Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1934-05-13
MARYLAND STARTS
DRIVE
ON BOOTLECGERS
U. S. Judge Chestnut Warns
VioIators He Will Impose
Maximum Penalty.

BALTIMORE, May IL LP)-Mary-
lands news of the week centered
around liquor-climaxed with stern
declaration of war on bootlegging by
United States judge.
The same day the State controller
announced there had been no let-up
among rye liquor moonshiners in
Maryland, United States Judge w.
Calvin Chestnut cracked his judicial
whip in the faces of violators, said
they we're defrauding the Government
and warned he would give them maxi
mum punishment.
Showing he meant it. he immedi-
ately pronounced sentence of ID
months on Martin Dilmuth of Bal
timore County and fined him 81, 900
for his first offense.
Dilmuth pleaded guilty to operation
of a 300-gallon still and possession of
so gallons of untaxed liquor.
when the people of the United
States decided to abolish prohibition
they placed the violation of liquor laws
in a very different light" said Judge
Chestnut. six months ago offenses
of this type were merely violations
of the liquor laws. Now they are en-
tirely different. being an outright eff
fort to defraud the Government of
needed revenue"
His statement was not made to an
empty court Before him were nu-
merous alleged violators who had been
summoned to court before their trial
dates in order that they could receive
the benefit 0f the remarks
Moonshine Plentiful.
The same morning Judge Chestnut
clamped down on moonshiners who
had been caught it was announced by
State Controller William S. Gordy. jr..
that those who had not been caught
were flooding the State with their
contraband. The manufacture of corn
liquor practically had ceased, a survey
by the controllers office revealed. but
the type known as Maryland rye is
being distilled in the rural areas of
the State in undiminished volume
since the repeal of prohibition"
For this type of liquor. the controller
said, the price is from $3.50 a gallon
for day-old vintage to 81 a gallon for
the type alleged to have been aged.
He pointed out that the lowest tax on
liquor was $50 a gallon.
The only instances of marked
decline in bootlegging noted by the
controller were in the three counties
owning and operating dispensaries.
"Dwindled to negligible proportions,
was the report for these counties
Wicomico, Worcester and Montgomery.
However, earlier in the week it had
been discovered that even some county
dispensaries were breaking the liquor
law. At Salisbury the Wicomico
Liquor Control Board was fined $3.50
by Federal inspector for operating
its dispensary without a Federal
license.
To prevent similar difficulties Dep
uty Attorney General Willis Jones
hurriedly dispatched statements into
dispensary counties pointing to
recent Federal ruling that all county
dispensaries must operate under Fed
eral licenses.
w. C. T. U. Meetings.
Liquor and saloon talk also was
forthcoming in other parts of the
obooSs nv SAACotClO O"A LIlC ACIlL
County w. C. T. U. considered the
status OF liquor; at Cambridge the
Dorchester County Ministerial Asso-
citation deplored "glaring immoral in
fluences a moral breakdown
brought on by the advent of
the saloon to Dorchester County and
the temptations it has thrown before
our young people"
Only beer is legal in Dorchester
County.
Also at Cambridge, plans we're laid
for meeting on May II of w. c. T. u.
units from Caroline, Talbot and Dor
chester Counties.
During the earlier part of the week
the political situation was quieter than
usual from State standpoint. Even
In a score or more of small towns
where local elections were held. the
situation was quiet. Few people went
to the polls, showing almost a record
lack of interest in who became their
burgeSSeS and town commissioners.
Havre de Grace was the exception.
Political telescopes throughout the
State were turned there when a DEM
ocratic faction avowed anti Richie"
swept aside faction which had been
in Office and claimed affiliation with
United States Senator Willard E.
Tydings. The faction, according to
its leader, Frederick Lee Cobourn,
supported the politics of Mayor How
ard w. Jackson of Baltimore, candi-
date for the Democratic gubernatorial
nomination. against the politics of
Gov. Albert c. Richie. The primary
Is in September.