hope that
1t might materially aid in the So
lHtion lof a very difficult problem,
the suppression of the illegal sale
OF intoxicating liquors. The indict-
ment, plea and sentence in this case
will serve, we hope, ore very good
purpose, which is to advertise to
every doctor and druggist in the
county, as we'll as elsewhere, the
existence of the act under which the
prosecution is had, and to give
notice that the prosecuting officer
as well as the court intend to en-
force the law.
Dr.. Cecil del. Harhordt, Fined $500.
DR.. Cecil del. Harbordt was also
fined 5000 and costs, or S2O7. O6, at
the conclusion of General Sessions
Court Monday for violation of the
liquor prescription statue passed at
the recent session of the Delaware
Legislature. a stringent law, and
under which the druggists and
doctors were recently summoned to
show their records. DR.. Harbordt
had at first pleaded not guilty, but
came into court Monday represented
by j. M. Satterfield, and changed
his plea to guilty, stating that he
had no idea in the prescriptions,
few in number, that he has thus
written, he was violating the law.
Mr.. Satterfield stated that DIR. Har-
bordt had himself asked for an in
vestigation so that he might know
whether or not all were within the
law who were filing prescriptions
wherein liquor was administered for
medicinal purposes under the law.
W. W. Harrington, for the State
replied that he had no knowledge of |
DR.. Harbordt ever having asked for
or sought an investiation, that he
had not done so through his office.
Mr.. Harrington declared that an
educated man could rot come and
hope to get off in court by a plea
of ignorance, particularly when the
law was so plain.
Court Adjourns After Short Session
This concluded for this term the |
sharp investigation that has been
made by the court and prosecuting
attorney into the practices of drug
stores and physicians in administer
ing whiskey and other prohibited |
stimulants. No other violations
were found, it is contended, at least
none where sufficient evidence could
be produced to secure a conviction.
The shortest October term of /
criminal courts for this State, in |
Kent county, closed yesterday, the
court only having been in actual
session four days. Heavy fines,
too, were collected during the term
so that the cost of the session will
proably be the smallest ever known.
Chief Justice Pennewill commented
on the decrease of crime in Kent
county and said he felt sure that
conditions were better in Kent than
ever before in the knowledge of the
court.