The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-03-22
Prohibition Commissioner
Shows Lid Was Clamp
ed Tightest Here.
Lid TIGHTER NOW
Report for Three Years Shows
Enforcement of Dry Laws
Becoming More General.

Kenosha county may have been one
of the "wet spots" in the state of
Wisconsin in the early days of at
tempts to enforce the prohibition law
but her skirts were somewhat cleared
today when the report of W. Stanley
Smith, state prohibition commission
er, as filed at Madison, showed that
more arrests and convictions for vi
olations Of the liquor laws had been
made in Kenosha county than in any
other county of the state, according
to the population. Kenosha had one
fifth as many arrests as did Milwau-
kee and fines collected here poured
into the state treasury staggering
sum. The record is an indication that
officials here during the past three
years have been vigilant in their eff
forts to stamp out the illicit liquor
traffic which has been going on in
this city and county.
Prohibition enforcement has grad
ually grown more effective in Wiscon-
sin during the past three years." de-
clares the prohibition commissioner,
until now the traffic in Illicit liquor
is we'll controlled although far from
suppressed"
Convictions On Increase.
To substantiate his statement he
pointed to the fact that the number
of convictions under the prohibition
law grew from 152 in 1920 to 4,3O8 in
1922, while fines during the same per-
iod increased from $27,63 in 1920 to
$503,565 The complete report shows
152 convictions in the first year with
fines of S27 ,635, followed in 1921 by
1914 convictions and fines of $685.
636, and in 1929 by 4,308 copWictions
and fines of $5O3,565 together with
2,271 months of Jail sentences.
"This report does not include fines
collected for drunkenness, drunk and
disorderly conduct, for driving an au-
tomobile while intoxicated, and fines
collected under city ordinances or by
the federal courts, but it includes all
fines in state courts for the unlawful
manufacture, sale, transportation and
possession of Intoxicating liquors"
Mr.. Smith said.
Left Homebrewers Alone.
He pointed out that homebrewers
had not been molested by his depart
ment, unless the product was COM
mercialized, declaring that ''the un~
lawful manufacture and use of hard
cider, fermented malt liquor, and
wines has not resulted in many COM
plants and no prosecutions for such
violations have been instructed by his
department except in the cases noted"
The increased number of convictions
and growing total of fines reflects the
growth of sentiment for the enforce
ment of the state prohibition act in
the several counties for the three
years since its enactment" the pro-
hibition commissioner declared. 'Jail,
workhouse and state prison sentences
increased to such an extent during
the year 1922 that it was decided to
obtain data on the subject and the
report shows that there were 2.271
months of confinement imposed for
the year"
''The work of enforcement is diff
cult, arduous and dangerous. 1t is
gratifying to report that there have
been no fatalities, accidents or injur-
les as a result Of our efforts, although
the deputies are constantly subjected
10 temptations, and opportunities OF
corruption are never entirely absent,
there have been no complaints or
charges of graft or immortality against
any Of them"
Shows Work in Counties.
In this report by counties, Prohibi-
tion Commissioner Smith outlined the
course Of improved enforcement dur
ing the past three years.
The records Of counties of interest
to Kenosha fcilow:
Kenosha county had II convictions
with $3.50 in fines during 1920; SO
convictions with s4,225 in fines dur
ing 1921 and 318 convictions, no ac-
quittais, $24,075 in fines and 1O9
months of Jail sentences in 1922
La Crosse county had no convictions
in 1920; in 1921 with $500 in fines;
and 80 convictions with S14,500 in
fines and 100 months of jail sentences
in 1922.