The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1952-01-17
THROUGH
HAZEL
EYES
BY Hazel Brannon Smith

1t is difficult for your edit
or to understand the attitude of
the Jackson Daily News to-
ward law enforcement in
Holmes county.
When sheriff of our coun-
ty makes firm stand for law
enforcement one would not
necessarily expect applause
from the Jackson paper -
since conditions in Holmes
county are none Of its concern
- but one certainly does not
expect or appreciate the carp
ing comment about our Sher-
Tiff carried in Mondays edi-
torial page Of our esteemed
contemporary.
Under the heading "A Little
Too Much Zeal" the News has
this to say:
In a published declaration
that he intends to rigidly en-
force all laws against illicit
liquor selling, gambling, and
other crimes and misdemean-
ors, Richard F. Byrd, new sher-
lift of Holmes county, over
spoke himself bit. A para
graph Of the statement says:
Amy person caught drink
ing, carousing or lettering
around a nightspot or luke
joint will be picked up and
prosecuted to the extent OF
the law. Regardless of who
you are, If caught at one of
these places, you will have
to explain it to the judge
IF Sheriff Byrd puts under
arrest all persons found in
night spots and juke joints he
will create for himself a large
flock Of headaches and a heal
thy crop Of damage suits. i
Lettering in a night spot
or a juke joint, even when IL
Quor is being sold on the pre-
misses, is not a crime or mis-
demeanor. Some folks who
patronize such places won't
like being lugged off to Jail /
and later asked to explain to
the judge
After all, the people do
have some liberties left"
For the benefit Of anyone in
teresteds whether in Holmes or
Attala county, Jackson or Tim
buctoo, Sheriff byrU or Holm
es county is well aware of his
responsibilities and obliga-
tons - he does not have any
idea Of taking advantage of
anyone's constitutional rights
- but he has not "overspoke
himself a bit" as the Jackson
Daily News puts it.
Sheriff Byrd made it plain
in statements in both county
last week that he
intends to pick up and pro-
secute to the extent of the
law" any person caught
drinking, carousing or loiter-
ing around a night spot or
'juke joint in Holmes coun-
ty."
He put his warning into &C.
ton when he arrested a pa
tron in the Rainbow Garden
near Durant Saturday night
for possession OF liquor - and
other arrests of citizens were
made the same night at other
places. In one case a man of
about 20 was arrested for pub
lie drunkenness as he stagger-
ed down the highway after
fleeing one of the roadside
joints when the Sheriff and his !
deputies raided the place.
It may not be a crime or a
nisdemeanor to hang around
Holmes county's juke joints -
al people who do may be as
pure as the driven snow-they +,
may even be preparing next
Sundays Sunday School les
son for all we know - but If
they don't want 70 be held
for questioning or called to
court as witnesses they'd bet
ter find some other place to
Floiter" In,
The folks who frequent these
places for the most part aren't
Holmes county people in the
first place - the vast majority
of Holmes county people
wouldn't set foot in them.
Those who 40 visit these
places run a risk of getting
slugged or shot, or having
knockout drops put in their
drinks and robbed /. Holmes
people know this,
When Sheriff Byrd saws he's
going to keep on until these
places are closed were for
encouraging him a hundred
per cent and will do every
thing to back him up re-
oorIIocc IF constitutional |