The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-09-25
BLAKES OFFICERS
FOR VIOLATIONS
Symmonds Attacks Office
of District Attorney Be
for Optimists.
RUETZ MAKES ANSWER

mods addressed the Optimist club at
it's MONDAY luncheon at the Elks'
club today His indictment OF the
work of the district attorneys Office
in the enforcement of the law in Ke-
nosha county drew forth torrent *
wrath from the former district attor-
ney. Symmonds began his talk with
reference to the unfortunate Parker
incident, and made the statement that
he believed as a result of this double
tragedy the entire community Is
aroused to the sense of obligation that
lies on the head of every good citizen.
Evidently moonshine whiskey is no
more kept in tumblers or glasses and
the source Of supply hidden away
from the places where it is dispensed
as was formerly the case, but it is
now boldly sold over the bar with no
apparent fear of prosecution" the
speaker said, commenting on the sit
uation in general. "Why should this
be so? Officials who go into these So
called soft-drink parlors and there be-
come drunk, are not likely to engender
any great amount of law enforcement
spirit; and the violators of law know
they have sympathetic friends in such
officials. There is no danger Of such
officials having their lives threatened
because of any aggressiveness in per-
forming official duty
Calls For Cooperation,
'eThe city manager and the council
is certainly cooperating in law en-
forcement in thus giving the police a
bigger incentive to secure convictions
of criminals traffiking in moonshine
whiskey. But the district attorney
seems to have failed to recognize this
cooperation. He seems to regard it
as substitute for his own services,
rather than as a double method of
making these fellows who are making
thousands Of dollars feel more keenly
the power of the law.
"Under the city ordinance, the police
have filed charges against four persons
alleged to have sold intoxicating Ii
quor to the occupants of that death
car. With this full knowledge, up to
this morning our district attorney has
not seen fit to place criminal charges
against these individuals for violations
CT this state law. Is the district at
torney, now, after such a violation,
the moving spirit in the prosecution
of these four alleged violators? No,
he is letting the police and the city
attorney commence such proseeu-
tion under the city ordinance, and
what he will do, thereafter is still a
matter of conjecture. 1t is this very
same lack of spirit on the part of the
district attorney which, to my mind,
seems one of the greatest causes Of
the spirit of lawlessness which now
prevails.
Tells of County Conditions.
"Such inaction on the part of the
district attorney in not being the NOV
ing spirit in starting criminal action
against such offenders because per-
haps they are brought in under the
city ordinance, might possibly be ex-
cused if such terrible conditions did
rot now exist in our county; but even
then, the law does not excuse him.,
neither does it excuse US as citizens.
81 feel that Kenosha county Is
aroused, and that to me is the most
optimistic aspect of this tragedy. If
this sentiment can be crystallized in
to intelligent action, our county will
be cleaned of this costly traffic. Will
you permit this terrible tragedy to go
without some action on your part to
prave to law enforcement officials that
the people do want our laws enforced,
and that Truman Parker and his beau
tiful daughter shall not have died in
vains" s.
A general discussion of the si$ua-
s. III
of Frank Symmonds. 1t was the gen.
eral sentiment of the ,Optimists that
some action be taken to show the
stand of that organization in law en-
forcement. Conrad Shearer suggested
that the Optimists be urged to get
behind the officials responsible for
law enforcement and assist them with
every power they can arouse. Rev.
Malcolm Van Zandt, in a stirring ap-
peal, urged every Optimist to take to
heart the subject of the discussion.
and that if the citizens who wished
full enforcement of the law did not
receive it-"and understand me cor
rectly, do not point to any officials
and say whether they are or are not
enforcing it as they should"-then it
ID AIBH Time tHdL IS OOASI
and that now is the time to do it."
Ruetz Defends Barnett.
Coming to the defense of the dis
trct attorney, Edward Ruetz entered
plea for more consideration of that
official.
"Mr. Barnett is an honorable and
honest man. In all the time / have
been associated with him / have yet
to find one reprehensible act that he
has committed. He is trying sto do
his duty, and with more encourage
ment that can be done, and is being
done. l am sure that when the trial
of these four offenders comes up you
will find state warrants prepared
against them by Mr.. Barnett. There
ares of course, many different ideas
in all our minds, as to the proper
thing to do in such cases, but with
the same attitude of the present Off
cials and with the full cooperation of
every minister and congregation and
citizens of this community, Kenosha
can be cleaned of the illicit traffic that
is making blot on it's fair name"