The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1920-11-19
DkMOCLES' SWORD HANGS
over 200 TODDY. MIXERS
Camden, N. J.. Judge and County
Attorney Make 1t Interesting
for Saloonists
WOLVERTON ON THE JOB
Court Assesses Total Of $4,000
Fines With Imprisonment .
for "Trimmin's"

A sentence of two years in Jail
hanging over the heads of 200 Cam
den, n. J., saloonkeepers is reported
to have made the city as dry as the
Sahara.
The Philadelphia North American
of November 7 i'll commenting upon
the situation says: "Thc court and
the public prosecutor of Camden
county have demonstrated that the
enforcement OF Prohibition is not
only possible but it is easy where
there is a willingness to compel an
observance of the law. Not only is
Prohibition now rigidly enforced i'll
Camden, but for thirty miles down
the country along the roads to the
seashore most of the saloon men have
closed and sold their properties,
"The saloonkeepers were caught in
a series OF raids conducted by Prose
cutor Wolycrton when that official
had in vain asked the federal authori-
ties to enforce the Prohibition law
in Camden county. After imposing
fines aggrcgating more than $4,000,
Judge Keats announced that he would
suspend the prison penalty of two
years during good behavior of the
defendants. Should any of them sell
Intoxicating liquors they will be sent
to state prison OH the suspended sen
tencc and will not be given further
trial. All the trial they are entitled
to took place when they entered pleas
of guilty. The possibility of escaping
Jail through the cleverness of counsel
or failure by the prosecutor to con-
vince the twelve i'll the jury box that
the defendant sold rum no longer
stands between the saloon men and
the prison cells if they again violate
the law. Ii evidence to that effect is
presented Judge Keats will send the
offenders to state prison without fur
Their ado
The North American adds that the
saloon men of Camden blame their
predicament on United States author
tiles. This is due to the fact that
when Prohibition first became effec-
tive, the saloons closed and about that
time the federal authorities raided a
small Sill in South Camden. The
operator of the still was fined only
ten dollars and the Camden saloon
keepers came to the conclusion that
they were foolish for closing their
places. With drinks at fifty cents a
throw they could make ten dollars
every hour, every day in the week.
Consequently the town was soon
wide-open territory. The saloon men
did a landslide business. They knew
they were liable to arrest. But what
of it? If man who ran still was
fined ten dollars, a saloonkeeper
would probably have to pay half as
much as that.
'But their calculations miscarried
Prosecutor Wolverton held them on
the charge that the state law had been
violated. prohibiting the sale of in
toxicants without a license.
"An interesting fact has developed
showing the close relationship be-
tween crime and liquor. In June
when saloons were closed the county
jail had nine prisoners. The number
grew to lis in August when the
county was wide open. Now with sa-
looms again closed the population OF
the county Jail is declining and at
present it has less than a score of in
mates, and the grand jury now cleans
up its criminal docket by sitting one
day a week.