The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1916-09-15
Great Wave Of Crime
in Dry Tennessee
Enforcing Prohibition
Requires Half of
Courts Tine


Officials of the various criminal courts
of Tennessee and students OF crime
statistics have been much concerned
for several months over a large in
crease OF infractions against the laws
of the state as reflected by the work
of the grand juries. After having on
the statutes Of Tennessee for seven
years 2 statewide prohibition law,
and number of lesser laws designed
and enacted to aid in the enforcement
Of the statewide law, it was cor
fidently expected by TIE advocates of
prohibition that MAJ ial reduction
would be noted IN crime; but instead
Of a reduction there is a steady IN
crease in practically every grade of
crime, from public drunkenness to
premeditated murder
That grand juries have been buster
than usual this fell is shown b. ar
unprecedentediy large number Of in
dictments IN TIE more pOpulOUs cities
and counties. The criminal courts are
clogged with business and jdils and
warehouses are full to ovcrlioW.ng. In
some of the ccuaties s.eps have been
taken to enlarge tie facilities of
warehouses; In oTJer to ere for the
greater number Of criminals con-
victed in the courts OF petty crimes
and sentenced to tie wOrkhOuSe 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. Every county
in the state has its full quota of boot
leggers and public dTuaks, 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 otter crimes, such as
murder, robbery aad larceny.
Hamilton county, o. which Chatta
nooga is the capital, is the third
county in point of population N 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 tran 700 true
bills, the largest number ever re
turned 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 roo indictments, therefore,
shows an increase in crime over the
average record of about 70 per cent.
Judge S. ID. McReynolds, of the
criminal court, himself q prohibition
iSt, admitted that the work OF this
grand jury established a new high
record of crime, and Prosecuting
Attorney NJ. n. Whitaker, also 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 Whit
aker took occasion to declare against
constitutional prohibition In view of
the fact that so much dissatisfaction
exists with the prohibitive policy
throughout the state and county that
to place prohibition IN n constitution
would create opposition, if not con-
tempt, for the org mic law.
In Davidson and Shelby counties,
Nashville and Memphis being the re-
spective capitals, the same growth of
crime is shown. The total number of
indictments returned at Nashville at
the fall term OF the criminal courts
3pprOXlTndleQ l,1OU, WIIle Tic average
of the past years for that county by
a 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 500 indict-
ments, have reported approximately
800 indictments for the fall term
of court.
The cost of prosecuting offenders
against the so-callcd temperance laws
of the state has grown to 4arge pro
portions.
The last biennial report of the State
Comptroller shows that it cost the tax
payers of the state $343 ,000 for the
period TO prosecute crime. wherea:
this item for the last year OF {
licensed liquor traffic in the state wa.
$15S,000. In view of the fact tha.
there has been q large increase o1
prosecutions in the criminal court;
during the present year, 1t IS rae
tically certain that the next biennia
report on the cost bin Will be neal
100000. the highest figure eve
known IN tie state.
The o5ove is q c. Of G'Shafrk fror
Chaftanooss. TsnseSsee. ID IT, > t1stfHsfoS
%. c. HvaId Of Dec. >, IgIS. Is pnbh
osfios is authorised J. tie IH4issJ Bre-e'
lAsSoejGfi01.