The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-09
EIGHT INDICTMENTS AGAINST LIQUOR MEN Federal Grand Jury Made
 Partial Report MAY PROVE SERIOUS Chairman Agee Says He Has No Doubt Licenses Will Be Revoked
 Where the Men Are
 Found Guilty
MAY PROVE SERIOUS

Eight indictments were returned yes terday afternoon by the federal grand jury against that number of liquor dealers in this city. The indictments resulted from the Investigations initia ted by Chairman ". c. Agce of the excise commission against alleged vio- lators of the federal liquor law, in conjunction with the department of in ternal revenue and the department of justice.
 The eight men indicted operate prominent saloons in Birmingham, it is stated The offense charged against them is that the operators did refill or permitted the refilling of bottles sup posed to hold bottled in bond liquor with an inferior proof of whisky.
 The arrests were made several weeks ago by inspectors of the revenue de- partment and justice at the urgent re- indictments followed
 The grand jury only partially re- ported yesterday. Inasmuch as the all legged liquor violations were reported upon ahead of any other matters be- fore the grand jury the cases are said to have assumed more gravity than was at first supposed.
 The probe of the federal inquisltoriar body is said to have just started into the campaign against liquor violators here. When the finale has been reached it is stated that for once the mistake of violating. liquor laws will be con sidered far from trivial.
 The most disturbing feature of the grand jury probe of the federal court in connection with the alleged reflling of bottles and other violations Is the following position of Chairman w. c. Agee;
 "The indictments that I am informed were returned by the federal grand jury are for rehlIing bottles. Other of- fences are pending, so l am informed. The mere fact that an indictment is found does not mean that the defend ants have been found guilty. The jury investigation is ex-parte.
 "Iowever, when the cases are called before jury of l2 men and Judge Grubb, and the indicted men are said Dy lUdl tTiDundl Dl Jusiltt to Dt ulliy I am convinced that the excise commis- sion will immediately cancel the licenses held by the offenders. That po- sition has been very well understood by the offenders and will be strictly adhered to-. The excise commission deprecates the refilling of bottled in bond bottles as much as any other transgression. l am not passing upon any of the cases at this time. but the excise commission intends to pursue this campaign to the last ditch. It is, of course, a matter of intense gratih- cation that the federal courts do not fail to listen to our complaints"
 The saloon operators. against whom indictments were returned yesterday, have been under appearance bond for several weeks, having been bound over by Commissioner R. B. Watts. The men. however. will be rearrested within a few days, 1t was announced last night from the office of the United States marshal Their cases will be called some time this summer
 The liquor indictments were the only matters handed in yesterday aft ernoon by the federal grand Jury, ex- cept1ng the lnulctinent or youth for some postal offense which occurred in Jasper. The jury adjourned yesterday afternoon until Monday at which time work will be resumed On that day residents of Lewisburg will, 1t is said, appear before the grand jury acting under the authority of Uncle Sam ana tell about Bloody Beat 22' The in uuiry being directed into that situa- ton is said to be of vital concern and developments in that connection arc being watched with eagerness.