The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1921-02-18
PROHIBITION ENFORCEMENT IN
MARYLAND
Statistics For Year Show officials
Have Been On Job

Have Been On Job
Figures for the Maryland district
covering the period from January 10,
1920, when prohibition enforcement
went into effect, to December 81, is-
sued by Supervising Federal Prohibi-
ton Agent, Thos. E. Stone, are mute
witnesses to the really remarkable
achievements of the Office during the
initial year of enforcement.
One Of the outstanding features Of
the whole situation, which, Of course
includes all of the state of Maryland,
is the fact that the cost Of operation
Of the Maryland enforcement office
doubly repaid itself in the matter
of fines collected by the courts and
the amounts realized from sales.
The number of cases reported for
prosecution during the year 1920 were
276, of which 210 were disposed of
and 66 still are pending. Court fines,
all Of which have been collected, ag-
gregated $77,222 and the amount real
lied from sales totalled 14,233.20,
These last two items alone, it was
said, amounted to twice as much as
the expense incurred in conducting
prohibition enforcement in the Mary
land district.
The assessments imposed under
Section 35 of the Volstead Act and
under the old revenue tax laws, in
cluding taxes and assessable penal
ties for engaging in the liquor busi-
ness, reached total Of $165, ,830.28.
In the matter of seizures, which en-
braces automobiles, trucks and other
vehicles engaged in the illicit trafick-
ing of liquors, stills and other appar-
atus for the making Of liquors; the
vast quantities Of whisky and other
alcoholic preparations confscated-
the value thereof is placed at $145,-
1884. y
Of the cases disposed of by the
court, it is reported that only COM
paratively small number-amount to
about a dozen in all-were either not
pressed or acquittal verdicts rendered.
While the number of automobiles,
trucks, etc., seized during the year
reached 46, many of these were con-
fscated during the latter part Of the
year, and so active have been the en-
forcements lately in this direction
hardly week passes by without
rich haul or two in the automobile
line being made.
The types of cars seized from the
illicit traffickers in whiskey ranged
all the way from the famous Tin
Lizzie to the most expensive make
of car with motor keyed up to pro-
duce the limit in speed. In fact, at
one time or another, almost every
kind of car capable Of holding case
of "hootch" has been taken into GUS
tody by the enforcement agents.
When the prohibition enforcement
office was first instituted in Baltimore,
which was on January 10, 1920, the
men at the helm and behind the guns
had to cope with situation which
was an entirely new one to the coun-
try. Their accomplishments during
the year, despite the handicap under
which they worked in having limit
ed force at their command, have real
ly been little short of astounding to
those who have closely watched their
work since the inception of the Office.
With one obstacle now eliminated
the wholesale liquor dealer-which
many Of those in close touch with the
situation long have thought to be the
most serious thorn in the pathway of
real prohibition enforcement, since
it is said to have provided the outlet
for forged permits, alleged liquor
withdrawal conspiracies, etc., real
feeling of jubilation obsesses the en-
forcement officers-they now feel that
1.-THE year 1921 will find the liquor
lid clamped down about as tight as it
possibly can be fitted in the prohibi-
tion niche. "a, i,
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