Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1920-11-03
STIFF SENTENCE
AWES rum men
Judge Lands Sends Chicago Ho-
tel Man to Prison for
Thirty Months.
DRASTIC PENALTY HITS RING
Yelled Warning to Other Liquor Vic.
Iators That Justice Will Be
Adhered to In Passing
Sentence.

Chicago, Nov. Federal Judge \.
NJ. Lands, in what is believed to be
the beginning Of a rigorous cleaning
up of booze. cases on the federal dock
ct, sentenced Charles W.. Sommers'
owner Of the Birchmont hotel aud OF
the st. James grill in the Hotel Ma
jestic, to thirty months in Leaven.
worth penitentiary for selling liquor.
In sentencing Sommers Judge Lam
dis issued yelled warning to the
hundreds Of other liquor violators
who must face his court in the rear
future that like policy of deter
mined Justice will be adhered to IN
passing sentence. K
Lid clamped on City.
That the decision frightened sa-
loon men who have been operating
wide open was evident when a sud.
den lid was voluntarily clapped on
the city.
The sentence was taken as the hrst
blow in the establishment of new
regime in which the law will be OBJ
served.
Shocked by Sentence.
SOmmers, when the sentence was
handed down, almost tainted. He had
stolled casually into the courtroom
with his attorney. He is short, stout,
suave. On his face. was bored
smile.
AS the Judge said "peniteltiary"
SOminers swayed His face paled.
His attorney suffered. Even half an
hour later, as the marshal was pre-
pairing to lock him up, he didn't COM
prehend 1.-THE shock was too great.
Sommers had been indicted on two
counts, one of conspiracy and one for
selling liquor. In addition to being
sent to prison, he was fined $4,000.
) Porters Act as Runners.
He and his cousin, William Som
mers, manager of the Birchmont ho-
tel, were arrested some time ago When
it was revealed that he had ordered
porters and bus boys at the hotel to
carry liquor to the st. James grill,
where it was sold. One boy was ar
rested. Search warrants were OBJ.
tanned and part of fifteen barrels of
whiskey found.
The judge after listening to the
witnesses thought minute and then
in a dry, monotonous tone he reserves
for passing sentence, he began:
E ssNow, as to Charles Sominers. He
just won't 60 dry. He is determined
he won't obey the law.
Thought Justice Cheap.
she was arrested. pleaded guilty.
and fined $3.50 by Federal Judge Car
penter. He evidently thought that
was a cheap license. 1t didn't stop
him. He kept right on.
1.-THE question Is whether l am go
ing to sit here and acquiesce to his
breaking the law; whether / am go
ing to obey the law. which require.
me to send this man to the federal
penitentiary. I'll say right here that
I'm going to obey the law.
'sThe vice Of this thing is the whole
sale violation of this law in this city.
officers of the law appear before me
time after time and tell me a major.
ity of Chicago saloons are violating
prohibition.
Lose Respect for Law.
'The viciousness of the situation
is that the mass of the people see
Sommers walk around without being
punished, and lose respect for the
law.
ut is the judgment Of the court
that Charles Sommers be sentenced
to the federal penitentiary for fifteen
months on each Of the two counts in
the Indictment, and to pay a fine OF
$4,000 on one count and $500 on the
other. william Sommers, whose of.
Tense is lighter. is sentenced to ninety
days in the county Jail at Wheaton
ond RI nav a $4,000 fine.'