Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1917-10-04
Federal Authorities Working Assidu-
Ously to Enforce Bone Dry" Law
In Virginia.

Drastic steps are being taken by
the Federal authorities to break up
the liquor traffic between Washing
ton and Virginia since the bone
dry" law became effective For sew
eral weeks operatives have been
working extensively in Washington
and Alexandria, and recently secret
service men have been boarding trains
in Washington and riding into Fir-
ginia. At times they continue only as
| far as Alexandria, and at others 10
Fredericksburg and other points.
For the past week they have been
operating between Richmond and
Washington.
First trials Of persons accused Of
violating the Reed bone-dry amend
ment took place Tuesday in the
United States District Court for
Eastern Virginia now in session II
Richmond, when Judge Edmund Wad-
dill. ir., fined two men $3.50 each and
third $25. All were accused of
transporting liquor from wet terri
tory into Virginia, which is dry. con
trary to the Federal law which be-
came operative last July.
The traffic is said to be unusually
heavy because Of the prosperity OF
the farmers in Virginia and North
Carolina. In many instances the
operatives have found that the men
found with liquor in their possession
had never been away from home for
more than twenty-five miles in their
lives. With the bumper crops and
plenty of money they planned short
trips to Washington and Baltimore,
and flied their baggage before re-
turning.
Some question has been raised a
to the power Of the officers in raid
ing the trains without SPECIFIC
search warrants because Of the fact
that the railroads are bound by the
contract tacitly understood with the
sale Of every ticket to protect their
patrons and their luggage.
Moreover, explicit instructions have
been issued by the railroads to their
employees that search can only he
allowed when the duly authorized au-
thorities. whether they he Federal po-
Ire. State officers or specia agents
in the employ Of the Commissioners
of Prohibition. produce search war
rants. giving specific descriptions OF
the persons who are suspected ~
tran sporting liquor or the check num-
bcrs of the receptacleS in which the
liauor is supposed to be transported.
It is impossible for the railroad
authorities to police their trains, nh-
der the present wartime conditions
m s.e that these in .tructions are car
ried out.
ave have Il. sacred duty to our pa.
irons to protect them in every way
possible." said Warren 7. Taylor,
general traffic manager Of the Rlcn-
mond. Fredericksburg and Potomac
"Our president has issued orders
which have been transmitted to our
employecs. that search of passen-
gers shall only be allowed when
proper search warrant is produced.
Commissioner Peters said: I'VE are
hampered by the SmalIness ol our
appropriation for running down the
violators.
AT no time have my men, or the
city police, ever searched piece o'
,upr.yc without a search warrant.
Last week. ! had an agent searcn
trains at Alexandria. We have !"
pretty good idea of the people VINO
are transporting liquor"-the COM
missioner says his powers allow him
to keep specia! agents outside or the
State as we'll AS in" and ! am Su.H
that in the general run. no one has
been subjected to any indlgnitleS. vi
course, it is possible for mistakes TO
occur. but very few have been re-
ported tc me.
~ have SIC agents and many vol
unteers. They are doing wonderi III
work, and it is a mistake to say tha'
the police or my special agents-"no
are never allowed to appear IN court
| if it is possible to prove our case
without them-have ever broken IN
| to any trunk or other piece OF bag
gage.
/ Unless the situation grows more