New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-05-23
TILE EXCISE CRUSADE.
RESULT OF SUNDAYS ARRESTS.

TuoRoUGHyESs OF THE WORK OF THE POLICE
PROTESTS TO THE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF TUE
pRIsoNERs-wuAT IHE COMMISSIONERS SAY.
There was considerable excitement at the
Police Central Office yesterday the large number OF
arrests that made for violations OF the Excise Ia"
on Sunday The returns yesterday were fuu Oh the
llauor cases and tie clerks did not get their books
written M until late at night The whole number Of ar
rests for all oifenses from Saturday night at IL o'clock
up 10 Sunday night at II o'clock was 1913, ana
over half OF these were Tor VIOLATION Vi
tho Excise law. The returns show that the
police paid attention TO almost all tue
iouor ard aeer-beer dealers In this city. The arrests
for the police day. that Is. from a. m on sunday oo
a. M on Monday for violations OF the Excise Law were
As follows: First Precinct, g Fourth, IL Fth, 81
SIXTH Seventh, 3; Eighth 80; Ninth, 30; TENTH 10
Eleventh. 10; Twelfth. IL; Thirteenth II; Fourteenth
II; Fifteenth. 20; Sixteenth, 8; Seventeenth ~;
Eighteenth 80; Nineteenth 40; Twentieth, ID; Twenty
first %; Twenty second IA; Twentythird 2; Twenty
seventh 10; Twentyninth 46; Thirty-hrst, % Thirty
second, 10; Thrty-third, B.
Tie largest number OF arrests were made In the
nth Precinct, under charge OF capt steers
Superintendent Waling instructed Capt steers 10 DC
especially careful that no liquor was permitted u he
sold in the Ippodromc, be luse II the law was violated
there il surely would be followed by complaint AT
five different times during the day Capt steers's
went into the Uippodrome and arrested the
barkeepers. Each time that an arrest was
made man was put In ms place.
and the sale liquor went 1t was stated that 100
men had employed for this emergency and as last
as one was arrested and taken another was ready
TO sprng into his place. 1t is stated also that the
rrourietors Of the HippOdrome not ut all dls-
couragcd by the police raid They claim that their bar
ia not conspicuous outside public, only those who
pay 81 10 enter the garden being permitted TO patronze
It. II il further reported that special ticket Is to be
issued by which entrance he gained TO that portion
0pnu ia Is 10
The large hotels that kept their bars open were all
visited by the polce about middle the latter part
Of the afternoon. The Grand Central on broadway sod
auor over the until p. Then the barkeeper was
arrested tie bar closed This was fair type OF the
work at the other hotels The police came in quietly,
ana treated the propetors aud the prisoners with great
courtesy This was not So however, in all the places
and of those who were taken to court expressed
thcmseyos I'm emphatic than polite at the
treatment which they received. Mr. Nolan OF the Wood
b.nc stated that his place was closed TO out
stders aud the door locked. Several gentle
men were eating breakfast when the officers, who
were in civilians dress came there. His brother
was taken to court bu; not held The greater num-
ber nevertheless OF those who arrested were held
In 500 ball.
Late yesterday afternoon an important meeting was
held AZ the Police Central Office, which was attended by
President Smith and Commissioner Nichols Aldermen D.
Reilly, seey, and Keenan,. Commissioner Howe and
other prominent persons. Alderman Reilly spoke In
strong against the action OF the police In this mat
ter President Smith explained that the Board had given
no special orders this action by the force,
but they had simply enforced the law as
il stood on the statutc-book. Othorn gentle
men expressed the opinion that there was no
intention when the law enacted TO deprive Germans
aud other persons from pursuing their recrcations and
amuscments Sundays. Commissioner NICHOLS sad
that he understood the law meant 10 compel the
decent Observance OF the sabbath He said that he never
counteuanccd such action by the police taken last
Sunday and such a thing should not occur again without
his protest Those present assured that the matter
would be brought up the meeting OF the Board today
and such action taken would prevent any such Whole
sale arrests as made last Sunday.
The Mayors Office was visited yesterday by large
number OF politicians who to protest against the
enforcement OF the Sunday Liquor law Mayor Wickham
stated tina. he had been absent for several days. ana CON
scquen,y knew nothing about the matter until he read
what appeared IN the morning papers
Gen Smith, President OF the Board OF Police, stated
that the action OF the police Sunday was not by any
special order that had been issued by the Board in regard
TO the enforcement Of the Excise law. When the new
Board was organized the police were instructed that the
law must be enforced il not expected that any
particular act would be selected aud special attention
given to It's enforcement. 1t was brought to tho
notice Of tho Board that while the Excise law
was being rigidy enforced In some OF
the precincts IN Others especially hose up oUwn v no
sold on Sunday. Capt Ward was put on trid upon tue
charge of permitting liquor tone sOldln Cehla fah uar
den aud supcrint, udont Walmg was informed lha the
Law must b. enforced mpartlally against all Ih8t was
Mn thai the Board of Police had to do with the matter.
ANY citizen could have gone before tue Grand jury
and had n captain OF the precinct indicted
teudeut Wallng merely did his duty when he called
me attention OF the captains To the fact that
they were danger OF losing Their positions urss they
saw that the law mpaItay enforced in their pre-
chiefs The lIuuor dealers knew last summer tat thls
law was on the statute book and yet tn nave taken no
measures to its repeal As long as the obnoxious
statute il upon the books the police have no choice eN'
ccpt enforce iauy and mraray AS Tar as they are
Police Commissioner Nichols substantially said the
same President smith. superintendent waning salu
any law was being enforced unfairly II was MS
duty to inquire into the matter. Persons came
to him and stated that the police would sH H.
up small dealers Sunday. but would not ouc tne
large places Thus his attention was called 10 aloEru
violation, Uf the Excise law. He instructed inc III
spectors that the Excise law must be enforced lpaa
TALLY He especially called the attention OF me Inspectors
TO those places that had been SPOKEN OF 10 mnl'
IL Is necessary that sale OF an lntoNcitius pefo,
age should be shown to enable an oneer 70 h"Av az
arrest He could not close the place as auisouo.v
hnuss The law distinctly says that the fliuie on ne
nort Of policeman enforce certain avs ~ ni,suc
nranor and he could be indicted before tue uae JulJ
mnnn nrop,r evidence. The superintendent aueu that
,,at,r. no mad no choice except 10 enforce the law
Conplnnts had made that TIE Excise law was en-
forced In some districts and not In Others and having ns
attention thus called ~ tue ihit'oi' ho was ''"eoN"
issue instructions to the Inspectors $1,000, D.. ro,
Tn. u.ul weekly meeting OF the ll1no- ana beer Dear
R.neyOeut and Protective ASSOCIATION was ued yes
,or,i.v afternoon at Putnam Hall, Jouii hcehah presu.
H. be raid on Sunday was generally discussed. and
The action OF the police authorities was denoune.d ~
was decided to hold special meeting " '@Ae ac'on ala
regard 10 the OF the mcmocrs.
n mo ner ous arrested Sunday, whose cases were
not disposed OF Immediately were taken 10 cou ysssI
ILL held