Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-05-18
DRASTIC STEPS
TO RID ALABAMA
TOWN OF LIQUOR
Military Placed in Control
Of Situation at
Girard.
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS
WORTH OF WHISKY SEIZED
Maids Made by Special Law
Agent of State Attorney
General.
COUNTY OFFICIALS TOO t.x
Long known as "Wide.Open" Town.
Despite Stringent Pro.
hfbition Laws.
COUNTY OFFICIALS TOO LAX
Long known as "Wide.Oncn" Tow,
Despite Stringent Pro.
hibition Laws.

COLUMBUS GA Nav t71.b. ;,,
'a'S Tonight took charge of the situ-
alton In Girard. where Specia, Agent
ianshan. or Atlanta. special law aren,
Tor the Attorney General OF Alobam,
to-day raided twelve places and CON
fiscated many thousands of do,,,r..
worth OF liquor held in violation of
the Alabama prohibition laws cav
tain Dallas Smith. OF Company 7. Soc
ond Regiment. National Guard Of Ala.
hama, from opelika. Issued an order
placing the military in control at ca,
o'clock tonight.
The Opelika company, number5rs
twenty-seven men. arrived at Girnrd
ia'e this afternoon and began patrol
ing the streets. They were assisted
oy 100 special deputies from Montcom-
cry. Mobile. birmingham. Girard and
Phenix City, Ala, and Columbus and
Atlanta, Ga.
Five freight cars were ordered TO-
nigh. by Srecial Agent Baughan to
carry the confscated liquor to some
unnamed destination tomorrow, prob-
ably Opelika, Montgomery or Union
Springs.
Word that Governor Henderson. at
birmingham. had declared that con-
ascatcd liquor could not be removed
! from the houses in which it was found
! without n court order met the response
| from Baughan that he intended moving
4 tomorrow morning, unless prevent
cd by an injunction or other court
order.
RAIDS TO CONTINUE
IN GIRARD For 4 WEEK
| The raids which began at o'clock
| this morning, after n special train
carrying rwcnty-two deputies arrived
| from Mon:: olucry, will be resumed to-
morrow, and will continue for a. week,
according TO Mr.. Baughan. @
! Ciirard is IL town OF 5000 popula-
! ton, and when the crowds that filed
tho streets interfered somewhat with
| the raiders. the guardsmen were
| brought in to assist in keeping order
and guarding the confscated liquor.
| Two other compa uies at Montgomery.
one at Union Springs and another at
| Troy, also were ordered ready for SER
v:cc, according to Baughan.
The raiders arrived at Girard at $40
! o'clock this morning and remained In
seclusion until o'clock, when they
suddenly swooped down on tho sus-i
pected places. Other deputies arrived
| during the day Under the Alabama
| law. such raids may be made only be-
| tween the hours OF S 4. NJ. and p.
NJ The Mayor this afternoon appoint-
| ed several policemen and ordered them
to protect the property OF Glrard citi-
xens Special Agent BauGhan ordered
| his men to arrest any one interfering
| with them
It is believed that a large quantity
! OF whisky has thus been disposed OF
during the past few days.
| Three hundred barrels of whisky
were found and seized In one place in
lower Girard. In q farmhouse five
miles from Girard stock OF liquor,
estimated by Baughan to be worth
! $4,000, was seized. Two mon guard
| ing the liquor attempted 20 draw
f, pistols. but were disarmed by the depu-
ties. They we're released. but later
Baughan ordered their arrest They
| had not been apprehended tonight.
GUARD OF FIVE MEN
| WITH EACH SEIZURE
! To-days raidins was carried out
| systematically, and whenever contra
band liquor was found 4 guard OF fve
men was left TO prevent its being car
| red away. II was said to-day that
| detectives mad been working In G1rard
! Cor some time, and that tho Attorney
| Generals men had information which
made much OF their work compara-
| lively easy.
Girard has been known as o wide
open" town, despite Alabamas prohibit
tion laws, which are very stringent. It
| is said that many thousands OF dollars
worth OF liquor. some placing tho
amount as high as 5000 was car
ried across the State line when
Georgia's prohibition laws became effec-
tive. May /.
Following complaints smade to State
officials, according to reports, the Of
Hcials OF Russell County, in which
Girard is located. we're notified that
Ciirard must be Cleaned up" The Of
hcers. 1t is said, either were unable or
unwilling to do SO. and the Attorney
| General, who is armed with wide
powers under the prohibition laws. de-
cided TO take Il hand
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