Bootleggers Soaked With Heavy Fines

 Marietta Daily Journal, June 4, 1917

What appears to have been a general system for furnishing liquor to thirsty throats on Sunday is thought to have been broken up this morning by the arrest of six men, all charged with having sold and furnished liquor on the Sabbath day without a license. The men arrested were Ananias Archer, Charles Cutshaw, Ben Wiley, Harry Armstrong, Fred Audibert, and Ed Coulter.

The "system" was uncovered by agents of the state liquor license board who have been working on the case for some time. The agents are said to have visited the vicinity in which the operations were thought to be carried on Sunday afternoon and had no trouble in securing a pint of whiskey.

From appearances it looks as though Audibert was "the man behind the throne." When approached by the license agents, the men arrested are said to have readily consented to secure the whiskey and were but a short time in doing so. The store house in which the supply was kept appears to have been the cellar of the Audibert home on Fourth Street.

The hearing of arrested men is being held this afternoon. Ananias Archer was the first one arraigned, he pleading guilty to both the charge of selling on Sunday and selling without a license. He was given a fine, the minimum in both cases, of $225 and costs, with commitment to the county jail until paid.

Ben Wiley [Benjamin Wylie] was next arraigned. He was still under the influence of liquor and in his testimony to the court used some very strong and rather effective language. He at first refused to tell where he secured the liquor he had obtained for the agent and claimed that he did not sell the liquor to him. He later admitted, however, that he had been given a dollar and had returned with a pint of whiskey, which they took up an alley and "both had a drink." He was given the same fine as Archer and taken to the county jail to serve it out.

Charles Cutshaw was arraigned on the charge of furnishing liquor. He pleaded guilty, but on the advice of C. C. Middleswart, local member of the county liquor license board, he was treated leniently by the court, because of the fact that he has an aged mother dependent on him for support. His fine of $200 was suspended during good behavior.

The fine of $225 of Harry Armstrong, colored, arraigned on two charges, was also suspended during good behavior, but he was made to pay the costs of the case. It is understood that Armstrong had been disposing of the liquor at the hotel where he is employed.

Audibert, when arraigned, pleaded not guilty to both charges placed against him. His hearing was held before Mayor Hovey. Audibert claimed that the whisky found in his home Sunday, some 12 pints of it being found in the cellar, was given to him Saturday night by a bartender, whose identity he refused to disclose, to be kept over Sunday.

Audibert has been suspected of bootlegging for some time and his tale did not ring true. His steadfast refusal to tell the name of the one giving him the whiskey made the case strong against him and he was found guilty, being fined $225 and costs, with commitment until paid.

Ed Coulter was the last of the six to be arraigned. He also pleaded not guilty, but little trouble was had in proving the charge against him. He was given $225 and costs with commitment until paid.