The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-07-25

being enforced so we'll that they can't
get their liquor and that is all there
Is to II.
If the law had been poorly enforced.
you would have heard never word
from the wet people against the law
or against the commissioner, whose
business 1t Is to enforce the law. But
the commissioner seems to be man
of backbone, man who enforces the
law so well that II looks as IT these
new organized opposition on the part
of wet people to discredit him. make
him out a bad man and cause his or
fee to be abolished.
1t Furthermore looks as IL they we're
attempting to make the law so odious
as to create sentiment in favor OF its
repeal and then throw the state open
again to the liquor traffic. They know
that the liquor traffic has been power
fully organized. we know that there
is organized opposition to nationwide
prohibition now and since the enforce
ment of the law here in Virginia is
meeting with so much criticism. RAJ
Guile and abuse we conclude that there
must be organized opposition here IN
Virginia
Methods Of Attack.
Let us notice some of their methods
of attack: For one thing they are try
ing to make DR.. Peters. the commas
soner, appear to be very bad man.
know that because good men have
asked me If l knew DR.. Peters ana II
1t Is true that he is bad man.
1t seems to me that a sufficient re-
ply to that ia that DIR. Peters is
member of the Methodist conference
in good standing and full fellowship.
Remember this: Every year when the
conference meets the character OF every
preacher in II Is passed upon and II
there is any truth at ali in the charges
or irsinuations as to the character of
Or. Peters. be assured those charges
would be investigated by the confer
ence.
Again, the charge Is freely made
that DR.. Peters Is cousin. then
brother. then a brother in-law. then a
father in law and then a son-in-law OF
MIR. Shield at the corner of Clay and
sixth. the only druggist licensed In
Richmond to sell intoxicating liquor
for medicinal PURPOSES. whereas in his
published statement DR. Peters says
that Mr.. Shield is not related by blood
or marriage to him or to any employe
Of his department.
Again the charge is made that DR.
Peters men have awakened sleeping
women in their berths in Pullman cars
and arrested them for having liquor
with them. contrary to law. or inspect
suspected Of having liquor in their pos
session. Whereas the fact is that Or.
Peters men have never purposely dis
turbed women while sleeping in their
torths. they have urintentionally and
regretfully walked I'M women sleeping
in lower berths by arresting two
drunk and armed bootleegers
sleeping in the herths above them.
II seems 10 me that an officer must
y T. r. IN
arrest, and take out of an upper berth
two drunken. armed bootlegSers with
ont waking the ladies or any others
who might be occupying the lower
berth.
Again, they say that Or, Peters
men actualiv opened a coffin expecting
to End liGuor in II. but did not No.
they were federal officers who did that
and rot rr Peters men. Under the
circumstances ii was perfectly nat
ural mistake Dootleggers. In order
to evade the law. have been known 10
shin -vrtskty in rofTins and when a
United States officer in Baltimore saw
two drunken men shin coffin to Raa =
noka Va Z vas perfectly natural for
him to wire another United states Of
fieer in f,oanthe - look after the cnf-
I'm when the coffin reached Roanoke
II was rolled int the baggage or ex-
press room. the door was .hut aud the
United states officer IN the presene
Of the agent and one ~ two ethers I'M
screwed and raised the coffin lid just
high enough to see tfat dead BODY
was in il and STIR ig'.twag closed the
! casket Now wher we know that
/ hootieEgers have shipped liquor IN
| collins. and rer7 ruhering that this cof-
| fin was shipped by two drunken men
it was perfectly natural for the United
States officer who saw II u have his
suspicious aroused Md that leads me
10 say this. that Whenever ANYTHING
% this kind occurs. i0spe Getting the bag
gage Of people and arresting them
II liouor is found. let JUS not he too
quick to charge 1t up 10 Or Peters and
his purity squad as they are sometimes
sarca stically called,