Evening star., 1918-07-09
MAXIMUM PENALTY
FOR BO0TLEGGERS
Drastic Action by Court and
Police to Stamp Out H.
Ilcit Traffic. .
JUDGE HARDIs0N's EDICT

Drastic action is contemplated by
officials of the police department and
the Police Court to rid Washington
Of the band Of law-defying bootleg
gers who are still doing a thriving
business. Notwithstanding the activ-
tty in making arrests.
Already Judge Robert Hardison Of
the District branch of the Police
Court has made known his plans for
dealing with convicted liquor VEN
sentence on convicted bootlegger
yesterday afternoon, Judge Hardison
announced from the bench that
"oootlegglng In Washington must
STOP, and that the court would do
Its share toward that end. He stated
that in the future he would impose
the maximum penalty upon all pei
sons convicted of illegal selling
liquor.
THE law provides for q maximum
penalty" he said. land I intend to
impose it In the future" The maxi
mum penalty is Imprisonment of one
year and a fine Of $1,000 and one
years additional confinement in de-
fault of payment of the fine.
Illicit Sales Continue.
Although the police have been daily
making arrests of alleged bootleg
gers ever since the prohibition law
went Into effect in the District, the
Illicit liquor peddlers continues to
dispose of their goods. Southwest
strsst Washingt9n sspsoaiiy .ions ot1s
avenue" Is called the most notorious
bootleg district in the city.
Some colored sections in Southeast
Washington and GeeorEetown also
have been reported as the market
place" for the bootleggers. and the po-
veillance. Activity of liquor sellers on
upper 7th street northwest also has
been disclosed by testimony in the
court during the last week.
Witnesses for the government
against alleged hootleggers have tes-
kinds of ruses to deceive the officers
of the law. 1t has been shown that
the liquor peddlers work in gangs and
when transaction is made the money
Is handled by five or six different
persons and that the real seller of
cases already have been dismissed
In court because the marked money
used by the police and their agents
to make cases was not found upon
the men arrester.
Employ an advertising Man"
The bootleggers also have an lad
vertising man" who walks the streets
In the bootleg districts and yells his
wares under the camoufage of
pseudo song. During the trials of
several alleged bootIeggers 1t was
brought out in the testimony that
one man traversed upper 7th street
every evening about dark and sang
a song to the tune of popular rag
time piece. entitled Il Am the Doc
Significance of the song would then
approach him and he would send
them to a nearby near-beer saloon,
where one of his constituents would
make the sale. Another alleged boot
logger is said to advertise his wet
goods by singing Il Am the Iron
Man"
Five men arrested for drinking
whisky in the American League Base
Ball Park Sunday afternoon were
fined $25 each yesterday afternoon by
Judge Hardison, 1t was pointed out
that few persons understood the law
regarding drinking in public places.
Persons who camoufage themselves
behind a telegraph pole in an alley or
In a woodshed are as subject to ar
rest as a man who drinks bootleg
liquor on the street.
q. s. Cases Up Tomorrow.
Assistant District Attorney Ralph
Given announced his intention today
of disposing of all the "selling-to-
soldier" cases in the United States
branch of the court tomorrow. Nine
'selling-to-soldier" cases have been
assigned for tomorrow. If all these
cases are disposed Of this week it
will leave a clean liquor calendar in
the United States branch Of the court
i1. .f- -h,h = xAlr
soon by Assistant Corporation Coun-
sci Ringgold Hart to dispose of the
continued bootlegging cases awaiting
trial in the District branch.