The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-04-26
Jeffries Lets Alley
Drinkers Go and
Scores Police
70 DRINKS IN
EARLY SESSION
Police Rid Streets of
Men Who Annoy
Pedestrians


secause they are poor. Anv such
administration OF laws is both COW.
erdly and brutal"
The speaker was Police Justice
Jeffries and the occasion was the
arrest Of the ''can gang" band OF
six Industrious drinkers. who fell
victim to police order 10 clear the
streets Of DRINKS.
Had these men been possessed OF
money they would. doubtless, have
beer hanging over the finest bar in
the city drinking sparkling bur.
gundy or would have been at the
cabaret. imbibing freely OF cham.
payne" the justice continued.
Their sole offence, 1t appears was
that they were poor and. conse.
ouently. forced 10 stand in an alley
rnd drink out OF n can, for which
they had pooled their slender pos
sessions. These men over here
land the justice indicated a group Of
well-dressed attorneys and court at
tacbes), might well conduct gilded
CAFES which violate the law every
minute and never fear molestation.
Yet these other men, because they
ere OF the lower stratum OF society.
we're hailed before me for no other
season than that they were partak.
ing OF the best their pocketbooks
could AFFORD. There is nothing in
the law against drinking out of a
can. There Is nothing in the law
against drinking In an alley. These
men may go.
| "Mr Officer. hope some OF this
will sink into your mind. although
these remarks are not addressed to
| yoI personally. You. | know. are a
victim of a system and are not to be
| Banned"
Justice Jeffries' outbreak. unusual
In coming from a police justice Of
so long service. came toward the
close OF trying morning. in which
no less than 70 DRINKS had appeared
before aim.
There were men OF almost every
rrade of society. every nationality.
every walk Of life.
There were mothers and sisters in
the crowded benches outside the
railing.
An anaemic woman with wrink-
led face and toil.worn hands, hug
ged whimpering babe (unmistak-
{ bly, the child OF unfit parents) to
her breast while awaiting the call
Of the name OF my Mike" who had
been "pinched" for "glttin' a skate
or and threatening instant death
and destruction TO a cop" She
had the money to pay her Mikes"
fine, but II was not needed.
An aged woman. crying softly. fol.
lowed stalwart youth who paid no
need to her. out OF the room. Oats
her kid" whispered one hangeron
she's been here twice dis week"
Three men. arrested In different
parts Of the city, swore valiantly
that they had carried cripple-a
man with both legs missing above
the knees and who sat In low
wheeled wagon and pushed himself
along with his hands-up two
Fights OF stairs. They were engag-
ed in this occupation. according to
their story, when the police swoop-
cd down upon them and arrested
them, cripple and all. They were
released but the cripple. the last
10 be called, started a ripple OF
laughter In the court room by insist.
ing that nobody had carried him up
stairs.
"Yes, was drunk" he drawled.
"but I don't know dem nuts and dey
didn't carry me up no stairs"
"well. suppose that's all the pleas
ure you have-getting drunk" solilo-
oulzed the Judge as he peered down
at the distorted figure. "YoTd bet
ter get out OF here"
seventy-eight in all were the
"drunks" to be hailed into court on
this fair spring morning. But two
or three OF them--old and particu-
lsrly troublesome offenders-receiv-
ed fines or prison sentences, the re-
mainder being released on a prom
| Use TO &c and sin no more"
Rumors that the Golden Rule"
system OF dealing with DRINKS had
been abandoned were fatty refuted
by Supt. Downey.
THE class OF fellows that we are
rounding up and holding. never
would come under any Golden
Rule" said the superintendent.
"The Golden Rule is still In full
force and effect. Any fellow who
gets little too much liquor. and
simply needs TO sleep IL of; who
has job somewhere. and works at
II. will be given a rest In the sta
tior and released when he Is sober.
But these panhsndlers and can
rlshers. who mske nuisance OF
themselves on the streets. Will be
locked up all night and sent TO
court In the morning. Those that
don't belong here. we will drive out.
And those that belong here, we will
/ put to work In the workhouse, I'm