Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-07-31

were reported during the thirty
days of June. And in only eight i'll
stances did too much liquor share
in the responsibility this month.
Responsibility for this amazing
drop in the amount of arrests by
the police department is said almost
entirely by authorities to the cur
tailment in the sale of alcoholic
beverages.
10 Traffic Violators
OF the total of siXty-five arrests
| made during July, arrests in nInc-
teen instances were made through
the strict enforcement of the traf-
| flee ordinance. With the depart
ment waging an intensive campaign
| against traffic violators and many
| arrests resulting therefrom, the pro-
hibition result stands out all the
more prominently.
But nineteen cases are marked UP
on the police docket as disorder
ly practice" cases, under which
heading is included all charges
which might arise from too much
liquid refreshments. In eight of
these cases liquor had a part in the
trouble which led to the arrest. In
five cases the man or woman ar
rested were reported to have been
drinking and in only three instances
was it said that the individual was
drunk
June Was Busy Month
June had more than three times
the number of cases in which it was
said that the person arrested was
either drunk or drinking. Exactly
twenty eight persons had had too
much liquor when they were arrest
ed, according to statements made
by the members of the force who
took them into custody.
While the difference in number
of disorderly practice cases in June
and July does not account for the
difference in number of arrests, po-
lice authorities, however, MAINTAIN
| that liquor has been responsible for
the drop in police business. In some
| instances, more serious charges have
been recorded against the individ-
ual and the difference in such case,
in the two months will account
for the difference, it is believed.
Effects Far-Rcaching
During seven of the thirty one
days of July, not a single arrest
was reported by the department..
1t is not an especially uncommon
thing for no arrests to be made
during a day by the police depart
| ment during late years, but to have
almost twenty-five per cent of the
days of month pass without all
| arrest is regarded as quite an un-
common circumstance by officials,
patrolmen and hangers on at the
police station. The effect of the
| amendment was felt on July and
after that the 13, II, 19, "a, 27
| and 2S passed without any persons
being placed in custody.
Prohibitions effect has appeared
quite forcibly on the surface, but t
has been making itself felt in thu
police business in n manner not
readily noticed by the average busl-
ness.
PawnbEollers Lose
The effect in the pawnbrokIng
business, records of which are kept
at the police station, has been also
quite remarkable when it is consid-
cred that the change in such a busi-
ness would not be as readily felt in
others.
This branch of the business shows
q ten per cent. reduction over the
business of an average month, ac-
cordng to the records of Earl
White. clerk to Chief of Police Wet
eel. The pawnbrokers' daily reports
showed n slight reduction at the
very start and this reduction is be-
coming more noticeable now, ac-
cording to Mr.. White. The reduc-
ton, while not as marked in some
| other branches of police work, els
! fully ten per cent, he says.
l Prohibitions effects are likewise
| noticed by j. ]. Hargest, warden Of
the Dauphin county jail To-day he
reports that he has but 10 pris-
oners, the lowest number that has
been confined there for months. He
is emphatic in his belief that within
month the figure will drop below
the hundred mark.