OCR Text |
Show NEW ISSUE IN REED AMENDMENT ARGUED Mails Must Be Used in Connection for Violation, Is Plea of Liquor Case Defendants. 'Upon the rilling of a. demurrer by counsel coun-sel for the defendnnts, the trial of the ease of the government against Thomas Croft and K. Y. Pfi-ter, charged with havin.tr brought liquor into dry territory in. violation of the Reed amendment, was continued until January 2. The demurrer was argued later in the day before Judse Tillman D. Johnson by Thomas IRamase, counsel for the defendants, and David S. CooU, assistant T'nited States attorney. Mr. Ramage took the position that the ; Reed amendment is a part of the postal j regulations and not a provision of the interstate commerce law, under which it has been operating. It was maintained on the part of the defendants that the act was passed by congress as an amendment amend-ment to the postoffice appropriation bill, and that it cannot be violated unless Hie United States mails are used .in some way as a medium toward the transportation of intoxicating -liquors into a dry territory. terri-tory. Mr. Ramaere argued that if a man living, liv-ing, for instance, in I'tah sent an order by mail to a dealer in Wyoming, directing- him to send a consignment of liquor into Utah, the Reed amendment would be violated, but if a man brought the liquor into the state himself, not using the malls, there would he no infraction of the law. The issue is new. The arguments argu-ments will be submitted by brief. |