The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1913-01-30

"Stand In"
The citizens who comprise the
Grand Jury are E. r. Bernstein
foreman, w. C.. Ayers, B. C.. Gray
J. M. Mays Jr, NJ. A. W,asson, C. G.
Hardman, H. H. Ballinger, f. NJ
Hoyer, ID. X. Lotion, Ii. X. Sumrell,
John A. Keel, w. Fl. Murray.
O. The Grand Jury Report.
To the Honorable T. Fletcher Bell,
Judge of the First Judicial District :
We, your Grand Jury, respectfully
submit for your consideration the
following report:
We have examined t48 cases and
found i0i true bills; ignored 81
cases, and continued for further ev-
idence 10 cases. We would respect
fully suggest that grand juries be
called to meet more frequently, for
under the present system OF meet
ing about four times annually,
when information is liled with the
district attorney, ere the grand jury
cOnvenes witnesses are spirited
away and often the informant expe-
riences a change of feeling and al
though he or she may be victim OF
the person against whom charges
are preferred, it appears that they
have compromised or adjusted the
affairs and in such instances their
testimony is of naught.
The long intervals of grand jury
session thus enables INSIDERS to de-
feat the purposes of justice by dis
suasion, perversiOn or coercion.
With great difficulty have your jury
succeedcd IN wrestling The truth
from some recalcitrant witnesses
who endeavored to forget or fabri-
cate.
The Evil Influence of the Blind
Tiger.
Violations of law other than pro-
hibition and gaming seems to be
confined to the lower element OF
both white and negro races, result
ing principally from the evil influ-
ence of blind tiger whiskey among
the rough neck class in our oil and
manufacturing regions, and we note
the same effect on the town and
country negro, who appears to pro-
cure whiskey very readily.
Our Investigations disclosed that
the "open saloon" despite our laws
to the contrary, still exists in
Shreveport and even in the towns
of Vivian, Oil City and Moorings-
port. Bootlegging is prevalent in the
vicinities of Hosston, Rodessa, Mira,
Ida, Belcher and Spring Ridge.
Flagrant Evasion of Property
Owners.
In Shreveport we find that the
real owners of places where intoxi-
eating liquors are sold and craps
games and other gambling conduct
ed, have stool pigeons in whose
hands these places are licensed and
supposedly operated. This enables
the real proprietor to escape pun
ishment and grow rich while defy
ing our laws, and the poor unfor-
tunate who for a pittance consents
to run the risk of arrest and detec-
ton receives the sentence another
merits.
Under the ordinance permitting
near beer to be sold, the true article
is dispensed, but in most instances
without cap or label to distinguish
same, and while many witnesses
testified that they believed the hev-
erage bought by them to be the beel
prohibited from sale, yet were I'M
willing to affirm positively thereto
IT appears that the thirsty call for
white, black or cold bottle in or
dering their respective brands OF
beer. Act i78 of 1912, which licenses
near-beer, your jury believes IRON
the information before us, was ;
great mistake if the prohibition law
is to be enforced. We believe the
passing of this act was great vic
tory for blind tigerism.
We find many saloons conducted
in the rear of small grocery store:
and fruit stands, the legitimate. bus.
mess being but a subterfuge.
The Wide Open Saloon.
There are a number of saloons OF
the second floors of many busines
buildings in this city, particular,
on Texas street, and without excep-
ton, in such places our investiga-
tions showed craps games were ais
in operation.