The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1917-02-19
GOVERNMENT GETS
BIG LIQUOR STOCK

Savannah, Ga, Feb. 16.-Posscsion
OF $50 packages OF liquor, estimated
to Be worth some $4,000, fell to the
government yesterday through the
conviction of George Davis and Wy
lie Williams in the United States
District Court before Judge Emory
Speer, of having violated the inter
state commerce act in mislabeling the
liquor as household goods"
What will the government do with
the two carloads of wet goods, now
that it has them? Already the liquor
has cost the United States something
like $1,000 for care and custody, and
it was intimated that at least enough
would be sold by the government
to cover this expense.
Then will arise the question of what
shall be done with the remainder. 1t
is admittedly very, very poor stuff In
fact, nearly every witness before
Judge Speer spoke of it in disparag-
ing terms and Attorney Roland Ellis,
in the closing argument assured the
jury that the officers Of the court
wouldn't take the whiskey as gift.
or words to that effect.
If the government should decide to
sell it, where would the sale be held?
Not in Georgia, that certain, although
the government might dispose of it
on one of its reservations within the
states borders, but there would be
few officers ready to pounce upon the
purchaser should he remove his pur-
chase from the reservation
1t is possible that the bulk of the
liquor will be destroyed and that the
remainder will be transported to
wet" territory to be sold to cover
government expenses. However, had
the jury acquitted the defendants.
Georgia sheriffs now would be in pos
session of the stuff at Metz and Lax,
where it is under federal guard.
In charging the jury Judge Speer
said in part:
1T is not disputed that the two car
loads of liquor were shipped by the
persons in this proceeding, that is to
say, Williams and Davis. These men
had been near beer dealers in the city
of Fitzgerald, in Ben Hill county,
and in dispensing the presumably
nnocuous beverage, widely known as
near beer, they had found it necessary
to accumulate $50 packages of more
potent intoxicants. These the gov
eminent in this proceeding is seeking
to forfeit.
These carloads of spirituous and
vinous connections are referred to
colloquillay by the learned counsel
on both sides as Whistles. For con
venience the court accepts the char
acterization of counsel. These whis-
kies were consigned to two persons
of color, one Ed Currie and L. r.
Dickson. Currie and Dickson were
ostersibly the consignors and con-
signees, both. 1t, however, is not
disputed that the carloads of intoxi- |
cants were shipped by Davis and
Williams, claimants The contents
of both cars were described both in
the bill of lading and in the way bill
issued by the Ocilla, Pinebloom and |
Valdosta Railroad as household |
goods. Subsequent development has
disclosed their real character and the
government has filed a libel for their |
forfeiture.
Il must remind you that, however,
disobedient they were to the prohibi-
ton law of the state, it must not af-
feet your verdict here, unless their
conduct is material under the issue
here made, and tends to show that
their purpose was to run the two cars
of whisky outside the state, as they
declared to be true in their plead
ings."