The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-11-06
LIQUORS AND LICENSES.
The Board of Excise Inves-
tigated.
Police Captains on the Witness
Stand.

the City Hall There were present Mcssrs Campbell,
Hess and Dessar. There was an imposing attendance
OF police captains each with roll OF paper
containing list Of all the liquor stores in his precinct
along with accompanying remarks opposite each liquor
Dealers relative the character OF his concern
Captain Mcdonnell, OF the Eighth precinct reported
the names and addresses OF eighteen dsreputabIe
liquor saloons which had licenses TO sell liquor and
we're frequented by thieves prostitutes other dis
reputable people Ho said, in answer TO the question
as to whether he knew OF any who kept disrep
utable houses being licensed, that he Of
named King having license and, after going
and examining IT, he found it drawn the name
OF Purcell
Captain Lowcry, OF the Sixth precinct, handed in a
list ten liquor saloons what called in his pre-
dstilcres and bucket shops the resort OF hard
and habitual drunkards, being licensed
Captain Williams, ofthe Fourth precinct gave list or
twelve liquor saloons the resort OF bad characters that
licensed. He did not inform the Inspector Of the
Excise Board OF tho nature Of these places He
accustomed TO send in to tho Superintendent list OF
all the liquor stores in his precinct and the particular
character OF each
INSPECTOR EXCISE.
Thomas J. Wendovcr said he Inspector OF Ex-
cise and heard tho lists that were handed in by
the police captains OF persons who held licenses and
kept places frequented by evil people. His definition
OF bucket Snop was that IL place without
where board merely laid across tho head Of a
barrel and the liquor served out without bottle In
his visits to the bucket shops mentioned in one or tho
lists than two three people pres
ent, and he had OF knowing whether the
character OF the place any than other liquor
stores where bar kept The duty OF Inspector
he considered, to inquire into the character Of
places applying for licenses He had 700 places
to visit and inspect Counsel inquired II witness acted
his judgment in indorsing applications for
license and he answered that to the best of his ability
he endeavorcd to find the character OF the places
before recommending them TO be licensed, but he
unable TO tell whether the men he might sec in low
drinking saloon thieves the prostitutes.
Witness thought that in his district there must be
about 400 persons selling liquors without license
Captain Garland, of the Eighteenth precinct, handed
in list containing the name of only one place that
held license which no considered was the resort OF
prostitutes. Being asked as to the enforcement Of tho
law against the violation of the Excise law by selling
liquor witness replied that under the law il stands
II was impossible TO stop the traffic in liquor on sun
days.
Captain Alaire of the Fourteenth precinct furnished
list of six places were licensed houses were the resort
1 Of thieves and prostitutes.
/ Captain Steers, OF the Twenty ninth precinct, tes
fed to the existence of large number of dsreputable
places in his precinct which he had ed TO the Elk
else Board, and which, nevertheless had been icensed
Mr. Newburgh tho Inspector of tho Excise Board
never consulted him in regard to licensing these
places; the Argyle Rooms disrepuabe dance
| house, which was, however, frequented by many
spectacle This statement gave rise to considera
doubt the committee were justified in visiting the place
in their professional capacity
Mr.. Townsend-Why is it that these men who sell
liquor without license not arrested?
Captain Steers-Wel. I'd have to send in policeman
TO take drink and | shouldn't like TO be party
| toward making drunkard.
| Mr. Townscnd-Could you not send in a policeman
TO witness the drinking?
Captain Steers-Upon the mere fact of the ofhcers
witnessing the sale of liquor only, am sure could
| not obtain conviction It's very difficult to obtain
outside parties to appear as witnesses against these
people.
Captain Ulman, OF tho Tenth precinct bounded by
tho Bowery, Division. Norfolk and Houston strcets
testified that the 18th OF October ne reported
twelve thirteen dsreputable places the of
thieves &C. to the Police superintendent; the worst
| of these places the Bowcry, which the
sort of notorious prostitutes and prize fighters II APP
peared from the testimony of this witness that the copy
OF the report which he made to the Superintendent
and which the latter furnished to the committee,
incomplete and that the superintendent must have
made his own selection Of the places reported in draw
Thomas Brady, Excise Inspector OF the Tenth pre-
cnct said there about 200 500 drinking places
in this precinct He was asked why Patrick Lanigan's
place closed but could give satisfactory
/ PLANTATION He admitted that IT would take him two
months TO visit each place properly, and hence that IL
would be better If the police captains, and not the
else inspectors would be intrused with the duty of
porting the bad character OF saloons to the Excise
Board.
Captain Hcddcn, OF tho Thirty third precinct, fur
nished list of four places where liquor sold that
tho Of dsorderly characters and licensed
and seventy two where liquor is sold without license.
W. A. Davidson Inspector of Excise for three dis.
north Of Harlem Bridge, said there about
400 LIQUOR places within his circuit About twenty five
selling without license The reason why the lat
ter places permitted TO go selling because
he believed they we're disposed to take out licenses but
were unable at present for want of He had
instructions to make complaints about parties selling
liquor without license TO the Police Department His
| instructions we're from the Excise Commissioners.
Captain Clinchy, of the Thirteenth precinct, fur
nlshed the names Of two licensed places which were
the resort OF thieves and dsorderly characters Wit
ness stated having arrested last month thrtyhve per-
for selling liquor without license, five of them who
had permits from the Excise Board discharged;
the rest were held under 500 bail
John H. Terhune, Inspector of Excise in the Seventh
and Thirteenth police precincts, stated that there
500 liquor dealers in his circuit, and out of that
Der about $50 were selling without license.
Captain Mount, OF the Nineteenth precinct reported
thirteen licensed liquor stores within his jurisdiction
which we're the resort of thieves and bad characters
He knew nothing of these places personally, and
relied for his Information on the officers upon post.
There about 200 unlicensed places in his precinct.
1t difficult to prevent the sale OF liquor without
license. They are arrested, put under 500 bail and
discharged and this process is repeated and over
without any other result
Captain Murphy, Of the Twenty first precinct,
ported six places Of bad repue where liquor sold
under license There were between 200 and 300 liquor
stores IN his precinct, and perhaps half Of them
selling without license.
Captain McCuloch, OF the Seventeenth precinct re-
ported eleven places which the of
thieves and prostitutes that licensed. There
about seventy places selling without license Witness
said he had arrested about seventy OF these people who
held receipts for actual licenses They were all dis
charged at the station house by instructions from Po
lice Headquarters Witness found IL n difficult matter
to prevent people from selling liquor without license
Edward Sevn, ward detective, Thirteenth precinct
ported ortyeght places licensed and unlicensed that
the resort OF thieves prostitutes and rowdes.
INSPECTOR
August Erbcn, Inspector OF Excise in the Ninteenth
and Twenty FIRST police precincts testified that he WIS.,
tied those places mentioned by Captain Mount and
described disreputabc places; but though he went
there in the morning and evening he could see nothing
wrong. The witness asked Il he did not think a
proper thing TO consult the police captains before
| recommending men to be licensed.
Counsel-Do you think II a proper thing. as in the
OF Miller TO give license to thief who had just
of State Prisons
Witness latter pausel-Yell, yaas, in some cases
sometimes IL do good to send him TO Sing Sing
for little while; he come back peter man.
Counsel-Did you report favorably on the place AZ
Twenty .scventh street and Fourth avcnuef .
Wtncss-Yaas goes dere and sees eycrytings Az
right
Counscl-Did you ever any women thcrcf
Witness-Vcll vent to dat place and don't found no
women derc.