The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-07-24
WATKINS ISSUES
TRONGS1ATEMEN
STATE ENFORCEMENT LEAGUE
SUPERINTENDENT TELLS OF
PROSECUTIONS MADE IN JUDGE
HANsON's COURT OF CERTAIN
TOBACCO DEALERS. ~.

Bismarck, N. D., July 22.-To The
Forum: MY attention has been called
to wide misrepresentation on the part
of some of the tobacco dealers OF
Fargo who were lately convicted for
the illegal selling Of tobacco to young
boys.
1t is easy to know the truth in each
and every case in question. The evil
dence is on file in black and white in
Judge Hanson's court and will show
that the boys who bought the tobacco
bought it direct and with ease and
without question on the part of the
seller as to who the tobacco was for.
These boys nave been mlsrepresent-
ed, by stories told on the street. as
having perjured themselves in claim
ing that they wanted to buy the to-
bacco for their fathers and that in one
Ease a boy ever phoned his father, in
the presence of the seller, to prove that
his reason of purchase was correct.
There was absolutely no proof in
court that any OF these things happen
ed, as the record will clearly show, nor
was there n Misrepresentation to get
the evidence and none was needed.
The veracity of these boys, to all
who know them, will not be question
ed for a moment. They went into the
proposition (acting for the Law En-
forcement league) with their eyes open
and with a sincere purpose to stop the
fragrant, illegal selling Of tobacco to
youths, which every one knows has
been going on at. a high-handed rate
for a long time.
The boys had evidence against nine
teen different places in all; but only
the twelve very best I'M surest COM
plants were pushed. Most of the cases
passed up were not pushed because
of firms having changed hands, and by
reason of many of the clerks having
hurriedly left town. Some OF the evil
dence gathered by these boys goes
back to six n seven months 6 and
all he evidence and complaints were
kindly handed out before the new and
stringent laws of July l went into eff
feet. "
These cases were also brought after
the warning, by the district court and
sheriff, several months ago.
Members of the Ministerial ~associa-
tion, members of the various church
brotherhoods, the Law Enforcement
league, the Civic committee of the Per
sonal Workers league, the Boys de
| partment of the Y. M. G. A. and the
states attorney have known of, advis,
ed and supported this movement al
along and the whole procedure was q
climax of a well thought out. well sup
ported plan and not IN upshot of any
boy detective game as some WoSlt
have it appear.
These boys were not of the detective
type of the Nick Carter youth, bu
are matured, thinking boys in tht
business for law enforcement and thu
protection of their fellows; and Ger,
tainly no citizen who becomes in
formed of the facts will for a momen
stoop to belittle that sort of heroi'
purpose just because they are boys
Would that we had more Dads" will
equally as much civic courage.
If the above statements are furthe
questioned then let the E~nforcemen
league come out and publish the en-
tire court proceedings and let the rec
ord speak openly for itself, givin:
names and dates. 1t seems necessar.
with every kind of laWlessness L
make am example. The Enforcement
league has always announced ahea.
and tried to restrain violations OF Law
This was done by the district cour
and sheriff in this case BUT they woul,
not take warning.
(Signed) F. Il. Watkins,
Sup't. OF enforcement League.