The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-12-11
DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE.
The Bars All Apparently CIosed-seeret
Sales-Oyer Fifty Arrests Yfsferdax

OSOH Hbsy HEECSbS Ne8LeFM@F,
New YORK. Dec. la--Ths excise law as Il
came from the hands Of the Iegisl attlrs Of 1881
prevailed in this city yesterday, by the help of
the police more com pletely than It ever hes
the approval Of the Chief Masistrats of the
state, Mayor Ely believes thas as soon as the
Legislature meets 1t wilb pass @ 1aw wficn will
settle the whole matter. az he did not see how
any body oil sensible men woul6 refuse to d q
SO, He thought the situation good one
and lhat 1t was really testing the law, and would
illustrate tll9 Importance OF carving o,st en-
trely q bad law, In order that the people might
understand how necessary 1t was TO have SOME
The bars throughout the city we're apparently
closed yesterday, but there Was much linnor
selling In secret Over flfty arrests were made.
To-day the raid continues and the number of
arrests for violation of the excise law is very
large The prisoners are taken before msgis-
trata. and with few exceptions are set at liber-
ty ON giving the usual security,
i, The rush of applicants for licenses around
the office OF the Board Of Excise Is still very
great; and constantly on the increase. The
money from ap. licans before license is
granted. This measure was resolved upon by
the board in view of the ,presentment Of the
with bad faith toward the liquor dealers
No chabge has been made in the attitude Of
the Police i t3ward % he liquor interest, nor is It
ely that 1t Will be changed for the present.
The arrps's yesterday for violation of the excise
law ". re 543.
Mayor Ely. this afternoon, received a com
munication from CORPORATION Counsel Whitney.
stating that after a cursory examination of the
question, he does not believe the mayor has the
charter. Mr. whitney said that he would how
ever, examine the matter fully, and report the
result TO the mayor.
There were several applications to the mayor
to- day for licenses, which were of course. re-
fused.
In the Court Of General Sessions to-day. be-
was sworn IN; After. briefly alluding to the
gambling and lottery laws. his Honor directed
the attention OF the. grand inquest to the OK
else laws and said in substance that when q
liquor dealer received receipt from the Board
Of Excise and continued his business on the as
mption, whether right or wrong that receipt
was quasi permission to sell it, it would be DIFF
iicult to decide IL the dealer had or had not in
tentionally violated the law The course pur-
sued by the Excise Board was, TO say the least.
unusual in view of the fact that after the
money had been paid and eceipts obtained
measures of a severe nature had been adopted
by the aul hOrities.
Fredich Debarry Il Co have sent out about
20 900 circulars to wine dealers and importers.
and all Interested In the liquor trade, request
Ing Their eoi?t Grafton in meeting to be held to
resist the police attack on liquor dealers.
1t was runorad this afternoon at police head
quarters that efforts are being made BY counsel
for the various liquor dealers associations to
restraining the police from arresting for the
charge Of violating the excise law those dealers
It is believed by many of the liquor dealers that
II such an Injunction could be procured their
troubles would be STAYED of until the convex
ing OF the Legislature, when q strong effort will
be made to procure better excise law.
The test case OF August W. Trach was argued
before Judge Davis in Supreme Court Chambers
this afternoon Ex-Judge Dittenhofer ap-
peared for the relator and said that this was an
application for the release of the accused. The
facts, he said. were, first, that this man Trach
was in the employ of one Carl Ordemann pro-
mann applied for his license q on a. June ne last
fled his bond AMI paid SIS license fee, receiving
therefor an official receipt.
He has applied three times since then for his
license. but has been unable to secure 1t. Judge
Dittenhofer proposed to discuss the question
of the authority Of the police to arrest and the
magistrate to commit for the offense charged.
The offense charged against the relator was
that he had sold liquor as an inn keeper, which
was in no sense criminal under the laws, and
for which there was no remedy under the law.
,a,s, ms was no 1,ense at common law; u was
provided only for forfeiture of $50 for the act
charged.
Corporation Counsel Bell appeared for the
people.