Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-08
EX-CH|EF SCORES
DRY LAW SLAy|NGS
Mrs. WHIebrandt Condemns
UnWarranted Use of
Firearms. =
Continued From First Psge.)

condemn as atrocious, wholly I'M
warranted and entirely unnecessary
some of the killing by prohibition
agents. But I know that there are
equally shocking cases of gangsters' at
tacks on agents, which, If as widely
known, will influence the falr-minded
people not to BE- too hasty in lavishlng
sympathy on violate of the law who
get wounded in the course of arrest.
Letter as Evidence.
As a sample of how the bootlegger
deals with citizens who stand in his way
this touching letter to me stands as
mute evidence:
Dear Madam:
1T understand that my husband wrote
to you some time ago about prohibition
law and the agents you sent here told
those, the wholesalers, about him writ
ing to you, so the wholesalers went to
the priest on the 4th of April. This
priest called on my husband and warned
him that the wholesalers would make
lot of trouble. Just four days after
that they murdered by husband, Eugene
Costa, and left me with five little chill
dren. My husband fought for his
country during the World War. And it
took foreigner to murder my husband
over beer and whisky. If you sent
someone in I will explain it better. If
YOU think 1t would better for me to
come there please tell me when and
how For am broken hearted.
kindly pay special attention.
MRS. EUGENE COSTA"
Take the case of Tom Morris, de-
ceased His family now knows that In
enforcing the prohibition law agents OF
the Government are not dealing with
mere "good-hearted boys" who meet a
public demand for liquor.
He with another officer stopped car
which was crossing the border loaded
with LIQUOR After making the arrest
men who had been in the car, the other
said, wait minute till 1 light a
cigarette" The officer waited min
ute" but instead of lighting cigarette.
the rum runner pulled gun and shot
Morris, who died almost instantly The
defendant then ran, and the surviving
officer shot at him but missed. Sub
sequently captured and convicted: he
was given only prison term OF from
2 to 20 years. These bootleggers were
the type ordinarily engaged in running
liquor between Texas towns. Nothing
in their appearance gave the agents
warning. They were no better and no
worse than thousands of other bootleg
gers who are operating daily in all parts
of the country. And let it be remem-
bered that the man who committed this
act of violence was himself in no great
danger from the law prior to the shoot
ing of the customs officer. He was sub
iect to a penalty at most of only six
months and a few hundred dollars fine
after conviction. Nevertheless, in an
attempt to avoid facing that charge, he
shot down and killed an officer of the
law.
Indicted for Self Defense.
The case cited is not at all unusual
On September 26. 1928, prohibition
agent named King stopped an automo-
bile crossing a bridge at Jacksonville
Fla, and arrested a well known boot
logger who was in charge OF the load OF
liquor. When the agent stepped on the
running board of the car the bootlegger
pulled a gun and shot the agent, who
fell into the road. Wounded as he was,
King nevertheless managed to draw his
own gun and as the bootlegger started
to drive away a running battle occurred
in which Agent King killed the boot
logger. A disinterested workman on
the bridge told the facts. While the
agent lay at the point OF death IN
hospital the State authorities, as the
result of sensational and unwarranted
press reports which inf1amed the public
from the deceased's associates, en-
deavored to obtain an indictment for
murder against an officer who had
risked his life in the performance of
his legal duty and who had shot after
being thrown in the road, wounded, and
only in self-defense.
I might cite dozens Of other similar
cases. but I will call attention to only
one more. 1t is the case of the United
States of America VS.. James H. Alder
man. charged with and convicted of
murder and sentenced to death. The
conviction has been upheld by the
United States Circuit Court of Appeals
for the fifth circuit and the Supreme
Court of the United States has refused
to review the case The facts are these:
On August z, 1927, United States
Coast Guard patrol boat, on duty off
the coast of Florida, stopped small
boat coming from the direction of
Bimini in the British West Indies and
headed toward the Florida coast. On
boarding the boat the Coast Guard
commander. Sidney c. Sanderlin. found
one James H. Alderman in charge. with
Robert K. Weech aboard, together with
20 sacks of liquor. OF the Coast Guard
b0at crew onlV Sanderlin was armed