Salt Lake Telegram | 1917-10-13 | Page 2 | Utah Dry Law to be Given Acid Test in Court

UTAH UTA lAW I TO B lIE GiVEN I ACI ACID 0 lf TEST J I If IN COURT Appeal of Otto OUo Meek Case CaseI j I Expected to Bring Ruling I on Constitutionality of Measure on Possession T THE THE HE const constitutionality of Utah's A prohibition law Jaw is to to be tested Stuart P. P Dobbs district attorney attorney attorney ney of the Second judicial district district district dis dis- dis- dis will enter an appeal to be taken before the supreme court of Utah in the case wherein Otto Meek was re recently recently recently re- re acquitted at Ogden on a charge of in his possession A letter was received from Mr Dobbs at the attorney generals general's office office office of- of fice today stating that the point at i issue raised he ho question of the con con- of the law and Mr Dobbs has been directed to appeal con I The defense in the Meek case heard by the district court at Ogden was that the liquor was purchased prior to Augustl Augusti when the prohibition law I became effective It was contended that the charge could not succeed notwithstanding that the prohibition act specifically stipulates that the possession of liquor is an offense The I act does not state that it Is necessary essary to prove that the liquor was after August 1 By the decision of the district court the constitutionality of the act is I questioned Assuming however that the lower courts court's judgment is affirmed by the supreme court it does not mean that the whole act will be declared unconstitutional unconstitutional un un- ua- ua constitutional for there Is a clause in the act that if any ono one clause clauso is found to be defective or unconstitutional unconstitutional unconstitutional it will not affect all other clauses