The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-03-31
AyNE PRUSPEkS
IN FIRST Year
I OF PROHIBITION.
tistics for Indiana Show
1913 Percent Decrease in
Number of Prisoners.

Wayne county has prospered during
the first year Of prohibition in Indiana
which ends Wednesday evening, April
2, as have all other counties in the
state, according to statistics compiled
in Indianapolis.
In spite of the fact that an Ohio
county seat in which whisky Is sold,
is but sixteen miles from Richmond,
the propinquity Of wet territory did
not attract volume of trade that re-
ected upon business conditions In this
CITY.
Merchants here say that collections
are much better than at any time dur.
ing the regime of John Barleycorn;
deposits In the savings banks and f.
nancial institutions exceed those OF
any year In the history of the country;
dry goods merchants report the heav-
lest business they have done for
years. and grocers and butchers say
they are favored by marked increase
in the number of cash customers and
the payment of accounts long in ar
rears. In addition to this condition
of affairs as a result of prohibition.
the number Of persons cared for In
the county 1nfirmary and jail, COM
pairing March. 1918, and March, 1919,
the latter month.
For the entire state, Indiana's first
year under prohibition shows a reduc-
ton of 1873 per cent in the number
of prisoners committed to jails. In
1918 the total was 34,526 and in
1879, 21,127, with the returns for
March estimated.
Workhouse 10 Closed
The total commitments to the Jail |
and the workhouse in Marion county |
In the twelve months ending March 81,
1918, was GOES. while for the last year
the total LIS only Sill. The decrease
amounted, to 47.3 per cent. The Ma |
r1on county workhouse was closed
after two months of prohibition, there
being only forty-seven commitments
In April and May, the last two months
in which that institution was operated.
Even with the workhouse closed the /
jail population fell from 4,142 in 1917
Is. to 3,124 in 1882. decrease Of
LOIS. or PAS per cent
Not Absolute Index
While the comparative Jail statistics
OF two years are not to be taken as an
absolute index of the effect of he pro-
hibition law, say observers, because
other factors unquestionably entered
intoxicants which became effective
after April 2, 1918. accounts for very
important part of the decrease.
Amos w. Butler, secretary of the
board of state charities, pointed out
that the departure Of more than 100.-
900 persons from the state on account
of war was proba bly, factor in bring
ing reductions, and that condition Of
universal employment, likewise due
to the war, also played its part in re-
ducing the number Of arrests and the
resultant jail commitments. In nor
NAL conditions of employment there Is
some idleness and this leads to trouble
or misdemeanors which find their way
into the courts and later are recorded
on Jail registers.
Arrests Decline Suddenly
1t is interesting to note the sudden
decline In arrests in April, 1918, the
first month of prohibition. In March,
1918, the records show that there
were 1888 persons committed to
county jails. but in April, 1918, the
number dropped to 1870, a decrease
of 1883. The next month, May, 1918,
showed the smallest number of COM
mitments in any month during the
two years in question In that month
there We're 1858 Jail admissions. Each
month thereafter there was larger
number of arrests than in May and
during January of this year the total
reached 2,0S1. The total commit
ments in any one month of the last
year did not, however, reach as high
a figure as the lowest month of the
previous wet" year, which was Dec
ember, 1917, when 2,10S persons were
taken into jails.