The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1914-09-03
Judge Maxwell Tells Grand Jury II
Investigate Intoxicated Auto
Drivers.

In instructing the grand jury at
Creston last week Judge Z. l.. Max
we'll, Judge of the district court gave
instructions to the grand jury to IN
vestigate the matter of drunken driv-
ers operating autos on the streets
and highways of Union county. ne
will preside at the October term OF
the Decatur county district court and
will doubtless give similar lnstruc-
tons to the grand jury in this county.
Some of those auto owners VINO nave
been getting tanked up and then
trying to drive their auto on the
road or off it had better sit up and
take notice. Judge Maxwell instruct
ed the Union county jury as follows:
"While speaking to you about the
matter of the obstruction, of the pub
lie highways, l want to call your at
tention to another matter. AS time
progresses we have our public high
WAYS flooded with new vehicle as IT
is styled, a motor-vehicle, automo-
bile, or motor-car. If any OF you
have been in this city or elsewhere
where is a gathering of the general
public, you have doubtless noticed the
large number of motor vehicles that
have been present. Our state au-
thorities have already issued licenses
to more than one hundred thousahu
of those motor-vehicles in our own
state, and they are now occupying
and using our public highways to a
very great extent ! am glad that
our people can afford the luxury Oh
this means of transportation. But
along with the conveniences Of the
motor-vehicle there have come some
inconvenience. Numerous COM
plaints have reached me in the last
few months in regard to the condl-
ton of our public highways by rea-
son of these vehicles. You will OBJ
serve by reference to Chapter " OF
the Acts of the 34th General Assem-
bly a lengthy enactment in regard 10
the use of these vehicles. The con-
troll and management of such We
hicles is very fully set forth in the
law. some ten or fifteen sections pro-
viding rules and regulations, ana
winds up with the provision that, the
violation of any of the provisions OF
any sections from 8 to Is shall constl-
tute a misdemeanor, and shall be
punishable by fine not exceeding
fifty dollars. Another SUBDIVISION
provides for fine not exceeding one
hundred dollars for a violation OF
section 20. With these provisions
YOU will have nothing to do.
Section 25, however, provides ina
whoever operates q mOtor-Venlcle
while in an intoxicated condition
shall be guilty of a misdemeanor ana
This is an indictable misdemeanor.
r. is also provided in the same sec
ton that if any person be convicted
the second time OF the foregoing OIL
tense he shall be guilty OF telonv'
punishable by Imprisonment 1or a
term of not less than one year, or
more than five years in the penl-
tertiary and your body would nave
jurisdiction in both of such cases.
Complaints have reached me IN
regard to the violation OF TINS law.
A dealer in this city who is selling
automobiles, whom know person.
allv. warns his customers to keep on
IF the streets in Creston, and the
roads and highways within five or SIX
miles of Creston on Saturday nights
after nine O'Clock. The reason given
ia that on those evenings so many
drivers become intoxicated that 1t
IS absolutely unsafe to travel over
these public highways. MY own on.
servation is that a large per cent OF
the danger is caused by these We
hicles being piloted by drunken men.
It takes careful management TO
guard against accidents of serious
character, and man whose brain is
befuddled with liquor is absolutely
unfit TO handle a vehicle of this char
acter..
II remember of noticing an ac-
count in our city papers during the
summer where two young men were
found sleeping in a drunken condl-
ton in an automobile, which was
standing crosswise in the public road
on a dark night. And have heard
Of other cases where horses and We
hicles have been more or less injured
or wrecked by reason OF drunken
drivers.
"Our legislature recognizes that
these are serious matters to WMcn
attention should be directed. And,
gentlemen, if we are to have our laws
observed, it is proper for me to call
YOUR attention to them. think
there are good many in this COM
munity who know nothing of our
laws covering the operation of motor
vehicles either as to excessive rate OF
travel, or the observation Of signals,
and because of the numerous COM
plants brought to my attention, and
because of the great danger attend
ing a lack Of observation of these
matters deem it proper to call your
attention to th:l portion OF the law
which is properly subject for your
and not mine.
August is Hot, But September 1s
Coming.
Wolf Mason. This is the month