The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-06-18
Strong Drink to the Value of at
Least S1,25o,o 900 is
ContiScated.

Gently began in this little Alabama
city. and is still under way. Led by
state and federal officers, a large
force OF government agents and depu-
ties swooped down on the wcttest
spot Of It's size in the world" and
confscated strong drink to the value
OF at least $l,260,0OO.
And the end is not yet. Fresh
raids have been made almost every
day. as sleuths have ferreted out con-
cealed stores of beer. whiskey. gin
and other brands OF wet goods"
and it is expected that many thou
sands Of dollars worth Of alcoholic
liquids will yet be discovered. The
authorities have made rich hauls in
almost every conceivable hiding plac.
es-ginneries, store-roOms, out
houses. drug stores. clubs. under
ground. behind blind partitions and
V e at the rear Of the home Of
Mayor Earl Morgan and on the prop
erty owned by Tom Hudson, mem
Der Of the Alabama Legislature which
passed the prohibition law designed
TO drive the demon run forever
from the state. Events have proved
that the word Girard was virtually a
synonym for 'speak-easy" and blind
tiger"
Militia Aids Raiders.
When the raidIng began, the mi
litiR was called out and the town
was placed under martial law. Dur
ing the disorders that attended the
wholesale cleanup" one man was
killed by a deputy. State troops are
still guarding the vast stock OF con
traband that has been collected. Many
arrests have been made and several
high officials are In danger Of indict-
ments. NJ. S. Baughn. chief OF the
raiders, declares that the town may
be under martial law for n year while
the countless legal entanglements are
threshed out in the courts. II is not
unlikely that the final settlement will
rest with the supreme court. Yet this
colossal booze" scandal has taken
place in a so-called dry" state.
You would be amazed beyond
power OF expression to see those sew
en- warehouses stocked with c%onlscat-
ed liquor" said Mr., Baughn a few
days ago. "And there is plenty more
TO be dug up from the cellars and
the woods. Squads Of deputies are
kept busy making new seizures, al
though 1t would take almost n month
to empty into the river what We al
ready have on hand. But the prob
lem Of disposing of these seizures will
not be solved without one Of the
hardest fought legal battles W seen
in Alabama.
Dealers Had Ample Warming.
THE dealers who are now begging
for the state to spare their whiskey
deserve no sympathy. They knew
that the prohibition law went into
effect on May l, and they were
warned in time to get rid Of their
stock. The trouble was that they had
who had promised protection II the
dealers continued operations. And
regarding these men higher up. there
will be big surprises when they are
exposed. They will. in all probable
ity, be prosecuted. Evidence is now
being gathered against them. They
combined for the purpose Of supply
ing the whole OF Alabama. as well
as part of Georgia with contraband
liquor"
Governor Henderson is strongly in
favor of destroying all OF the con
traband that has been seized, and so
are other officials. But the liquor
interests are determined to save 1t.
There is a possibility that the own
ers OF the huge stocks in question
will make an effort to secure relief
from the legislature. Some of them
have pointed out that a precedent in
such matters already has been estab-
lished, in that during the session of
the legislature in 1915 a resolution
was adopted granting whiskey own
ers OF Alabama time in which to re-
move their large stocks and dispose
Of them.
Would Ship Liquor Ont of State,
But Legislative enactment Of the
character desired. could come. II is
said, only through a special session
Of the states law makers. II the
such a session. the bill which would
probably be offered would allow the
owners OF liquor seized Mt Girard to
ship the same out Of the state, either
TO the distillers or to wet states,
where they would be able to realize
On the investment they had made In
the stocks. II ia unlikely, however,
that Governor Henderson will con-
SEM to such action. There Is n great
er probability that the liquor will
either be burned or thrown into the
ChattahOochee river.
Before the raid occurred there
were many complaints by the prohi-
bition forces that local officials OF Gi-
rard and Russell county either would
not or could not enforce the law. At
ter the state went dry" Girard au-
thorities were notified by the state
that the laws we're sufficiently COM
plete for enforcement and that ev-
cry aid would be given for the stamp
ing out OF Illegal selling of liquor.
Local Officials Failed.
But persistent reports reaching the
state capital told Of alleged wide
open violations Of the prohibition
law. Then the local officials were
warned that the state would take
charge Of the situation II the speak
easies" were not Immediately closed
up. Nevertheless. the booze joints"
continued to flourish. and great guam
titles of liquor kept coming into the
community.