The Monticellonian

Uncle Sam Takes a Hand.

The saloon men of Fort Smith are all torn up over some having been indicted in the western district of the federal court, at Muskogee, Ind. T., on a charge of selling liquor in the territory. For years past liquor men doing business in towns bordering on the territory, have enjoyed a large and lucrative jug trade, which, as a whole, had aggregated many hundred thousand dollars a year. Many of them employed solicitors, and the orders taken have been filled by express, as have been the mail orders which have resulted from this direct solicitation. Some months ago a government agent went to Fort Smith and investigated this jug trade, and on returning to Muskogee filed information against some of the most prominent dealers in that city for "introducing."

Arrest and preliminary hearing followed, and the defendants were all bound over to the grand jury for the western district, convening at Muskogee. That grand jury has just returned true bills to the number of 200 against liquor men and others. The former contend that delivery to a common carrier is delivery to the person, and for that reason they are not guilty of any infraction of the law. Judge Raymond, in his charge to the grand jury, intimated very strongly that he would send convicted defendants to the penitentiary, and also intimated that the theory of the outlined defense of the saloon men doing a jug trade with the territory was not a sound theory. The trials of the indicted parties will, of course, take place in Muskogee.