The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1916-05-29
Special Train, Loaded with Militia, Sneaks
into Wet Spot Where Festive BooI.
leggers Defy Dry Law and
Things Happen
PRYINC REPORTER
| is MADE CAPTIVE
Oscar" Butts into Expedition and i
Marooned Till Destination Reached;
Liquor Seized by Soldiers
by Wholesale
(By ]. Edwin Pool.)

Atlanta Ga, May 25.-lby mail ~
have just returned from Columbus,
Ca, and while there / witnessed soms
sights that brought to my mind GER.
tain booze raids In Chickasha, that
have gone down in history as more or
less famous, because of the quantity
of stuff captured, the notoriety OF the
alleged owner or vender Of said "lick-
er" or the fame Of the officers making
the catch.
Immediately across the river from
Columbus is the village OF Girard,
Ala, located in Russell county, which
county the people Of Alabama do not
include in the great commonwealth
of Alabama" when speaking Of the
state. 1t is always. Alabama and
Russell county, said distinction being
drawn because some choose to speak
of that territory including and sur
rounding Girard as the worst coun-
ty in the United States.s The time
was when Girard boasted OF some Of
ths biggest and most prosperous
wholesale liquor houses outside OF PEI
loria, ILL.,. or Jacksonville, Fla, and the
present trouble that has brought sew
eral companies OF Alabama's militia
to Girard was caused by the fact that
even after landslide by the ''prohis'
some of those same dealers continued
to ply their trade.
Special Train Sails.
The other night special train roll.
ed into Girard. It must have been
much like a battle cruiser sneaking
into a hostile port. There was an en-.
gine and one coach in that special.
1t sailed from Montgomery and aboard
the lone coach were some half q huns
dred individuals representing the
strong arm of the law All lights
We're extingushed as the train rolled
through the streets and as street after
street was passed, the officers swung
from the steps in twos ard threes. fn-
cidentally, there was one captiva
aboard that train. He was an enter
prising newspaper reporter who, hav.
ing got wind OF the special in Mont.
gomery, sought news from one Of the
officers. Having displayed too much
knowledge regarding the expedition,
he was loaded onto the train and al
lowed TO go on his way. only after ths
Girard stop was made. Meanwhile
neither his family nor the paper EN-.
ploying him knew of his whereabouts.
At an appointed hour. things began
to happen IN Girard and they havs
been happening ever since with reg
ularity that threatens to make paus
pers of most of the citizenship Of Rus
sell county. The first place raided by
the officers was near the river front
and yielded a total catch of $4,000
worth Of whisky. Camped q few.
miles out Of town we're two companies
of state militia. The afternoon of the
first day they we're called into town
and have held the village under mar
tial law since then
Booze IN Bank.
The raiders have made steady proa
gress and hardly business house has
escaped. The local bank was raided
and in an upstairs room whisky to the
amount OF $500 was found. It was
reported that in Mayor Morgan 5
home or on his premises, $500 worth
of the fiery fluid was unearthed. The
mayor il is said. got chesty and or.
dered two of number of special 20.
lice appointed by him, to arrest cou.
I pie of soldiers on charge OF exceed.
ing their authority. News reached
headquarters and the soldiers captain
immediately with small squad round.
ed up special police, procured the jaiE
keys from them, released HIS Dough.
boys" and locked tho mayor's ''spe.
cials" behind the bars. taking charga