The Prosecutor's Parting Shot at Stevens County's Saloons

Prosecuting Attorney Rochford has sent The Miner a copy of his annual report, made to the governor for the year just closed.

From a perusal of the document it is found that during that period he has assisted in sending nine men to the penitentiary on various charges, horse stealing predominating. Several have been sent to the county jail through his efforts. Thirteen criminal cases have been dismissed or the parties acquitted and six cases are now pending. The majority of the cases now pending and which have been turned over to his successor to prosecute are rape cases.

In his letter to the governor explaining the conditions that have existed in Stevens county and the efforts that he has made to control certain interests, he takes the following parting shot at the saloon interests:

“I desire also to extend, through you, my thanks to the law-abiding citizens of Stevens county for their support which I have received in my efforts to enforce the criminal laws of the state. But I desire to say to a portion of our citizens, through you, that there is a class of citizens in Stevens county, and perhaps the same class may be found in other parts of the state, which are not law-abiding citizens; in other words, are continually seeking and scheming for some method, by and through which they may violate the laws of the state. I now allude to the saloon people, a majority of which, who are doing business in this county, have been against this office in its efforts to enforce the Sunday closing law. Their conduct and the attitude which they assume toward the law place them, in my opinion, in the category which President Roosevelt has termed undesirable citizens, and I hope the time will come in this state when this class of business, which is responsible for more crime than all other businesses combined, will be wiped out of existence. If one could examine the statistics of Stevens county, and follow up the inquiry, it would be found that 90 per cent of all the criminal violations of laws are either directly or indirectly traceable to the sale and use of intoxicating liquors. So, from the standpoint of finance and economy, it is a failure, and therefore not desirable on that account, to say nothing about the immoral effect which it has upon the youth of our country.

“Do not understand me to say that some of the men who are conducting the saloon business in Stevens county would not be good citizens if they were engaged in a legitimate business, but, while they are engaged in the saloon business, I have observed that their ideas of propriety and honesty are very frequently questionable.

“I have the honor to be yours very respectfully,

“J.A. ROCHFORD.”