TaÌˆgliche Omaha tribuÌˆne. [volume] (Omaha, Nebr.) 1912-1926, 1916-02-15
RESULTS OF
ROHIBITION


Chattanooga, Tenn. - Officials OF
the various criminal courts Of Ten
nessee and students Of crime statist-
les haye been much concerned for
several months over a large increase
in infractions against the laws of the
State as reflected by the work Of
grand juries. After having on the
statutes of Tennessee for seven years
a Statewide prohibition law, and a
number of lesser laws designed and
enacted to aid in. the enforcement Of
the Statewide law, it was confidently
expected by, the advocates Of pro-
hibition, but doubted by opponents,
that a material reduction would be
noted in crime; but instead Of a re-
duction there is a steady increase in
practically every grade Of crime, from
public drunkenness to premeditated
murder.
That grand juries have been buster
than usual this fall is shown by an
unprecedentedly large number Of in
dictments in the more populous cities
and counties. The criminal courts
are clogged with business and jails
and warehouses; are full to over
flowing. In some Of the counties steps
have been taken to enlarge the
facilities Of warehouses in order to
care for the greater number Of petty
crimes and sentenced to- the work
house under a small offense law.
Published lists Of indictments show
beyond doubt that fully fifty per cent.
of the indictments returned by grand
juries throughout the State are for
violations Of the prohibition laws and
for public drunkenness. Half Of the
time of the criminal courts is taken
up trying these cases. The last Legis-
latur enacted a set Of laws making
it mandatory on the criminal courts
to take c~ognizance. Of all petty in
fractions of the prohibition LAWS.
Every county in the State has its
full quota Of bootleggers and pablic
drunks, to say nothing Of blind tiger
operators, and the prosecutions of
these offenders keep criminal courts
in perpetual session. But there has
also been an increase in all other
crimes, such as murder, robbery and
larceny.
Hamilton county, Of which Chatta-
nooga is the capital, is the third
county In point Of population in the
State, being exceeded by Davidson
and Shelby only. The grand jury for
the fall term Of the criminal court of
the county returned more than 700
true bills, the largest number ever
returned by a single jury In the
history Of the county. The average
number Of true bills returned by a
grand jury in the county during a
period of ten years is about 400. This
falls record Of TOO indictments there
fore shows an increase in crime over
the average record Of about rs per
cent. Judge S. D. McReynolds, of the
criminal court, himself a prohibi-
ZIONIST, admitted that the work of this
grand jury established a new high
record of crime, and Prosecuting At
torney NJ. N. Whitaker, also a pro-
hibitionist, said in an interview that
he could not account for the large
increase after admitting the facts as
shown by the grand jury's report.
In the course of his interview, Gen.
Whitaker took occasion to declare
against constitutional prohibition in
view Of the fact that so much dis
satisfaction exists with the prohibitive
policy throughout the State and coun-
ty that to place prohibition In a con-
stitution would create opposition, il
not contempt, for the organic Law.
In Davidson and Shelby counties.
Nashville and Memphis being the
respective capitals, the same growth
Of crime is shown. The total number
of indictments returned at Nashville
at the fall term Of the criminal courts
appropriated 1900, while the average
Of past years for that county by q
single grand jury is about 700. The
grand juries Of Shelby county, where
the average record for one term Of
the criminal courts is about 800 in.
ldictments, have reported approximate,
ly 1900 indictments for the fall tern
of court. The records in Shelby ane
Davidson counties, however, arc mol
AS yet complete. Some changes may
be shown in the final report, but il
any, they win not reduce the tota.
indictments. In csse Of the Hamilton
county grand jury already noted th'
record is complete, the jury having
made its final report. Knox county
of which the city Of Knoxville is ths
capital, reports largely ~inereases
work Of the grand jury and crimina
courts. The smaller cities Of th'