, 1923-07-04
DRYS FRAME
EVIDENCE IN
darkest OH!O''
ATTORNEY DECLARES THAT
METHODS OF RUSSIA ARE
PRACTICED BY E NJ
FORCEMENT AGENTS

lolIellltllL III OIlO, ACQUIRING W IL
statement issued by Captain w. H.
Stayton, founder and executive of the
Association Against the Prohibition
Amendment.
The situation, Captain Stayton de
clared, is widespread, applying not
only to the methods pursued by the
enforcement agents, but by the
courts themselves, which, he asserted,
were under the domination of the
Anti-Saloon League. To match
these conditions, he added, the legis-
lature is steadily adding to the pow
ers of the State executives by the pas
sage of laws that increase the penal
ties for ~infraction of existing prohi-
bition laws, wholly out of proportion
to those imposed for other offenses.
As an example of the veritable
reign of terror prevailing in many
parts of Ohio, Captain Stayton quot
ed literally from a letter received
from Dwight Cusick, an attorney at
law in New Lexington, Ohio, des-
criptive of methods pursued by the
enforcement agents in Perry County,
as follows.
"You, perhaps, are not familiar
with the fact hat in this country, we
have had to, and still have to, deal
with a situation which violates every
fundamental principle of individual
liberty and justice.
"We have been forced to submit to
searches conducted by officers who
are known criminals and character
less; and whose authority for search
has been granted by the enforcement
power of the State.
"Homes have been searched after
the midnight hour without reason
given in the affidavit used for the
time of searching, and owners of the
homes beaten into submission at the
least protest. Men have been shot
and shot at if. they made the least
move against the wishes of the of
ficers.
Liquor has been planted on those
who have come into disfavor with the
prohibitionists, and they have been
hailed into the court of a Mayor or
Justice of the Peace, from whose act
ions it is natural to assume that he is
subsidized by the Anti-Saloon League,
and fined as high Is n thousand
dollars. 1t has become a favorite
method of taking revenge on a neigh
Dor against whom a grudge is held,
to notify the Anti-Saloon League that
he has liquor in his house, then the
flying squadron rushes into his home
after all the members of the family
have retired.
every known imposition that could
be conceived has been inflicted upon
those who have in the past shown any
dislike for prohibition. The court
procedure, Justice and Mayor, would
be comical. if it did not entail such
rank injustice. The court looks to
the prosecuting attorney, almost al
ways n member of the legal staff of
the Anti-Saloon League, for tips on
I decisions as to the admissibility of
evidence, and the attorney boldly
signals how to rule.
az could go on indefinitely, describ-
ing abuses under this new form of
Communism. However, we may be
favored with some surcease in the
future, due to our February Grand
Jury having indicted three of the
mayors in the county and a few of
the prohibition officers"
Reports from Summit County,
Ohio, disclose n similar state of af-
fairs, Captain Stayton declared. The
report of the State Examiner on the
administration of justice in Silver
Lake, in that county, showed its acti-
vities practically unlimited on prosecu
ton of liquor law violators, while
other forms of law breaking were
practically ignored.
ain this Ohio town." Captain Stay
ton said, "the examiners report show
ed that illegal fees amounting to over
$4,000 were paid deputy marshalls,
who hauled alleged violators Of the
prohibition laws to court in their own
machines, and assessed transporta-
ton charges varying from $500 to
$4,000 in each case. Against the May
or himself, the report brings n finding
Of Sf,505.IS, representing undistribut-
ed collections made but not available.
The report further ayers that the
Mayor deposited court funds in his
own personal account in n loca, bank,
drawing checks thcrofrom for his own
| personal use.
"These attested evidences of VIC
lence by enforcement agents and alb
uses by the courts will receive further
, support in Ohio by the so-called Ben
| der law, which has just become eff
fective in that State. Under its dras'
. tic provisions, the manufacture Of dis.
! titled liquor is classified as a felony
punishable with penitentiary sentenc