Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-10-28

Halloween celebrators and those who
take too leading part in the last rites
for Old John Barleycorn Wednesday
night and fall into the clutches Of the
police before Wednesday midnight will
be tried at / session Of Police Court &c
Be Meid ftat might.
Only q few times in the history Of
the Police Court has a night session
been held. and the session Wednesday
night was determined by the authori-
ties only because of an unusual situa-
ton that will result from the going
into effect Of the Sheppard dry law at
midnight Wednesday. The Sheppard
law repeals the Jones-Works law un-
der which the saloons have been oper-
ating In Washington for several years
and under which persons taken in by
the police on charges OF intoxfcat1on
have been tried in Police Court.
Ringgold Hart, assistant corporation
counsel in charge o. such cases in Po-
the repeal of the Jones-Works act by
the Sheppard law persons arrested for
drunkenness Wednesday or wednesday
night could not be tried on that charge
after midnight of that day.
Agree on Might oeSS1On.
Mr.. Hart called the situation to the
attention of Judge Mullowny after con-
ference with Maj. Pullman. superin-
tendent of police and it was agreed to
hold the night session of Police Court
beginning at 9 o'clock Wednesday
night. Announcement of the night
session was made in Police Court yes
terday.
"RaaEzinp tbe exnressed repeal NJ
the old law without a saving clause
being contained in the new law" said
Assistant Corporation Counsel Hart
"it is apparent that persons arrested
could not be tried after that date and
for that reason the night session is
necessary to try such cases"
"Of course" said the prosecuting Of
fcer "it will mean that many and
probably all offenders still will be
suffering from the effects of alcohol
when they appear in court. Their con-
dition will be mute testimony Of guilt
May Close Before Wednesday.
Many saloons already have closed their
doors. and it is thought others will cease
doing business before Wednesday.
Many saloonkeepers and proprietors of
so-calied mail-order houses have reaped
q harvest during the past few days. the
advanced price Of liquors not serving to
decrease their business.
The flourishing business OF the past few
days did not show the slightest sign of
decrease last night, which. according to
the police, indicates that residents of this
city and nearby country districts are put
ting in supplies calculated to last them a
long time.
According to the Interpretation placed
upon the law by Albert z. Shoemaker
counsel for the Anti-Saloon League. the
stock left over in saloons after We'd
hA -
places where the liquor was sold and
where owners have paraphernalia for
conducting saloons. He quoted the part
of the law covering the question as fol-
lows:
means for dispensing same, or the
paraphernalia of barroom or other
alcoholic liquor establishment. or any
United States internal revenue tax re-
ceint Of certificate for the sale of al
coholic LIQUOR effective as aforesaid
shall be prima facie evidence of the
violation Of the provisions of this act.'
No More Accidental Drunks."
After October 81 there will be no
wore accidental drunks." according
to Judge Mullowny. and penalties for
snch Violations of the dry law will be
more severe than those heretofore i'm
posed. When the dry law becomes ef-
fectiye, according to the courts reason
ing, it will be necessary for man to
resort to the use OF What he has at
home or to go In search of contraband
LIQUID refreshments if he wants to be-
come intoxicated. and the man who
does either and gets intoxicated does
SO by design rather than by accident
II is more than probable that the
court tomorrow or Tuesday will make
an announcement from the bench Of
an intention to follow Maj Pullman's
rigid enforcement of the dry law with
sentences which will be calculated to
act as deterrent.
Assistant Corporation Counsel Hart
realizing his legal inability to prose.
cute pending LIQUOR cases after the
clearing tho docket OF such cases IN
Police Court. =