The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-07-25
NO LICENSE TO KILL.
No Moro Poison To Do Dispensed by Wholesale
Curious Rsvelstions-A Cherry Street Dance
House and o House for the Best Pee
ple'-Shiftinz the Rssponsibility-Im-
portant Appointments To b
Hads BY the Sheriff Un-
der the New Law.

For the last few weeks the Excise Commissioners
have Teen flooded with applications for the
renewal of licenses to sell spirituous liquors under
the new Excise law from all classes OF persons,
nom the proprtetors OF gin palaces On Broadway
down TO the keepers OF the vilest dens on Cherry
and Water Streets where liquid poison has
hitherto been dispensed with liberal hand. while
the authorities and the public looked quietly on
and moraized on the
INCREASE OF CRIME
and the large number OF tenement house horrors
daily furnished for breakfast.
HERALD reporter had q long conversation yes
terdsy afternoon with gentleman prominently
connected with the new Board OF Excise Com.
missioners, who supplied the reporter with some
valuable information.
The reporters informant stated that the Board
OF Excise Commissioners have the record OF nearly
every saloon In the city, and they number in the
neighborh00d OF eleven thousand, 20 that they can
easily toll where they ought to grant renewal Of
license and where they should withhold 1t. He
added that the majority OF liquor dealers do not
complain of the high rate orthe license tax under
the new law, and 1t does not include the internal
revenue tax, because all respectable tradesmen
say that the man who cannot afford to pay
$50 every year for license cannot live by . legit-
innate liquor trade, and the he Is put out Of
the business the better for the community. The
REL orter asked
'sDo you think that the Commissioners will grant
licenses to these dance houses dstilleries'
bucket shops or whatever they are called IN the
down town wards ~
The answer was emphatcally. "No sir, Iguess not
They have refused q good many applications al
ready. Most Of these places never had license.
They lived on political inhuence;' they werc too
poor to pay license and 80 on but they are doomed
''MIxING LIQUORS."
The reporters informant then continued to ex-
plain that the Excise Commissioner had learned
that there were certain dens In some OF the down.
town districts, particularly in the Fourth ward,
where liquor, or as they supposed, some poisonous
They made uiligent inquiries and learned that this
stun WAS purchased for nominal sum from large
These latter. 1t was discovered where large liquor
trade Is done, keep huge swirl tub under their
OF every kind and quality OF liquor, from
champagne to lager beer. The leavings in glasses
after customers had been served nnd their way to
pound is sold to the keepers of low dens along
shore and there retailed as Imported liquors." as
THE dAuDY YELLOW WINDOW BLIND
at the extraordinary cheap rate Of two cents per
"wlll the Commissioners grant lisenses to the
vendors OF this compoundr' asked the reporter.
NO. sir" was the answer; that is settled. We
cannot AFFORD to have our people poisoned BY
Wholesale"
"NOW," asked the reporter, sis 1t the intention
Of the Excise commissioners to grant licenses to
those dens Of thieves, houses Of prostitution and
dance houses In the Eighth wardW
"rhe Commissioners are considering seriously
on this very subject. They are doubtful but that
IL may be the lesser OF two evils to grant some
constituted authorities"
What do you mean by legally constituted au-
thorties ?"
'.Well you see this new Excise law gives the
Sheriff the power to supervise liquor stores and
to appoint Deputy Sheriffs who shall exercise pro-
per Sc utiny and determine who shall have licenses
granted TO them"
"aas any application been made to the sherir
yet to appoint such officers 2"
"Tnat do not know"
SHIFTING THE RESPONSIBILITY.
The reporter subsequently learned from Sheriff
Brennan last evening that a verbal message had
deputy sherifs to act in the matter OF these liquor
stores This was OF course, duty the Sheriff by
no means liked, nor as prominent politician did
he care to take the responsibility OF mourning the
else commissioners that he could not even con-
celve what duties were required Of the special
deputies whom they wished him to appoint, and he
could not nominate them. Yesterday he in
formed the Commissioners that II they would send
In to him list OF the persons whom they
wished o act as special deputies in the matter he
would swear them in as specials under him, out
taey should act under the Excise commissioners
and be responsible to them alone. The Sheriff says
that the Excise Commission OF the city and
county OF New York Is
TOO IMPORTANT A BODY
to be opposed, and lie Is ready to accord them any
assistance In his power in their Efforts Tor re form.
Meantime the Sheriff has not yet received an an.
communication, but 1t is probable that the list OF
persons to be sworn In as special deputies to in
spect liquor saloons and determine who shall have
licenses will be made out a. the earliest possible