Evening star., 1923-07-24
CONNECT OFFICER
W|THBOOTLEG RING.
Prince Georges County
/ League Starts Cleanup
of LaWIeSSneSS.
Enrcial Dispatch to The Star.

rprciaI DlspalCn 10 He StdE.
EVANSVILLE. Md. July 24.-De-
claring that he had affidavits to prove
his statement, Councilman B. n. Brou-
ner of Hyattsville threw quite a bomb
into the meeting of the Prince
Georges County League in the
municipal building here last night,
when he asserted that an official Of
Rrince Georges county, accompanied
by three bootleggers, offered a woman
owning quite q large farm in Prince
Georges county u sum of money II
she would allow d still to be set up
on the premises. Brouner declared
that the woman declined to listen to
the proposition and ordered the men
off the place. He further stated that
as a member of the grand jury last
April, his attempt to get this evil
dence before that body proved futile.
At the conclusion of Brouner's state
lnent, there were cries of "impeach
him" and other similar eXclamations.
Mayor Lloyd V MoXley of Brentwood.
declared, I'VE can reach these kind
OF people at the next election"
Fight Lnwlessness.
Corporation Counsel William D. Nc
Laren of Capitol Heights stated that,
as the result of laWleSSness which
had been on the increase in the yicin-
ity of Chesapeake Junction for some
time, the citizens of Seat Pleasant.
Maryland Park and Capitol Heights
had banded together TO improve con-
ditions. He asserted that. in number
of instances, women had been insult
ed by intoxicated persons in public
places in the neighborhood. He be-
lieved that the solution OF the diff
Guilty would be better pay for con-
stables. declaring that it was too
much to expect man to risk his life
for Il paltry 70 cents or dollar.
Richard y. w. Pyles OF Mount
Rainier reported that u skeleton"
organization had been formed in the
Chillum community and that investi-
lie believed, would aid the organi2a
lIon in its fight against bootlegging
and other violations. He stated that
when the evidence he was after had
been obtained that he proposed to
give the names OF those implicated.
He intimated that he had some EVIL
dence of the existence of a big still
on d farm in the southern end of
the county and that, in order to es-
tablish its exact location. he was
having a survey made of the farm
He also declared that he expected to
soon have correct information as to
persons In the county who were re-
cefving pay from race tractk inter-
ests, and that he would give the or
ganiZation the names of such per-
sons.
Automobiles Stolen.
that recently two automobiles were
stolen in his neighborhood and that
Il petition had been sent to Gov.
ltitchie asking that the state police
De detailed to patrol the Washington
Annapolis Defense highway from
Bladensburg to Lanham. The gov
ernor, according to Mr.. Brown, re-
piled that he was without authority
TO act in the matter, as there was
no law empowering the executive to
detail state police for this duty. in
asmuch as the county officers had de-
clined to swear in state police as
deputies. The state police, the gov
ernor said, could only handle cases
involving violations of the traffic
laws.
q. w. s. Musgrave of Laurel sug-
sested a solution of this difficulty by
the passage of a law during the 1924
session of the legislature compelling
the sheriffs of the various counties
ties He urged members of the or
gantzation TO get behind candidates
for the Legislature who would agree
10 support such a bill. Legislation
OF this character was attempted at
the 1872 session. but failed.
support OF OmcerS UrBed.
w B. Morgan of Piscataway dts
trict asserted that the law officers of
the county were by no means alto
gether TO blame for alleged laWless-
ness; that il was the duty of all good
citizens TO give these officers support
and encouragement. Mere criticism
would accomplish but little, he as
Sc rted. While 1t was generally ru-
. mored in his section that there was
more whisky to be had now than be-
fore prohibition went into effect. he
was unable to locate any of it even
at $40 per half pint He declared. so
far as he could see, that the general
moral condition of the community had
vastly improved under prohibition.
Mayor George Finger of Capitol
clean up the county. action, backed
by good United States money. was
necessary; that talk alone would ac-
complfsh little. He thought the renl
be handed by the executive commit
tee and not in public meeting of the
organization, declaring that clever
politicians could get t.into the meeting
and talk a proposition to its doom.
An amendment to the constitution
providing that no member Of the or
ganizaAion could be candidate for
office was submitted and Will be
day, August 13. Mrs. Eva c: Chase
thought the amendment unwise. for
the reason that it would probably
preclude some of the best citizens In
the county who might want to join
the organization from becoming can
dldates. This class of persons. she
declared, were the very ones the or
ganization should strive to place in
Officers Nominated
FralH NJ. Stephen of Riverdale.
actinga for the chairman of the NOM
mating committee, Charles W. Clagett
Of Hyaqsville, submitted the follow
ing lice as officers of the organiza-
ton for the ensuing year: Mayor J.
Frank Rushe Of Hyattsville, presi-
dent; sGordon Z. Ferguson Of De-
Catur Heights. first vice president; !;
II Il