The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1921-07-20
OFFICIAL.
CAN'T FIND
EVIDENCE:
Citizens OF Valparaiso Appeal
To Hammond Enforcement
Officer For Aid.
CBY TIMES STAFF REPoRTER)

VALPARAISO, Ind. July 19.-All -
not well in our sister county of Porter
according TO the stories Of divers clt'-
zens who have come to Prohibition
Chief Gus Simons office in Hammond
the last few days. In the columns o.,
this and other Lake county papers. one
may read from time TO time stories "l
booze raids, and subsequent trials ana
convictions for violations OF the liquor
law. Not so in Porter county, how
ever. over there. the raids and the
results of the raids are known 10 the
citizenry only by hearsay.
THE CASE OF MIR. SHOEMAKER.
There is the case of Shoemaker
buffet in Valparaiso. fer instance.
Shoemaker's place has been raided
twice recently. Both times enough
evidence was found 10 convict the pro-
prietor of violating the liquor law, =
the story of william Pennington,
sheriff of Porter county. and Of Chief
Simons, is to be believed. The first
raid was made by prohibition officers
Plenty Of evidence was found. This
was two months ago, but as yet Mr..
Shoemaker has not been arrested.
SECOND RAID OF RECENT DATE
L he SSCOuA IdAu " az maui
weeks ago by the sheriff and his aids.
This time, twenty gallons OF moon
shine and fifty gallons Of wine Of pen
sin were found. Shoemaker has not
been arrested on this evidence either.
Following the first raid. Chief
simons called j. S. Bartholomew.
prosecuting attorney Of Porter county,
and asked him to send an affidavit to
81 "a he
SO that Shoemaker could be arrested
and tried. After wait of two months.
the affidavit failed to appear, even
after a promise from Bartholomew
over the telephone thar it would be
sent at once.
ON HUNT FOR REASON.
Simons went over to Valparaiso TO
md out what the trouble was. An
other reason for making the trip was
the fact that several citizens, ia the
interest of law and order. had come to
him and complained OF fragrant viola
tions of the law which went unprose
cuted.
The first stop was with Sheriff Pen
nington. The sheriff had complained
bitterly and at length upon the lack
OF cooperation from the prosecutor IT.
pushing the cases which ne uncovered
He stated that. following his raid upon
Shoeihakers place. he had gone to the
office Of the prosecutor. asking for 4p
affidavit against the man. This. he
says was refused him Result shoe
maker is running wide open PEN
nington cited several other cases IN
which he had been unable TO obtain CO.
operation
sIMoNs GOES ALONE.
simons requested the sheriff to go
with him to Bartholomew. but the
sheriff had other fish to fry. ano
couldn't come. Simons went alone.
Bartholomew office being reached.
he went in and asked to see the prose
cutor- \ telephone call was n.ces-
sary TO reach him and after a ten min
ute wait. he came blithely in.
I'm Simons Of the prohibition
forces" said Gus.
Bartholomew opened the door 20 his
private office.
The men stepped in and the door
was closed. Simons went right 10 the
point. He stated the facts which the
prosecutor already knew. namely. that
the affidavits against Shoemaker had
never been received, and that SO far
the saloon man had escaped scot free
from his raid. He told what the
sheriff had had to say.
HAS TO HAVE EVIDENCE.
No man. woman or child" said Mr.
Bartholomew. has ever been refused
an affidavit in this office, when they
could show me sufficient evidence TO
warrant prosecution. Sherin Pen
nington has never. to my knowledge.
entered this office or spoken a word
to me in connection with the shoe
maker case"
Mr.. Bartholomew lit cigarette He
crossed his legs, uncrossed them ana
crossed them again.
How about that case Of the man
and woman. who were arrested in 4
taxi with suit case Of liquor in their
possession said Simons
Mr.. Bartholomew looked at the
floor. They We're turned loose" he
said, FOR want OF sufficient evidence
DIDN'T BELONG TO THEI
Didn't they have liquor il their
possession asked Simons.
Sure, they did" said Bartholome.g.
but they said that il was LEFT there
by another man and didn't belong 70
them. ."
Following this question and answer.
"a 4'NN'N ANs@'t "a tite law IeSaf The
possession Of liquor was had
4 don't know. except by hearsav...
said Mr. bartholomew. that sho--
maker had any liquor on his pIace. 40
one has ever come to me for an am
darit against him. OF course. l was
away when the raid was made. but
had a capable deputy in this onice ai
the time"
1T SEk-HIE.D RATEVHrts
That did seem funny. for prasecut-
ing attorney, who had heard ali over
town that the place had been ra.I6a
and evidence found. to SIT in his oTice
and wait for some one TO come IN ana
help him prosecute. It was SO funny
that the citizens came to Simons for
advice a : 10 how they were going 10
be able TO push these cases and gain
some protection for the young people
against the three saloons in the citv
Three saloons. Not one of them has
ever been prosecuted for selling liquor
and anyone on the street viii tell you
whore to go for a drink in Valpo.
What if we had such efficiency In Lake
county with her saloons
AND THE PsoSECTToR CoTCHr.D
y have heard" resumed Simons
that you are frieuaIy with This man
Shoemaker and that YOU spent quite q