Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-10-31
MRsFEuTONS TALKS
CONDUCTED BY
H1RS WIZ FELTON,

Blind Tigers and Law Enforcement
That booze is abroad in the land
goes without saying. That this il
legal liquor will breed trouble is
evident. But a few weeks ago three
men and two women were run down
in a "bone-dry" county and caught
with a five-galIon vessel still con-
tanning two gallons of illicit liquor
These Illicit liquor dealers under
stood what they were doing. They
understood they were risking for
themselves a term in the state pen
itentiary. Those drunken women
were in the wrong place evidently
leading sorry men into deep trouble.
The trial has not come off yet, there
fore the result cannot be foreto1d
in it's entirety.
But one thing is known, namely,
that these men and women went
into this bad scheme with their eyes
open as to what they might suffer,
if caught, and we'll aware that those
who traded with them would also be
sent to the chaingang, as the law
condemns both parties. These people,
the InSIl, are HOW OUT OIl DOIlu
has it that a widowed mother mort
gagged her home to keep a son out
of Jail, and it is more than likely
that she will be a candidate for the
poorhouse before the unworthy son
gets his freedom. And if he jumps
his bond, she is manifestly without
a home hereafter.
1t is one of the most pitiful sights
under the shining son to see an
aged mother try to keep a bind tiger
son out of Jail. He is surely headed
that way, and is 50 Indifferent to his
own danger that nothing can save
him unless it be the grace of God,
and he cares as little for God as for
his own heart-broken mother, which
is nothing at all.
/ When young men enter the blind
tiger business the jig is up. His self
respect has departed and he is ready
to risk his life to get the money
that illegal liquor selling will bring
him.
And to go to the dogs drunken
women of no character whatever are
to be his companions! And what a
pity 1t is that he cannot die in his
bed and save his old mother the pang
OF going to the governor on Bonded
knees to get some sort of relief
for his condition, after the law as
serts itself and finishes the criminal
Blasted in reputation-blasted in
Eortune-devoid of shame and con-
sorting with those who drag him
down into lower deeps of vice-it
would be mercy to see such a one
dle-for his own sake, before the
end-the certain end of such a life
overtakes the bootlegger.
Some months ago, it was discov-
cred that an automobile was con-
veying liquor into plantation
where there was a swamp, and it
was discovered that buggies came
after night to the swamp and car
ried off whatever the automobile
had previously carried to tho place
of rendezvous.
Nobody was surprised that barn
burned up a night or two afterward,
with several head of stock and all
that the barn sheltered.
All sorts of crimes go along with
such blind tiger episodes-and MUIR
der and death are generally the wind
up. In the capture of the three
drunken men and two drunken wom-
en-, the fact was disclosed that they
drank too much of the Illicit liquor
to be careful. 1t was evident that
three gallons had taken effect on the
owners of the booze. They played
the fool as well as the knaVe
Wherever a blind tiger locates it's
| lair, there will be all sorts of crimes
in process of breeding.
If there were Vigilant officers
many of them could be checked in
the earlier stages, but as the bust.
ness goes further and develops into
greater profit, human life gets very
cheap indeed, and officials are per-
| haps afraid.
What does it matter that a devot.
ed mother is doomed to poverty in
| her old age to put up bonds to save
her worthless offspring from a jai
sentence?
That is even less than a trife tt
the hopeless scamp, who could leave
such a mother to herd with profit
gate drunken men and women IL
such a law-breaking episode as i,
here noted.