The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-04-11
Fredericksburg Official Doubts if Pro-
hibidon Inspectors Can Hope for Fair
Trial in View Of Martyrization Of
Blockade Runners and Misrepresen-
tation Of Facts

/ have wife and children and it
is no pleasure for me to risk my life
arresting bootleggers. but I want to
say here there Is no more hazardous
undertaking under the sun. Ii any man
doubts 1t let him go out with me one
night and let him have one of those
big spot-Hghts turned on him and
hear the bullets flying by. and i want
TO see II he keeps his gun in its hol-
lster. l want to see these citizens who
advocate other methods than those
that have been employed get out with
INC on the road at night and under take
10 stop bootiegger without blocking
the road and without a gun. He may
have A whole suit case of warrants
IL he wants them. He wouldn't stop
any more. bootieggers than he would
have stopped the German army with
a tooth-pick- l have tried every way.
II have been shot at, knocked down in
the road by their automobiles, thrown
OFF the running board by a sudden
dash forward. and I have had them
dash into barrieades that demolished
their automobiles and the harri-
cades too The answer of those who
don't want prohibition enforced is,
stop arresting them then. The answer
OF all law abiding citizens and con-
seientiotIs officers Is, enforce ii as
long as 1t remains on the statute
books a~en at the risk OF your life.
II the law cannot be enforced il
ought to be repealed. And II brave
officers, who risk their lives to en-
force IL according TO their swcrn duty
when 1t becomes necessary to taks
the life Of one or more of these law
breakers. to protect their own. are to
be made felons of. and confined IN
| Jail, 1t Ia better IL II were speedily re-
! peaIed.
| GRATUTTOUS INSTRUMENTATION
| Gratuitous INSTRUMENTATION vouch-
safed to these malefactors as to their
rights and the rights of officers I'M
tdertaking to arrest them. has not only
been the cause Of the ao-csIIed Val
LEY tragedy. but Of the murder OF hctf
inspectors Shellhorsc and Payne
They have been told that an officel
IcAnnot arrest them without search
warrant This 70 not uue. Neither l
NOR these of11cers under arrest with
whom have worked often and again
undertook to engage In this business
without knowing our feEa rights and
duties We know that when va catch
Ia man violating the law wa do moi
Inoed search warrant or AIRY other
kind of a warrant to put him unde,
Iarrest, even though he IN committing
| only a misdeTneanor. And we know
THAT IL he draws a gum on us and
|resists arrest, We have a right te
shoot
| Having given che public light upol
the character OF the hootieggers- lie
me point out one other unfailins
| Characteristic. He LIS the most un
Iconscionable liar since the day o
IAnnaniax He never gives his tru,
name; II is always his first trip: h
Inever tells a true tale as To where oil
Ihow he got his load OF ardent spirits
and this in spite of the fact that hi
pockets are full bx documentary evi
dence that give all hts statements tn
lie.
Now I think n the public win re
member that the bootiegger goes pre-
pared to shoot. and that he DOES shoe
at the drop OF your hat. and that b.
| In a liar, to whom the snnctfty Of ~
loath is nothing. and II II win further
more remember that ofdcers OF tn
law don't 60 out after criminals Will
lany desire or intention or reason 70
killing them: that the only motive oil
learth they could possibly have 70
killing them II TO protect their owl
lives, It viii tlrro q flood OF light u
1.-THE Valley tragedy.
II ought 10 rive the statement Of tn
IofYicers a. to how the unfcrtunat
incident occurred At least q certAi
lstanding as against The statement o
La bootleEger. 1t ought to emphasis
tthe many physical facts which with
out taking time to detail them her
! point TO the fact that the bootiesYer
! were mp to their old tricks but tina
the officers armed with the Inv an
} right. aimed tr~e; and inns time tn
!. vioiators Of the law paid thu las
debt, and not the oflioese, ~ IN tn
, case OF officers Shcllhorse and Payne