Arizona republican., 1912-04-25
INDIAN LIQUOR
 CASES PUZZLE
Grand Jury Recommends That Law Be Drafted Making Recipient of Fire water Jointly Liable With One Who Provides It

By long odds the largest number of criminal cases to be brought to the attention of the federal grand and trial juries are those having to do With the illegal sale, or giving uf liquor to Indian wards of the govern ment
 In a large majority of these cases the offense is committed by ignorant foreigners unfamiliar with the laws which are designed to protect the red man, many of whom are entirely un- able to resist the seductive call Of alcoholic stimulant.
 How to curb the practice has been a problem in those states where In- dians abound ever since the govern ment took over their care ana WI; being.
 The federal grand jury which has been in session for the past ten days has given the matter considerable h. Vestigation and comes to the clH- clusion that one way in woich the traffic in liquor between the Indians and members of another race may be mitigated is by making the Indian
 
 man who D rvides the liquor.
 In accordance with this .lAlibcra- ton the following minute was pre- pared and will be forwarded to Ari- zOna's sero tors and congressman wit3' the request that it's provisions be drafted into law. The Untcd States attorney is of the opinion that such law might destroy the value of the Indians tes- timony inasmuch as he could hardly be expected to testify against him self, and that therefore many of the prosecutions would fail Says the grand jury: WHEREAS. the grand jury of the United States, in and for tnn dis trict of Arizona, ompanelled at the April 1912 term of the United Suites district court, for the said district of Arizona. have considered a large mum Der of violations of the law which de- nounces as a crime the giving, selling or disposing of intoxicating liquor to any IndiaA, wasd cf the United agent. and
 1 WHEREAS, it is apparent that ih 1 q large number of these cases the i Indians themselves are the moving ! cause of the commission of the crimes by soliciting. purchasing. aiding and | inducing other persons to secure the liquor for the Indians, and l WHEREAS it is the belief of this grand jury that were the Indians | prohibited and made crimll2i!v re- sponsible for the purchase, use or acquisition of intoxicating fIdG7 i,' any manner whatsoever. this class Of crime would be materially ,I.i:.cei, now. therefor, be it
 l RESOLVED: that the Honorable Marcus 4 Smith anu Honorable Hen ry r. Ashurst, United States senators ! for the state of Arizona, and the 1 honorable Carl Hayden, member of congress for the state of Arizona, D1 requested to introduce in the coz gress of the United States, and to use their best endeaVOrS to secuf" 1 the passage of such legislation as vii 1 denOunce as a crime the actions oi | every Indian who in any manner uses | or acquires for himself or others any 1 intoxicating liquor of any kind, or 1 who procures in any manner, induces any other person to secure any ln- toxicating liquor for himself or any other person, and
 1 BE TT FURTHER RESOLVED:
 that the foreman of this grand jury
 he and he is hereby requested to
 transmit ( copy of this resolution to each of the United States senators and tO the congressman herein men l toned.