Crossville chronicle. [volume] (Crossville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1915-01-20
THE MEMPHIS WHISKEy FIGHT
General Estes Asks Legislature to Place
Chief of Police Appointment in
Hands Of Gov. Rye.

1t is we'll understood that Attorney
General 2. K, Estes, of Memphis,
having hard tight with Mayor Crum
and his saloons IN Memphis. Genera
Estes is issuing letter. to the variou
papers of the state and is sending
copy of same to each member of tn
legislature He says: keeping Mem
phis dry with onIv one detective i
as hard as cleaning hell with a tootl
brush.' The letter mentioned follows
"Do you want to see the prohibition
law enforced in Memphis? If so, tax,
the police power out of the hands o.
the Mayor and Police Commissioner Of
the City of Memphis and put in it the
hands of a commissioner to be ap
pointed by Governor T. C. Rye. This
can be legally done. 1t should be
done, because the City of Memphis, by
not enforcing the prohibition law in
its borders, has refused to exercise a
duty and power delegated to it by the
legislature. The State should step in
and take back the police power from
the City of Memphis and put 1t in the
hands of police commissioner who
shall be appointed by the Governor
Of the State.
Gin st. LOUIS the Police Commits
sioner is appointed by the Governor of
Missouri. On Sunday in St. LOUIS
saloons do not sell liquor. They do
not open their doors. Why? Because
the State of Missouri has law against
Sunday saloon opening, and the State
has provided agencies and instrument
talities to carry out it's laws. Sunday
closing in st. Louis is as unpopular as
prohibition is in Memphis, yet it is
effectually done because the State has
control of the police department of the
City of st. Louis.
about 80 per cent of the people in
Memphis want an open town. There
fore, public sentiment is extremely
hostile toward enforcement of the
prohibition law. If the people of
Memphis had an opportunity OF vot-
ing on the prohibition law, they would |
repeal it, and by this means they
would be able to have such law as |
they want; bat the Legislature de- ,
clares what laws shall govern the City
OF Memphis. and regardless of the
opinions of the citizens of Memphis,
they are compelled to submit to such
laws as the Legislature passes.
"The platforms of both the Demo-
cratic and Republican parties strongly
declare for rigid enforcement of the
prohibition law. and that no backward
step shall be taken in the matter Of
prohibition; therefore, take it that
the Legislature will not accede to the
wishes Of the citizens of Memphis and
give them local option, high license
and segregation. AS the Legislature
will not be disposed to modify the law
b. tho Of Mor,nh,C |
tainly ought to provide adequate means
and agencies for the enforcement of
the prohibition law in this hostile COM
munity.
my one county detective The is paid
put of the State Treasury and is not
controlled by local paymaster) can
not sit on the chests of 700 saioonists l
scattered throughout "A square miles
OF territory, operating under the en- 1
and protection OF the t
Memphis police department. I
"There are about $50 policemen and
detectives in the City of Memphis.
The police, acting under orders of .
Mayor Crump, not only have neglected,
and are now neglecting, to carry out l.
the prohibition law. but they have
tried to crush and defeat h
every effort my office has made to en- q
force the prohibition law. v
II have one county detective, and d
there are $50 policemen and city de- f
tectives. There are $50 policemen and t
city detectives because it takes $50 b
policemen and CITY detectives to ade- O
Quately police city the size of Men, r
phis. My one detective cannot do the t
work of $50 policemen and city detec- "
tives, particularly when he is actively b
opposed by the puice department. v
Enforcing the prohibition law in Il
Memphis. with the police aiding, en- O
couraglng and giving support to the +
is very much like having v
l51 men in military camp fighting u
an enemy. where only one of the Isl n
Is loyal and the other $50 are traitors. b
''Since March my office, with one Ii
detective. and actively opposed by the
police department, has secured $50
iniunctions in the Chancery Court and r
III in the Criminal Court total of |;
l97. o
1--WE have convicted 46 saIoonists, and "
l6 of these nave appealed to higher u
court. Thirty sswere sent out to the v
work house. and the work house COM
acting at the request OF the "
City Administration, made things easy IL
and pleasant for the saloon prisoners. q
Of course, the failure of workhouse a
to make the saloonists c.
10 hard work almost emasculates IL
work house senenecs. @
Il ask the Legislature of the State n
IF Tennessee to take over the police u
department. Of the City of Memphis, e
md thus remove $50 armed traitors u
rom the camp of law enforcem ent o.
n the City of Memphis. g
81 beg to remain, very respectfully,
~. X. Estes, G,
"Attorney General. b
INV To f,JIRE TAGRIPPE COII(,H