The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1916-10-06
Dry Leaders Part Of
Blind Tiger Ring
Prohibition Legislators
Are Trapped IN Aia-
bansa Conspiracy

Montgomery, Ala, July g.
Alabama's prohibition law has been
fagrantly violated in rural commu-
mites ever since it became operative
two years ago. There is no longer any
doubt as to the facts. Prohibition
members of the legislature have been
caught in a net spread By the attorney
generals Office. Municipal and county
officials have become entangled in
the same net. Liquor in astonishingly
large quantity is known to be secreted
IN small towns throughout the state
to be served to the population by boot
leggers and operators Of blind tigers
at $3.50 a quart, the same costing
some combine 81 a gallon. This
abundance of liquor does not belong
to licensed dealers in neighboring
states. 1t is the property of prohibi
ton Legislators, mayors of towns,
sherifs of counties, probate judges
who try small offenders against the
law, and those private citizens who
can be induced to invest their savings
in lawless conspiracy.
More than a dozen counties in rural
sections of Alabama are in the grasp
of such combine, or else the state
law agents are very badly fooled. The
sole purpose of the combine is to make
money out of a prohibition law. If
the combine can buy liquor for 50
gallon and sell it for $3.50 a quart,
there is money in it for the stock
holders. 1t means a gross profit of
$4 a gallon. Bootleggers handle the
contraband liquor for the. combine for
dollar gallon commission. The net
profit, therefore, to the combine on a
gallon Of liquor is around three dol
lars. There is nov in the hands of
the law agents at Girard contraband
liquor to the amount of from 100000
to 100000 gallons with a cash value
Of 100000 to 100000 and a retail
value Of from 100000 to 81 100000.
If the combine had been permitted to
sell the stock at prevailing bootleg
prices, they would have made for
themselves and agents a cool million.
A number of other small towns in
Alabama are under surveillance. The
light will be turned on them from the
office of the attorney general.
Liquor was hauled into the state
a long time before the present pro-
hibition law went into effect, to be
sold after the law had closed the
licensed saloon. More gallons of
liquor are consumed in the state every
month than could be shipped into it
under the commerce laws by all of the
mail order houses within reach in a
year. In some towns large quantities
Of liquor are buried in cellars, far
under ground. Subterranean passages
have been dug from one house to
another-tunnels in which whole bar
rels and cases Of liquors are hidden.
For example, law agents from the
Office Of the attorney general of Ala
hama have seized at Girard, Alabama,
more than 100000 worth of contra
band liquors. The value of the seizure
is attested ! the attorney general
himself in I sGblic statement. Girard
is small town Of less than 5000
situated on the Chatta-
hoochee River in southern Alabama
near the more pretentioCs city of
Georgia. 1t is in the heart
IF a section of country that las been
most insis'ent for the enactment of
prohibition laws for both Alabama
and Georgia. 1t is now most fragrant
n the violation OF these laws.
Dispatch 10 the Boston Tras,cript |
THly y, 1876.
Published BY the Indiana
6rspsrs Assoejs,tos |