The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-08-08
The Excise Excitement Continues
On All Sides.
NOBODY UNDERSTANDS IT.
Expressions of Bewilderment from
the Authorities.
MANY MORE ARRESTS YESTERDAY.

Tho excitement occasioned by the excise muddlc had
only slightly abated yesterday, and although fewer
arrests were made than the previous day many OF
tho dealers sill showed considerable trep'dat'or
Every the subject was discussed In al AZ bear
ipgs liqcor dealer who has been Alderman an
Asscmbiyran, n State Senator, and who aspires to
seat In tho House Of Representatives, favored the
HxRAlD with his views yesterday. .Thore Is Niger
In the scnos somewhere he said. but where to Gnd
the ebony beauty can't tell you. have heard hun.
ared theories the matter but not thai plain
10 my The liquor dealers not all democrats,
and II they would be Impossible to arrest only
Anti-Tammany mon. Tor = good many Of tho captains
repubcans who would not consent 10 cny such
discrimination Then, again. the Police Board itself
Is equally divided politically whilc the Board OF Ex
cso is democratic should not be surprised II the
truth OF the matter not very far from the COM
position OF these Boards and that the conflict is
intentional the part Of somebody Tho "Boss'' is
always factor that pust not be forgotten when any,
thing happens in New York. He can control the
Board of Excise completely tho Board OF Police
Ia beyond his reach The presence OF the two repub-
lican Commissioners puts a great deal OF power in
the hands Of General Smith. and there is o rumor
that every thing is not lovely between Smith and
Kelly. In this very matter they may be playing
against each other-Keiy in prompting the Board of
Excise to delay the granting OF the licenses long
possible that Smith may earn the odium of arrestng
the unlicensed Dealers with whom everybody will
sympathize and Smith, in maEing the arrests. that
the Board OF Excise may odtous for not grant
Ing the licenses The delay Justice Smith in max
Ing decision In regard to tho complaints against the
Commissioners OF Excise In the Of the tall tower
restaurant is another curious phase Of the muddle
cannot see why q decision In that should be so
long delayed for the right OF the Commissioners to
ltror s1,ot~ rvntuod t.l1
you there q niger in the fence somewhere, and
Of these days he will come popping out"
One feeling seems. however, 70 have taken posses.
sion Of the community, and that is that tho "
absurdty while the police have found the very out
set that its enforcement is farce. police captain
is any statute especially whore tho rights Of
many individuals are concerned, that fails 10 afford
him plain sailing and the enforcement Of the Excise
law, under present conditions, far from agreeable.
Too many questions asked, and many explana-
lions demanded. 70 mako the police In love with the
Law. All day yesterday aud the day before the
police captains worc busy denying that poll
tics was allowed 70 enter at all into the
enforcement of the law and that they had any sinister
intent in making arrests. Wherever they had proof
Of violation OF the law they arrested the party and
declared thai while they need the emergency as
favorable for roofing out the low dens aud bucket
shops, there was NO disposition to harass respectable
dealers unnecessarily. Among the police and the pub
the law wore universal, and thors. was
feeling OF amazcment that either by the action
the statutes could have been got into such
state OF muddlc. Although the subject has been long
one oil discussion II was not until the wholesale arrests
Of yesterday and the day before that the public began
70 realize what nuisance the EXCISE laws may become,
or what terror they are likely 10 prove to the COM
munty. Still nobody seemed to know why anybody
arrested at all, and the police captains could
only tell how they made their arrests the for
making them being us much problem to them rs to
q resf O
- INTERVIEW WITH CAPTAIN PETTY. stia.H
Captain Petty, of the Fourth precinct was seen in
regard TO his method of making arrests Oh, that Is
very plain" the Captain satd, two only arrest
those against whom We have the evidence, and while
against Others. Under the law you know, the officer
detailed to this duty with authority 10 make arrests
ouenty it Is not always TO catch tho dealer in
proof" s4 eM Ih2
This, then. Captain, is the only reason why
men In the same neighborhood, or the same block
even, are taken, while others are not rnoosted 2"
'lt Is tho only reason do not believe that any po
tica considerations whatever enter into the matter
Il il the law that wrong and, BESIDES ITS
IS mpractble II should undertake enforce COM
pleteiy II would require nv whole force, and thou
could not do It There are 47O liquor stores IA this pre-
;inct and can only proceed IN cases such as have
evidence against taking care, oil course, TO weed out
she worst places, SUCH as the bucket shops and the
houses OF i'll lame" M .attss .
.sHow nave you been working up the matterg"
"Ycsterday dvfaed the precinct into three districts
ana put an officer in each with all
me liquor stores When be found the proprietor or
barkeeper any OF these places selling liquor the
arrest followed Of COURSE but II no one was buying or
drDking the officer entered there was nothing to
out OF uniform 10 DO this work have sent lew
officers ctzens' clothes look alter violations OF
arrest ali yicators OF The Excise law also"
bo you think these wholesale arrests are fair to the
liquor dealers, Captainf" tAf.r.N
~ do not; there are many respectable men among
the dealers who ought not 10 be interfccd with, Uut
what we TO do about its The police justices hold
by the Board OF EXCISE not licenses, and all tue
dealers selling In violation of the law The thing
licenses l don't know OF single license beng
granted IN whole precinct; at least none OF the
dealers arrested were able 10 show one"
The delay, Is alleged. Ia by the
sity OF nquirng into tho ability OF the applicant Tor
license TO keep hotel in good iaiin is it not, Cap
tainY"
II believe so; but the Board of Excise has ten in
spector and each OF these ought TO DO able TO dispose
OF from twenty to thirty applications IN day. 1t would
require only low minutes inspection to determine
whether the applicant could comply with the law
The only way meet this question is 70 grant or
fuse TO gruuL the licenses upon tho applications now
before the Board OF EXCISE for the thing
The arrests we are Obliged 10 make work hardship in
yrKRvIKw WITH PRESIDENT MORTON
The HERALD reporter found President Morton seated
At The end ola long table IN tho Excise rooms, sur
rounded by anxious applicants Ior licenses. AT his
right stood COMMISSIONS Murphy, variy cndoavorng
10 appoasc the multitude and answer the avaanches of
questions propoundec On every hand. Chief Clerk
uhds sat opposite, wping the perspiraton from his
heated face with had and filing out ap ycatons
WITH the other. Greenbacks were displayed IN lavish
proiusion, applicants having handouts ready 70 pay
over the moment .ne receipt was prepared.
art buzzng was kept up, and The Liquor law, IN all
us phases, was discussed throsdpare. rH
Released ut last from AN energetic German who had
occupied him Tor halt an hour with ali SORTS OF ques
lions Tie new order Of things President Morton
turned to tho reporter 'You scc' said he. at al
most imposs,by ID properly meet the wants OF
all the applicants Every man IN the department. rs
working his utmost but still the crowd Increases.
''WnAt Official action has your Board taken, Mr.
President, with reference to the recent arrcst OF the
Commissioners on tho charge OF issuing illegal H.
scnsosf' asked tho reporter i..L
''Wc have, as yet, done nothing except TO refrain
Fom issuing further licenses for the sale Of ale or
beer pending the decision OF Police Justice Smith,"
''Does not the delay cmoa.rass your Board soino-
whatf'
at docs. We do not wish to act unexpectedly 70
tho Court and 10 We xed " stand slill the
ale and beer queston. In tLe fuesniime hcadrcds OF
applicants are oesegng US Tor ale and beer licenses
All will say 10 thA: ser,odsy hope the Police Court
decision will DO spsouiy rendered Tho Corporation
Counsel recently submitted An opinion on tho qucs-
ton IN which no taxes our vicws--viz, that We are
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