The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1920-10-22

Inspector and Law Enforcement
Officer of the State Liquor State
|, Licensing Board of Ohio from
August 6, 1915 to May 1919
Ny name is Frank S. Evans and ]
reside at 500 18th avenue, Columbus,
Ohio am a Democrat and was APP
pointed as Chief Inspector for State
! Liquor Licensing Board OF Ohio by
Governor James NJ. Cox in 1913. My
duties were TO have charge of the
inspectors and assistants, who were 20
secure evidence of violations of the
license and liquor laws of the state.
and TO prosecute such violators. with
the consent of the State Liquor Ii
censing Board.
The state liquor license law in Ohio
went into effect August !, 1915. Gov
ernor James NJ. Cox, who was elected
in November, 1912, ohampioned the
license provision i'll the state consti-
tuition and the state liquor license law
enacted under it.
The license law gave the Governor
the power TO appoint the State Licc.ls
ing Board. which was in turn reSpon-
sible for the county licensing boards.
Licenses were granted by the county
boards, but appeals could be made to
the State Board if applicant, were re-
fused license. Under this law the
Board appointed by the Governor had
complete control OF the granting Of
licenses in the state.
Under the license law, there could
be but one saloon to 500 population.
In Cincinnati and some other places
there was an excess OF applicants for
licenses. In Cincinnati, the excess
applicants, or part OF them, threat
ened to continue selling liquor, and
the mayor OF the city indicated that
he would not close up these places
: under the law. The Governor prom
ised in his campaign that il the IL
cense law was adopted he would see
to it that it was enforced The Pro-
hibitionists OF the state strongly OPP
posed the adoption of the license law.
was instructed to get evidence
against these places which were run
ming without a license. Under the
laws OF Ohio, the Governor is author
lied to remove mayor who is guilty
of nonfeasance in the enforcement OF
the laws and ordinances of the state
The friends OF law and order were
threatening to bring charges against
the mayor OF Cincinnati before Gov
eronor Cox, and he stated that he
would remove the mayor and enforce
the license law even if he had to send
the militia TO Cincinnati.
The mayor OF the city, under these
conditions, gave an order which re-
suited i'll the closing OF the places
where they held no state licenses.
In 1914 Governor Cox was defeated
largely because OF the decreased Dem
ocratc vote i'll Democratic counties
like Fairfield Tuscarawas, Licking,
Holmes, Wayne, Coshocton, Allen,
Darke, Shelby and some others. IT.
was openly charged by the Republi
cans in that campaign that the Gov
ernor had used the State Licensing
Board to build a political machine and
that h, used that machine to compel
the liquor interests TO support him.
A Republican, Frank &. Willis, was
elected in November, 1914.
The friends OF Prohibition and law
and order presented a strong appeal
to Governor Willis to retain me in
the position which | had held under
Governor Cox, even though | was a
Democrat and Governor Willis was a
Republican. held this position I'M
der Governor Willis. and was given
free hand i'll the enforcement OF the
law. During his administration we
were on several occasions sent to Gin
cinnati where the saloons were Violat-
ing the Sunday closing law. Raids
were made OH these saloons and great
opposition resulted TO Governor Viii
lis and his administration because OF
this. The liquor interests OF Cincin-
natl made an appeal TO Governor Will
lis to remove me on the ground that
it would lose him many Republican
votes in Cincinnati and other places.
During all the time that | held my
position as law enforcement official
under Governor Cox, no similar effort
Sunday closing law.
In 1910 Governor Frank &. Willis
was defeated. was retained as Chief
Inspector OF the State Licensing
Board under Governor Cox from 1915
to 1918. During this period the wet
and dry elections were held in Ohio
and my authority 10 act freely in
carrying out my duty to enforce the
law was constantly being taken away
from me. 1t was becoming more
difficult to enforce the law.
In May, 1918, the saloons were run
ming open in Cincinnati on Sunday i'll
violation OF provision of the license
law. ] detailed six men 10 get evil
dence against them SO that we could
take away from those licensees their
permits or licenses, because they were
violating the law, and also prosecute
them under the criminal laws of the
state. We got seventy cases. have
copy of the report in my POSSESSION.
The State License Board refused to
do anything with these cases. ! was
called off at least three times when ]
planned to insist on prosecution OF
these cases and make raids on places
where they we're violating the law.
At this time the State Licensing
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