Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-07-14
Peters PLEADS
]. TO retain DEPARTMENT
Declares National Prohibition Make.
sS Law Enforcement Problem No
Less Acute.
DEFENDS AGENTS AND HIMSELF
SAYS Two Enemies of Society Got
~ Worst of Encounter Near Wood
stock, I'm Discussing killing of
Alleged Bootleggers.


acts of himself and the agents of his
Recruitment, Commissioner of Prohibi-
tion j. Sidney Peters declares in an
extensive. signed statement, released
today, that the era OF national proni
bition does not render less acute the
problems of law enforcement III Nir
the last State in the Union to fail TO
,nt hAs Ions long as there is place al which
says. There viii be be- att tn, III the The
illegal transportation and sale of its
petite for alcohol and other drugs
EXISTS ea ~ any poriiiofIni 81 the popn!aSion;
It's appetite offcrs Opportunities for
enormous profits, just so long Will all
the enerEies Of organized society be
necessary 10 comoat the evil
Money Cues to schools.
1T is manifest that for every dollar
the state spends III the enforcement
Of the law. the public schools receive
FUND. to which. under section 1874 of
the the Code OF Nirs:nia az INES and for.
that the large revenue n now being %Rns re- re.
ceiyed by the State of Virginia Will be
entirely diverted to the Federal gov
the state courts. 1t will be unfortu-
nate to rob the school children of Nir-
Ein!a of these revenues
policy favor the abolition of the de
RS91s t. the Assembly
Commissioner of Prohibition had been
guilty of ma ADMINISTRATION il should
not destroy the department. unless IL
be made plain that some other depart
law. No state deear,ment t6at has
been suggested as substitute has
either the force or the, means TO con-
tinue its own work and also take over
that of the Department of Prohibition
Discusses Shield Incident.
Discussing the condemnation he has
SHIELD as proper druEgist or H. NJ
ardent spirits for medicinal purposes.
pr. Peters declares that he approval
Shield by the Hastings Court only af-
ter many. reputable physicians had
made application TO nave drug store
make it more convenient TO secure il
when necessary, After i, became APP
were taking advantage OF the situa
ton and issuing TOO many prescrip-
n 19ns he wi and Ss ns n
was denied by the court.
He says further:
T~"This incident has given rise to
many rumors which have been enlarged
and enbeliished according 10 the re-
spective tastes OF the critics No en-
has been overlooked SO long as it was
calculated TO bring dscredit and scan
dial upon the department or the Com
missioner OF Prohibition. 1t was
serted that Mr.. SHIELD was the brother
in-law of the commissioner. Al the
same time IL was said that he vas his
brother. his fathc--in-law and his som
in-law The fact IS. that the commits
sioner never SO much as heard OF him
prior 10 his application for the license.
MFR. SHIELD is not related by blood or
marriage either to the commissioner or
10 any employee OF the Department OF
Prohibition.
Says He TX SIandered.
with the most infamous disregard
of the truth, and in the desperate eff
fort to destroy the reputation of the
commissioner in the eyes of tho honest
people OF Virginia, it was asserted
that he personals received a portion
of the profits made by Mr. SHIELD Il
should no, be necessary TO assert that
the commissioner never received the
SHIELD except what was paid for the
liquor purchased through the depart
ment, from the proceeds OF which all
moneys We're turned into the treasury
OF Virginia and ultimately into the
school fund. Such wanton ISLANDERS
would not be dignified by denals ex-
might be. enormously construed"
Of the inspection OF Pullman berths
he5has this to say:
Let no member OF the General AS
forcement OF law base his opposition
upon these falsehoods. and. above all
false as it is Dangerous.
The truth about the inspection Of
Pullmans by the Department OF PRO.
hibitlon is that nine times on, of ten
they are purposcly Inspected about 2
o'clock p ~, before the berths are
made up and that the inspectors are
strictly enjoned to consult the dia-
gram Of the herths kept by the con
ductor to ascertain which bcrths are
occupied by ladies, as the department Is
Jealous or their comfort and protcc-
tion.
On the occasion cited by the Mayor
lhe inspectors were all in Richmond
and 1t was necessary 70 stop bootleg
gers on that sleeper ut IA later hour a.
me train which was usually inspected
AZ at, ocioGk ?, NJ. Al Alexandria did
Hundreds of witnesses might be ar
Tayed to testify to the carnfulnees
tart and consideration Of the inspectors
engaged IN these delicate tasks ASK
any lady who travels on pullmans M,
: any tair- minded person in Pullman or
Reviews Woodstock Case.
part. as follows: 1870 'N
The unfortunate affair which oo
CURED on on the VALLEY Turnpike near
Two bootleGGers lost their lives MAS
made the occasion for a tir.do =,
ABUSE against the Department of pro-
ndplion; us officers and agents, ac-
Sompahled by eNasgerations and false
hoods so venomous as TO occag;o,,
dhreats OF mob violence. -Four officers
.t's, vi" t'htnt are under indict
ment Tor their part i'm this matter
ana 1T is not intended by this state,
ment 10 influence the decision Of tho
court and jury in the case '"'
IL is proper to say. however ms has
aireany neen stated in the press thai
me deiense OF these men viii De thai
tney were fred upon in the nigh, inn
BY BY the he ,t two bootieggers whom they they
way In an automobile loaded wi,I,
WnisEE and that the officers. after
being hred upon. in defense Of ,beIr
own ives returned the fire. and The
ssDesperate men frequently rcsjs.
revenue officers Of the Federal rnS.
ernmnt raidng Illicit stils. These oc.
cuTrences happen so frequently that
they. occasion no public comment Jsvcr
When Two brave officers Of This dcuar.
ment were murdered while engaged in
the enforcement of the laws Of his
Eommonweaith by desperate negroes,
VINO are being punished for maj,
crimes, there was no great pubic con
demnation OF the murdcrers. nor anv
widespread expression of sympathv 70,
the martyred men Of their families
But when two enemies of socic,y cot
the worst OF an encounter. which tho =
are SAD TO have provoked cvery