Lewis Long, alleged liquor dealer, has left town and forfeited his bond of $1,500 given upon appeal from an eight months’ road sentence imposed by Recorder Laurence Jones in city court for his appearance at the present term of Mecklenburg Superior Court.
Long’s case was called Wednesday morning. David B. Smith, his attorney, requested a continuance of the case until an effort could be made to locate the defendant, expressing the belief that he would appear for trial. Col. T.L. Kirkpatrick, who had been directing Long’s defense, was said to be out of the city. The $1,500 bond was forfeited. It was said to have been signed by his father, W.M. Long, former county commissioner.
Acquaintances of Long said they understood he had gone to Canada and would not return to face trial at any later date.
HIs conviction in the city police court followed the discovery, by Detectives Moser and West of the police department, of plans for the delivery by Long and a companion of 12 quarts of rye whiskey at an East Morehead street home. The officers attempted to apprehend the two when the liquor delivery was made but both succeeded in getting away.
Court Officials Threatened
Later Long had his companion, Dewey Roberts,procured the services of attorneys and surrendered to the police. Following a somewhat sensational trial in municipal court, during which it was brought out that Judge Jones and Detectives Moser and West had been warned against conviction of the defendants, Long was sentenced to eight months on the county roads. Roberts was let off with a fine. Long appealed and the bond of $1,500 given after Judge Jones had refused to accede to the request of attorneys for a lower bond.
At the time of the delivery of the whiskey, Long was driving a roadster. The car was not confiscated following his conviction in municipal court. Since then it is understood to have been given in exchange for a new car of a later model. There was speculation Wednesday as to the probability of authorities taking steps towards confiscating the machine as the law provides for such a course. Whether the automobile company accepting the car in exchange for a new machine has a clear title was also a matter for conjecture.
Long was said to have been in Charlotte until a week ago. His trial in municipal court occurred several weeks previously. A large part of his time since had been spent on South Church street, between Trade and Fourth.
Fourth to Escape
Long is the fourth man to skip a bond of large denomination following appeals from municipal court sentences imposed in liquor cases within last year. Two men, arrested at the Selwyn hotel last year with a big supply of rye whiskey in their possession, gave bonds of $1,000 each and failed to appear in superior court for trial. A.D. Vanderburg, apprehended by the police some months ago with a large supply of corn whiskey in the basement of a South College street store, skipped his bond of $1,500 after he had appealed to superior court from an eight months’ road sentence.
Long has been recognized generally in Charlotte as one of the so-called “higher-ups” in the liquor business. He is claimed to have “snapped his fingers” in the face of law officers without hesitancy. It is known that he went to a policeman and told him that if he or his companions ever attempted to arrest him some one would get hurt.
But Long fled when the officers did get a line on him, and planned for his capture. Detectives Moser and West went to the place where it was learned the whiskey was to be delivered. Long and his companion drove u and were in the act of making the delivery when the detectives came from behind. Both men fled. The officers fired several shots at them, none taking effect.
From the front page of The Charlotte News, Aug. 31, 1921
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