Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1929-10-05
REV. BUSH'S PREDICAMENT

We read with much interest the
report that Rev. Samuel L. Bush, the
well-known Fulton pastor, was ar
rested at Curles Neck upon a charge
of transporting whiskey. On the face
of the statement as alleged to have
been made, no whiskey was found
upon the person of Rev. Bush. Just
why Officers Bowls, Reed and Robin
son, without warrant, should have
1earched the kit of Rev. Bush is an
other question.
Their noses are on blind scent
for whiskey. We learn that Willie
Allen is not a deacon. If the pre-
cedent is to be set that the kits of all
fishermen are to be searched without
warrant and preachers put to the eX-
pense and annoyance of being tried
for having liquor, we think we see
much more trouble ahead. The very
statement that he was on fishing
trip should have made all fishing
tackel, lunch boxes, grips and peck
cts inviolable as to search.
We take it that no one of those
Henrico officers had ever hooked a
fish in his life, else he would have
known of this unwritten law of the
road. 1t is essentially necessary for
men to go on hunting expeditions
and fishing trips with attendants to
look after the care of the bait, espe-
cially live bait and have matters so
adjusted and arranged that should
they reach a locality where the fish
persistently refuse to bite, it will
cause no embarrassment or annoy
ance to the fisherman.
He brought the pleasure of his
fishing with him in another receptacle
and "what in the hi do we care?"
Besides the average Negro preacher,
these days with the empty collection
basket and light collection plate needs
something besides the spirit to cause
him to forget his troubles. He needs
his day off. Judge Pitt had no other
recourse but to send the case on to
the grand jury, but the county Of
ficers did have recourse to remain
within the strict letter of the law and
to let the parson and Willie Aliens
whiskey alone.
A fishing trip without liquor? Why
the very idea makes us smile. We
risk the opinion that should Bowls,
Reed and Robinson, if they are fish
ermen go upon similar expedition,
their grips and packages would con-
tain much more than one quart of
whiskey in order for them to survive
the lonesome hours that they would
wait to get the fish in humor to
bite.
Now again, the bottle was said to
be inside of the kit. The kit was in
side of the car. The car did not be-
long to Rev. S. l.. Bush, for the rea-
son that it was not registered in his
name. The rule in Henrico county is
to fine the deserving culprit, who
cannot get out of it any other way
and to suspend the Jail penalty. We
would like to know, too, the brand
of that corn liquor and how it got by
the eagle eyes of Sergeant Dan Du-
,ing's squad.
That keen-witted officer has been
tuarged with many things by the
Dootleggers, but that of robbing a !
r0or fisherman of all of his pleasure
nv unlawfully fishing into his kit
which either did contain the bait or
would have contained it is not one
Or them. Rev. S. l.. Bush is in the
hands of the white folks. If he
knows his onions, he can get out
o. the hands of the white folks, but
God help him when he returns to the
custody OF his own people. Selah.