Norwich bulletin., 1921-01-14
DANlEL.SON


 Just how much authority have police officials to halt any automobile that happens to come along and search it.. it's occupants and their baggage for intoxi- eating liquors, without having a warrant for the particular person, persons, or car to be searched?
 This little question was pra1ounded Thursday to four attorneys of standing here and in Putnam and in each case the lawyers gave as their opinion that the thing can't be done legally. Yet it is being done right here in windham eour- ty,- done regularly and without any ex- cuse or apologies.
 The stage has been reached where many law abiding people are beginning to resent what good lawyers say is an- warranted interference with their rights as citizens. The police of the city of WiIlimantic are particular offenders in this respect in fact most of the pro- tests heard in this section of the county are relative to the operations of the WilEmantic police in their zeal to catch booze runners who have been operating through that city.
 I According to lawyers whn were inter- viewed on the subject, the sacred Eigh- teenth amendment and sanctiied Vol stead act do not wholly remove the constitutional rights of citizen, one of whom with some grit in his crop may | decide one of these days to contest the | manner in which police officers are oper- | ating in some cities and let the courtz say just where the Init is in actions of | the kind discussed l One very good lawyer gave it as his | opinion that there must be, first, vel | grounded reason for believing that a | particular automobile is transpoftine ] liquor illegally and second, that warrant | for the person driving the car must bt ! possessed by an officer before he has any legal right to halt it and institute s l search.
 In this era of nightly hoId-ups and carnival of crime of every sort few CD orators of automobiles relish being ah ruptly halted by strangers at night anG | in isolated sections Of cities or whtl | touring through outlying country. Thi opinion is freely expressed here and il surrounding towns No reasonable drive will resent, however, ,halting for an of ficer when the driver Is certain that tn, man who halts him really is an official There are many good and law-abidin, citizens who dS object, and very positive ly, to having officers rummaging througl their cars and personal luggage, and .h
 suggestion has been made that the at
 torney general rus on the right of of flcers who are without specific warrant
 to do this thing.
 A Danielson attorney ard a menbe
 of the legislature from a nearby tow
 were among the people from this sectio
 who have beea halted at nfght tfi
 week by the police of WiHimantic, os
 erating within the city limits. The al
 torney has voiced no protest, but is on
 of those who expressed his opinion tl1a
 the police had no right to stop the ca in which he, was riding, no more tha
 they would have to stop the car of an
 other person who was under suspicion C
 engaging in illegal transportation
 liquor, of which, by the way, there wasn
 even a memory in the attorneys ca which was stopped not because of an violation of the motor vehicle laws, bg
 to look it over for. liquor.
 Some drivers here are so incense over these hold-ups for inspection their cars for liquor that they are threa ening really reckless action against O 7 ficers, actions that they have been at | I visd against and told to. geek redre. in the courts, where many attorney | agree it will be promptly forthcoming. ? One of the very aBlest lawyers ]. in either tlle county or state had tn
 to say about police holding up autom