The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-11-25
DEALERS
WERE INDICTED
Fifteen St. Paul Merchants
Arrested for Selling
Jim Jam Jems.

st. Paul. Mimi. Nov. 23.-Fifteen
st. Paul merchants were arrested to-
day. and FIVE will be arrested Monday
on federal warrants charging a viola
ton OF the postal laws in the sale Of
Jim Jam Jems.
examination before United States
Commissioner Charles L. Spencer,
pleaded not guilty and gave personal
bonds in the sun Of $500. Their cases
go to the grand jury. which begins
Dec. j., The fve men to be arrested
Monday consist of one cigar dealer,
n druggist and three book dealers.
Rush d. Simmons, postoff1ce inspec-
tor. is acting under the orders of Ro-
bert A: Sharp. United States p%ostoffice
inspector from Washington. II can
not a how extensive this probe will
be-" said Mr.. Simmons this afternoon.
Il can say that We r practically
through with st. Paul; I am not pre-
pared to say whether or not the in
spectors will Investigate the sale Of
the pamphlet in Minneapolis or else
where. The twenty warrants here are
the result Of an investigation covering
a fortnight. and involve only mer-
chants who have bought the book d.
rect from the publishers. I am not
prepared to say where the many other
dealers selling Jim Jam Jems obtain
ed their books. nor whether n ar
rest will be made in this connection.
Inspectors Obtained Evidence.
The evidence obtained by postoffice
inspectors, resulting in the issuance
OF the twenty warrants, originally in
volyed forty dealers. according to J.
NJ. Dickey. assistant United States at
torney. Inspector Simmons and Unit
ed States Attorney Charles c.. Houpt
conferred over the list. when it was
decided to issue warrants only against
the dealers thought to nave purchased
the publication direct from the pub
Usher. Mr.. Dickey thinks a probe in
Minneapolis would not produce re-
suits. asserting the police there stop
ped the sale of the book several
months ago.
"All twenty of the men against
whom warrants have been issued here
whave admitted selling the publica-
tion," said Mr.. Dickey. ''They admit
they have obtained the book through
the express companies. We have ex-
amined express records here and at
Bismarck. N. D.. where the book IS
published. and have substantiated
Of these men would have handled the
pamphlet had they known 1t is a vio-
lation Of the postal laws. We have
clear cases against them all. for our
inspectors purchased the books from
them, and are prepared to say so IL
the grand jury returns indictments
and they come to trial.
Complaints Based on Semi.Annual
The complaints are based upon the
which contained samples Of all the
Objectionable gems published in the
pamphlet since its inception. This
vas sent out from Bismarck July ~.
Frank c. friedman, a druggist ar
rested here. is already under bonds of
$1,000 to appear before the federal
grand Jury in December on a charge
Of sending opium through the mails.
Mr.. Friedman was arrested July 81
and pleaded guilty.
The dealers arrested today were in
dignant over their lot. Nearly all ex-
pressed the belief that they would not
have handled the publication II they
had known arrests were likely as a re.
suit. One dealer said he had not
wanted to handle the book, but aid
SO in self-defense to hold his trade.
It is not the disposition of the dealers
to fight the cases II the grand jury re.
turns indictments. according to one
Of the leading business men arrested
today. He says he thinks it will be
best to let the court decide the cases
II they come to trial.
Did Not Know Contents.
One Of the newsdealers said he had
overlooked the edition referred to in
the complaint, and that II he had
read 1t through himself he would NOT
have sold It. He said:
II got a profit Of only S cents a COPY
for selling Jim Jam Jems at 26 cents
a copy. l am now heartily sorry that
1 ever touched the pamphlet"
Further sale Of Jim Jam Jems in
st. Paul is at a standstill. All tho
dealers are refusing their customers
copies.
The arrests today we're not with
out humorous features. One dealer.
when notified owe the phone he was
under arrest. agreed to come to the
federal building later, asserting he
was alone in the store and unable to
ret away then. A few warrants were
served personally. Most of the ar
tests, however. were made over the
telephone.
The five not served await the Ioca-