The New York herald., 1921-05-14
TEETH IN DRY LAW
Will Be FELT SOON
Grand Jury Will Be Made Up
of Those Who Take PrOhi-
bition Statute Seriously.
LOCKED DOORS COMING
Premises of ViOlatOrs Will Be
Closed for a Year Under
New Procedure.

Joab Fl. Banton, Assistant District
Attorney, in discussing the State liquor
law yesterday let 1t be- known that
great care will be exercised In the Sc
lection OF the Extraordinary Grand
Jury recently granted by Gov. Miller.
All persons who think that laws, on
the statute books may be disregarded
if they do not meet with unanimous
approval will be excused from service.
Jurors will not be expected to be pro-
hibitionists, but they will be expected
TO be citizens who take the law seri-
ously.
Gov. Miller" said Mr.. Banton, "at
the conference we had with him on the
prosecution Of the Mullan-Gage act
was emphatic In his desire that this
law must not be- held a joke. It isn't
going to be.
"The teeth of that law haven't been
felt yet. So far we've only been able to
nibble. My office is busy now preparing
| injunction actions against violators OF
the act. Some of these will be put
through just as soon as the forms are
ready Eventually there are going to be
hundreds OF them"
Mr. Banton declared that he would
use the injunctions clause OF the State
law against every hotel. restaurant and
saloon in New York city that persists in
violating the Mullan-Gage act. That
means that the doors of these offenders
| may be closed for a period OF twelve
| months.
Mr.. Banton is going over the findings
of the regular Grand Jury in those cases
where indictments were not brought. 1t
is possible, he said, that some OF these
may be resubmitted to the Extraordi-
nary Grand Jury. with the permission ot
the court
No liquor cases will be presented to
the regular Grand Jury henceforward,
except those Of defendants who are In
jail because of their inability 20 find
bail. Justice Henry ". Borst of Amster-
dam has informed the District Attorney
that the first session OF the Supreme
Court, which Is to devote It's entire time
to liquor cases, will be held June 8.
United States Attorney Ross OF Brook
lyn scouts the idea that It Is impossible
TO ODNdiu COuNlClluus III lVubI 1hSUo ~
the State courts. He referred yesterday
to the record of the Federal Court In
Brooklyn as an indication OF what can
be done. Since October /, 1919, he said.
there had been up to May l OF this
year 1,542 cases, OF which 1,042 have
been disposed of, with a record of "a 1-S
per cent convictions. including pleas Of
guilty. In the Jury trials there has
been an average of 40 per cent. con-
victions. including pleas OF guilty.
A conviction under ....s state law was
obtained in The Bronx County Court
yesterday in the case of Julius Dorozal-
ski OF S71 Melrose avenue. charged with
selling. former bartender. James
Norman of The Bronx, was one OF the
Jury, which took tive minutes for Its
deliberation. Sentence will be passed
May 26.
A man who wants to return to Ger
many, which he left eight years ago.
chiefly because OF prohibition. told
Magistrate Tobias in the Yorkville
Court yesterday that he will not work
if he can't have his occasional drink
lie Is Otto Alberto, charged with
vagrancy He said he could find more
liberty In Europe. and the Magistrate
committed him until Monday while he
sees IL Alberto can't be deported.