The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1923-06-29
MOONMAKERS HIDE
BEHIND WOMEN
SHIFT BLAME TO SHOULDERS OF
SISTERS AND WIVES SAY
INVESTIGATORS.
On the Theory That Courts Are More
Lenient With Women Than With
Men Offenders; 1000 Cases in
Silver Bow County.

Knowing that courts are usually
more Ienient with women, many
of the 1000 bootleggers brought
TO trial in federal, district and po-
lice courts of Silver Bow since the
summer of 1920 have shifted the
blame to the shoulders of sisters
or wives according to the report of
Investigators who have been gath
ering data ON these cases.
Another interesting item unearthed
by the Investigators is the fact that
a goodly percentage of violaters of
the prohibition law are of foreign
birth. Others are offenders who have
time after time been arrested on the
same charge. Some have been hailed
into court nine times charged with
violating the prohibition laws.
The report of the men probing the
Volstead law in Silver Bow county is
a comparative table by which the eff
ficiency of prohibition in this county
may be determined. The investiga-
ton is not yet quite complete, but as
soon as all data is collected the fig
ures will be printed in pamphlet form
to afford the public an opportunity of
determining the results of the drouth
there.
Status of Cases
The report states that of the 1000
cases approximately 80 of them
have been or still are on the docket of
The United States court. OF this
number AZ have been dismissed or
acquitted; IA are still pending, while |
80, because they failed to pay fine
ire serving or have served time be- |
lind the bars.
About ESQ so-called whisky cases
lave reached the district court. |
twenty of these cases are still pend
ng, 80 have been dismissed or ac-
Iuitted, while 80 bench warrants is
ued for persons free on bail were
unanswered.
The fines imposed in the district
curt aggregated 1891. An inter-
sting item not included in the re-
ort is the fact that although the
ounty of Silver Bow stands the
osts of all proceedings in whisky
ases," and these costs during the
me the investigators were at work
mounted to several thousands of dol
hrs, the county receives none of the
mes collected. The costs of prose-
lting these actions are included in
lie expense of the judicial district.
County Gets Nothing
Of the fines collected in the district
ourt, $17,435.58 was paid by the
Jerk of the court to the state law
fund. From this fund
ne dry sleuths of the state are paid. :
1to the general school fund of the .
0unty $7,435.60 was paid. The gem
raj fund got $296, while the poor
Ind received $66. County attorney
nd sheriff's costs were all that were
sducted from the fines and these
,sts amounted to but S2,677.20.
In the police court, out of the total
lmber of cases SO were dismissed or
quilted and 83 sent to the federal
urt for trial.
There are numerous instances"
ates the report, "of cases instituted
1920, which are still pending, and
ses in which pleas or verdicts of
Iilty were allowed by orders indefi-
tely postponing sentence and APP
rently forgotten.
Doe Family Popular
John and Jane Doe are two of the
pular offenders, the report states.
d great majority of those arrest
have hid their identity behind
csc pseIdonyms. In dealing with
peated offenders the investigators =.
We found 'that among the defend d
is whose cases are pending very =
my are not only second, third and
IN ninth-time offenders, but more A
In one, who in earlier cases for