The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-07-14
FULL Text OF GRAND JURY REPORT

the liquor and to destroy same WINS
Mr.. George w. Allen. II liz but fair
to state In regard to him the fol.
lowing facts. to.wit Mr.. Allen ar.
rived at the court room about 3
o'clock In the afternoon OF June 4th.
At that time Judge Allen was pres
ent In his court. Mr.. George Allen
remained at the court room until
about 6 o'clock. when he left the
court house for his dinner. Up to
that time Judge Allen was present
In his court and remained in the
court room for sometime after Mr..
George Allen had left Mr.. George
Allen returned from his dinner
about O'Clock, ana. within two or
three minutes thereafter. Judge Allen
also returned TO his court room. MIR.
George Allen remained In the court
room until some time In the vicinity
OF 1890, TO possibly II O'Clock at
night, WIN he left and did not G.
turn again. Judge Allen was still
AZ the court room at the time that
George Alien finally left for the
night, when he left aud did not re-
present In his court at all times
that Mr.. George Allen was there
with the exception OF ia two or
three minutes mentioned
Thirteenth-We further find that
the method commonly pursued by the
sheriff and his deputies IN making
seizures. and In handling liquor after
u has been seized, Is such that no
check has been, or can be made I'M
DER the method pursued, as 70 the
amount of liquor seized, nor what
has become of it after II was seized
As illustrations OF this. the following
Instances may be mentioned: At one
time quantity Of liquor was seized,
I ana the return on the search war.
rant showed that IL was whiskey con.
tanned In two kegs. when the wills
/ Ky was ordered TO be destroyed, the
! sheriff produced the kegs. and one OF
| them was empty. and the other was
| partially filled with water. Another
instance Is as follows: a seizure was
. made on search warrant issued by
Justice Gordon. The liquor was or.
dered brought into court. and was
there counted in the presence OF at
least two deputy sheriffs. and il was
then found that quite a number of
bottles OF beer were not present. also
several bottles Of gin. and also sew.
eral bottles of brandy. This liquor
had been In the custody OF the sher-
| M and his deputies. and no effort
was made to account for the liquor
missing. Our purpose In mentioning
these Instances Is 40 direct the atten-
/ ton OF the court 20 the system pur.
sued. MS we believe that system can
be. and should be devised. under and
by virtue OF which. all liquor seized
can be properly checked. and count.
ed. At the time OF seizure. 30 that IL
can be known that all liquor so
seized has been destroyed when so
ordered by the court
Wrong Practice
Fourteenth: There seems to have
grown UP. since the prohibition law
went into effect. a practice not only
by the Superior Court OF King Coun-
~. but by other courts. OF giving
parts and portions of liquor seized
and ordered destroyed. to hospitals
and physicians. so that II can be
used by them In medicinal manner.
This grand jury. of course, recog-
nizes that many persons have In the
past. considered thru the delivery OF
this liquor TO hospitals for medicinal
purposes subserved humanitarian
ideals. Whilst this is true, yet we
have been advised. and believe the
law to be, that II Is unlawful to have
possession OF whisky by any person,
or institution. and that II Is the duty
OF all public officers TO see that the
liquor when seized. Is. in fact. de
stroyed and not delivered to others
for future use.
Owing 10 the custom Of delivering
liquor to hospitals which has grown
UP. this jury has not deemed II
best 10 return indictments against
any OF tho hospitals which received
the liquor from the court. except
in such instances where the re-
ceipt of the liquor by the hospital
cloalSed the delivery of liquor for
other purposes. At the same time.
we believe the possession of the
liquor by any hospital. under the
law. as the law now stands. con-
stitutes "A public offense. Whilst we
recommend that no action he taken
against n hospital In possession of
the liquor in the present instance.
and. we will pursue that policy
unless otherwise directed by the
court. yet. under the law, the GUS
tom should be stopped in all future
instances. We are advised that
the law is that it shall all be
destroyed. and that the possession
of intoxicating liquor by any person.
including the doctors and hospitals.
is unlawful. and criminal offense.
In all future cases we believe this
law should be enforced. and. IL
| IL is desired that the law should he
changed. then we are advised that
! it is the duty of the legislature
TO change the law, and not the duty
of the courts TO permit custom
similar to that mentioned above
to set aside the plain provisions OF
the law.
Booze Wafps Morals
The Importance OF the strict en-
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