The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1918-05-24
States S Law Department Gives
No Immunity to Liquor
Law Violators
MANY SELLERSSURRENDER
All Evil Resorts Closed After State
Secures Evidence
LOCAL OFFICIALS AIDED

Attorney General Edward J. Brun-
idage deserves great credit for the
work of his department in the en-
sforcement of anti-liquor laws in Illi-
snois. Both by direct action and indi-
rectly through local states attorneys,
the power of the attorney generals
Office has been felt by violators of
laws regulating or restricting the sale
of Intoxicating liquors. Both licensed
and illegal liquor dealers who for
many years eontemptuously abrogated
the will of the people as expressed in
state laws by brazenly selling on Sum
days, after hours, OF without licenses
respect the laws of the state. During
its investigation OF the East st. Louis
riot, the attorney generals depart
ment demonstrated that the liquor in
terests need expect no special favors.
Instead Of lessening the activities OF
the attorney generals Office in this in
vestigation the close connection be-
tween the liquor interests and the
causes and conditions resulting in the
riot merely spurred the department on
TO greater activity against vice and
law-brcaking wherever these were
-i~Aard And .vher~srr= vice ard law.
breaking were found the liquor inter-
ests were invariably responsible for
the evil conditions existing.
One of the greatest victories for
law and order against the hitherto inn
munc liquor law-brcakers was won by
the attorney generals department at
Lyons in Vermillion county. Here the
most lawless saloons in the state of
Illinois had for months been making
this suburb of Danville one of the
most disgracefully vicious communi
ties in the United States. After secur-
ing an immense mass of evidence
against the saloons at this place, suits
were filed and the saloons closed un-
der the injunction and abatement act,
which applied in these cases.
The success of this procedure by
the state had marked influence upon
the result of the local option election
in Danville township on April 2, clos
ing the saloons for good. Previous
to the bringing of law and order to
Lyons, roadhouses and other illegal
saloon resorts in Madison, St. Clair
and Peoria counties were successfully
proceeded against
OF this work the Springfield News
Record says: "In these counties there
was either not the disposition or a
lack of ability to handle the situation,
and the attorney general launched an
anti-vice crusade with characteristic
energy. He met vigorous opposition,
but he prevailed, and today the vicious
elemenl realizes that Illinois offers it
no asylum" In these counties, in con-
nection with Sunday closing in the
city of Peoria and in suburban terri
tory near other large wet cities, the
attitude of the attorney generals de-
partment was an important factor.
One of the most recent law enforce
ment achievements had to do with
eliminating Illegal liquor dealers in
Jacksonville. Commenting on these
cases, Mr.. c. w. Middlekauf, assistant
attorney general, said "The trouble
with the situation here in Jacksonville
is that the authorities have not been
working together. My observation OF
the city and county officials is that
they individually want to see the law
enforced, but they have not just
known how to go at the matter and
have tried to work too much indepen-
IDENTIFY. There has not been the neces-
sary team work"
An idea of the extent of the states
activities through its legal department
may be gotten from statement of Mr..
Middlekauf at the time action was
taken at Jacksonville, in which he says
that he had previously drawn up as
documents such as were filed in con-
nection with the Jacksonville cases.
Not only have good results been
brought about by direct action of the
attorney generals Office, but the fact
that the attorney general expects the
laws of the state to be respected by