Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1924-02-14
A Citizen On Better
Law Enforcement

Editor Leader Enterprise:
With permission and space through
your medium | would like to say 4 few
words on Law and Order.
Il wish to say that | cannot but be
lieve that large majority of tn
people OF Ben Hill County and of on
city are in favor of the enforcement
of the law.
| wish to ask this question, "Dc
our officers do their duty toward tn,
enforcement of the law" I'wish t.
answer that question, "a thousand
! times No."
Judge Crum, in his able charge tc
the Grand Jury, stressed to them the
facts of their duty in putting dowr
the petty crimes being committed If
our county and city. And | wish tc
say here that | do not believe there
IS, in the state of Georgia a finer or
more impartial Judge than he.
The Grand Jury, in their General
Prescntments, recommended that the
officers of the county and city coop
crate in the enforcement of the law in
respective of persons high or low,
rich or poor, white or black. Do they
do it? | think not!
| think | see the Sheriff coming up
Pine street with one of his deputies.
He meets the Chief of Police and SAYS
to him, Chief, guess we had better
cooperate tonight"
OF course they go to the most motor
ious place on Pine St. The proprietor is
sitting in his chair putting away at his
cigar. They greet him and say, "We
have come to go through your place
OF business" OF course he says, gen
tlemen, help yourselves" They 60
through Did they find anything? No.
Did they look for anything? | will
leave that for them to say, but | think
not.
| was informed through reliable
source that in less than thirty minutes
after the officers left liquor was being
sold in this very place | was also in
formed of the fact that few minutes
before the Officers went through the
place, the proprietor kicked a drunk
man out of the door.
Yet few nights before this occurred
the otlcers went out on Palm street
and ralded a negro house. They
knocked on the door but there was no
response. Soon they heard a rustling in
the house and broke the door down
and entered There they found old Bill
Jones fast asleep. Did they find any
liquor? Yes, of course. The women
were the ones doing the rustling, try
ing to hide the liquor. They had thrown
Old Bills liquor out the window and
the officers had to patch the bottles
together to see how many he had.
They carried Old Bill to the court
house and convicted him.
This is the way our officers cooner-
ate
! was also informed that the Sheriff
went all the way to Waycross to tes-
thy for one of the parties who was UP
before the u. S. Court and that. in
his testimony, he said he did not be-
lieve there was any liquor sold in the
place. Now, the Sheriff claims credit
for running that bunch out Of town
and says he has all of the negroes
under arrest. | think there are some
white folks in that bunch too.
! wonder if the Sheriff is going to
testify in court for them when they
are up for trial. It's up to him. He
has as much right to talk for them as
he has for others
| wish to say in conclusion that the
time is at hand when the good people
OF Ben Hill County and our city are
gong to speak out with their ballots
and elect men who will enforce the
law. I believe our, good women are
gong to take a hand this time. I
b.el'eve our city with her several
churches demand it.
A CITIZEN