Americus times-recorder., 1919-11-19
LIQUOR TRAFFIC
BEHIND SUMTER
WAVE. OF CRIME

With it generally recognized tina
Illicit distilling is largely responsible
knr the steady increase in crime il
shis community, it is confidently ex
Pected that the grand jury, when i
sOwvenes next Monday, will take VI
sdae liquor problem and means of eff
feefvely dealing with it. There are
- many illicit distilling cases to bt
presented for investigation that il
IS needless to publish the names Of
&2he various defendants. Many per.
snns arrested on charges of making
whiskey since the last grand jury en-
aEred pleas of guilty have escaped
With fines, but there is a very general
sentiment here that cbaingang SEN
sznces should be hereafter imposed
when convictions are secured on
sharges of violating the prohibition
laws. The problem is one of the
most serious encountered by Sumter
citizens within recent years, and 1t
Is the concensUs of opinion among
shose who should be best informed as
tn actual conditions that the traffic
naust be stoppel quickly.
Already the d9moralizing effect of
Ehese stills is manifesting itself in
she hesitancy with which labor may
Be employed in those districts where
skiIllng is fcowned upon, and where
khs traffic is not permitted to exist.
Negroes, it is said, openly tell GER
sain would-be employers that they
prefer to work where liquor may be
easily secured.
Liquor Brought Five Murders.
SIX murders to be investigated by
shis grand jury, all but one of which
found their inception in the liquor
traffic. George Johnson and Arthur
Crunaley two negroes, are accused OF
billing Lee Dudley at Johnson
home in the 27th district near Ameri-
Gus on October 3, after a frolic IN
which wildcat liquor was the chief
sefreshment. This killing occurred
On The Hogg plantation, only short
distance from the city, and although
Johnson and Crumley both deny their
guilt. the crime is described as one
Of the most deliberate murders re-
gently reported.
Mrs. Belzora Duckworth and Sam
Duckworth, mother and son, are held
sharged with the murder of Mrs.
Pearl Duckworth, which crime Sam
Duekworth has confessed. Sidney
Ware, negro, who witnessed the
crime, and, it is alleged, helped
Duekworth to dispose of the body,
wiH also be indicted by this grand
fairy. Liquor, according to Duck
worth's confession, played a leading
eOle in this crime. An illicit still
was found by the officers on his
place.
Joshua Floyd killed his wife last
Saturday on the public road in front
d their home on the Hooks place,
abGut five miles from Americus. He
admlits the killing, and telling Sheriff
Harvey about the crime, said he tried
TO get "that other nigger,' meaning
Buck Floyd, his cousin, whom he ac-
suses of undue intimacy with his
dead wife. He was drunk when he
killed the woman.
Whiskey Missed Here.
Lena Coolidge, alias Lena Wilson,
alias Lena Coles, and Jennie McCul-
aough, two negro women, Henry Bin
yard, a negro man, and Walter W..
Wilson, white, are charged with the
murder of Joel Edge, which will also
be investigated by the grand jury.
Edge was killed on the night of Sep
Sember "a, near the city limits of
Americus, being beaten to death with
8 Blackjack, alleged to have been
zsslded by Wilson. This crime, ac-
<0rEling to Jensie Mccullough, who
Sas an eyewitness, grew out of Will
sons intimacy with Lena Coolidge,
Tlaa other negro woman in the case,
sad is the only murder to be investi-
gated by this grand jury in which
whiskey was not the chief cause.
Collie Redlick, who killed George
Glover, after drinking quantity of
EiGuor at negro church in Americus
EOzne time ago, will be indicted by
this grand jury, but officers have not
get succeeded in locating him, and
he may never be arrested. Rich Tur-
pin. another negro, who killed Joe
Allen, near Huntington, shortly after
Redaick got his man" in Americus
also escaped, and has not since beer
arrested.
Frolic Ended in Death.
He will be indicted, however, by
ahis grand jury. The evidence in this
ease shows liquor was at the bottom
of the crime, a number of negroes
having gathered together to dispose
Of quantity of liquor said to have
Aeen made by Turpin, the frolic end
5Bg in the death of Allen.
Sheriff Harvey and Deputies Price
and Summers have been active il
their efforts to suppress the illici