Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-02-13
ORDER Of JUDGE HILL
CLOSES LIQUOR DEPOT
Of EXPRESS COMPAN
Court Action Holds Up DeIiv-
cries of Liquor Pending
Hearing Set for Next
Thursday

The, Southern Express company was
late yesterday afternoon temporarily re-
strained from handling liquor in its depot
at Chapel and Mangum streets. Judge
Ben H. Hill, of the superior court, who
signed the order at the instance of So
licitor John A. Boyilin, cited the COM
pany to show cause before MN on Thurs
day next why the injunction should not
be made permanent.
The injunction. was signed by Judge
Hill Saturday following a series of ex-
haustive Investigations conducted by So
licitor John A. Boykin, acting with the
city detectives.
The injunction specifically sets forth
than no liquor may be delivered from
the present liquor station" and that the
company can only deliver packages from
the regular warehouses of the company
where all other transportation matter
is handled. Sheriff Hardy and Detectives
Maddox, Vickery and Handy were in
structed to seize on order of the court zoo
packages of whisky by order of the court,
representing different names and said to
have been ordered at the instance of one
Henry Boyd, negro.
CHARGES AGAINST COMPANY.
The bill charges that the Chapel and
sance, which abatement the solicitor
general is empowered to take steps
against under the prohibition amend
ment. Ten points are stressed by the
injunction. wherein the express company
has violated the law. Among them are
That the company now has on hand
a large quantity of whisky for distribu-
ton among wholesale liquor dealers AID
to boot leggers."
That the company is delivering large
quantities of liquor, in excess of the
two quart" statute knowing that per-
sons receiving the liquor are obtaining it
illegally.
That the company is delivering,
knowingly, large quantities of liquor to
people using fictitious names.
That the company is delivering liquor
to males when @he consignee is fe-
male. and vice versa.
That minors are. allowed to get whis-
ky from the company.
That consignees are allowed to break
the original packages while on the prem
Uses of the company.
That large quantities of whisky are
sold daily in the delivery office with
the company's knowledge.
That whisky is delivered other than
between the legal hours of I a. m. to
5 p. m, and on Sunday.
That whisky is secured without aft
davit
That the legal oath is seldom admin
istered to consignees.
The injunction prohibits the shipping
out, concealing or destroying liquor
which is at present in the office in fic-
ticious names of which the company
is cognizant.
Solicitor Boykin will contend on
Thursday that the office must never be
opened again on Chapel street or in any
residential community, on the ground
that it constitutes a public nuisance to
maintain il there.
Detectives Shaw, Handy, Vickery and
Maddox have been working for the past
week in connection with the solicitors
office, and Saturday afternoon they an
nounced that their evidence against the
company was complete. Assistant So
licitor E. A. Stephens called a taxi and
quickly drove to Judge Hills home Judge
Hill signed the order and in few min
utes the party of sheriffs and detectives
we're or their way to the express Offices.
They arrived few minutes before clos
ing time and ordered the doors closed.
At s o'clock Saturday night, after the
search of the express company's liquor
department by Deputies Hardy and Reg
lister, and Detectives Maddox, Vickery
and Handy, Solicitor Boyl<in stated to
newspaper mon that quantity Of liquor
had been confiScated. He would not re-
veal any names of consignees or per-
sons ordering whisky. The solicitors
office was crowded with detectives, dep
uties and witnesses at late hour Sat-
urday night, and It is understood that
a voluminous amount of evidence will
be introduced by Solicitor Boykin at the
hearing Thursday.
TTCHTNTNC CONSTGNMEyNTS
Detective Shaw, who worked over the
case until midnight Friday, states that
he has an affidavit to the effect that one
Ed Griffin, negro, now under arrest
and in the tower, recently received 81
packages of liquor in SO minutes having
had a list of fictitious names to whom
the liduor was consigned. Detective Shaw
told newspaper men that griffin simply
held his sheet of paper with the names on
il in his hand and touched a pen to the
oath in the hands of the exprtss clerk.
Solicitor Boykin and detectives have
been cooper ating for the past week, Chief
Lanford having assigned them TO the So
hcitor's office for this special work.
Attorney Phillip H Alston. of Aston
& Aston, counsel for the express COM
pany, stated when questioned regard
ing the attitude of the. company to-
ward the action of the court, that they
believe the police will bear them out
in the fact that officials of the COM
pany have always sought to give every
aid possible to the police department in
experimenting offenders against the pro-
hibition laws.
Mr.. Aston stated that the injunction
was in no way specific In It's charges,
save in that II named the negro, Boyd,
as having 200 packages of liquor at
the depot consigned to ficticious names.
I'M s
served Saturday afternoon officials Co
operated with officers in endeavoring
to locate these packages of liquor, which
he claimed had not been found at
o'clock.
The bill Is general, and the charges
are purelv of a blanket FORM" he. said.
"and we wish for the solicitors office
to make the charges more specific, and
against persons in the express company
who have been violating the law.