The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-03-09
"G00D MORAL CHARACTERIZATION
TESTED,

Your short editorial in this mornings /
issue, on Certificates of Good Moral
Character" reminds me that was over
at Seattle, on Puget Sound, about two
weeks ago. The honorable Board of
King County Commissioners was in |
session, and a friend of mine, whom
will designate Jack, for short, said to
me:
"Jim, this is a stormy time for the
liquor-deaIers in Seattle. They all have
to go before the board and prove their
good moral character before they can
get license. Let's go up to the new
Jail and see how they do it,"
1t occurred to me that this would he
''golden opportunity" to find out what
constitutes a ''good moral character"
under the statutes of Washington Terri
tory, and so Jack and Jim took walk
up to the new Jail.
We walked into the room (which was
alive with all classes, including blear-
eyed men and courtesan women), and
seeing the honorable board in session,
doffed our hats and took standing seat.
A man from Renton Precinct called
Pete Agner was before the bar (board)
pleading for his ''good moral character"
Said he:
MAY it plase yer honors, my name
is Pater Agnar, from Rentoh, and have
as good moral character as any man
in the wide world, sure, and here is Mr..
Sarley, your county assessor, who has
known me for long time, sure, and he
will tell you it is the truth 1 am a
spakin' to yer honors."
"NIr. Surely, stand up" said the
chairman (Mr. Madox) of the board.
"Are you acquainted with Mr.. Agner ?"
81 (hic) am, sir"
''Tell the board what you know about
his good moral character
"Well, gentlemen, I (hic) have been
at his place of business a good (hic)
deal within the last few (hic) years, and
I (hic) never saw anything wrong with
his (hic) character"
"That is so, Mr. Madox," spoke the
next man on the board. 81 have me-
self passed by Mr.. Agnar's house fra
quently, and 1 never saw anything
wrong, at all, at all. think he is a
good man, 1 do"
"Mr. Surely, are you willing to go on
Mr.. Agner's bonds for thousand dol.
lars that he is a man of good mora
, character and will keep an orderly
house ?"
Jack whispered in my ear that Surely
was not worth a dollar.
'I (hic) am, sir"
'N1r. Clerk, we hereby grant Pete
, Agner license to sell lager beer for si1
! months. Who comes next?'
A tall, stately-looking woman o
thirty odd summers walked forward t.
the judgment seat BOARD, Jack whis
pered, ''That's Big BonanzaO and said
81 would like to get retail liquo
license"
Certainly, madam; the board is ac
quainted with you. Who have you 70
9 bondsman ?'
p "Mr. Baker, if he will do"
''Mr. Baker is good enough for us
r Jack whispered, "He is the wealthies
: man in town"). Mr.. Clerk, we gran
Miss Jennie Hurd retail liquor licens
q for six months. Who is next on th
n docket ?"
q A rather large, portly, fne-lookin
i man, with German accent q forget hi
# name; it is one of those German jaw
Il breakers) went forward and said:
y "Mine Cot, gentlemans, my wife he
q got de incest paby vat ever vas in all q
,r worlds-looks shust like me, and mir
character. Vot you talking about? v,
" you got to do nit mine pizness? 1 go
- no character. To - NIT your chara
~ ters. wants Won liquor license"
"All right, Mr. German. Mr.. Clerl
- we grant a retail liquor license to NJ
70 German. Who comes next?"
,o A pale-faced, Woe begone lookir
n creature, whose appearance indicate
=, that life of twenty years had bee
.- wasted in as mauy months, rose al
made application for grocery licens
~ "Who is to vouch for your goo
:, moral character -" shouted the spoke
man.
"Mr. Claucer and Mr.. Baker"
- - Jack whispered that they were bot
- wealthy.
q 'Mr. Claucer, what have you to 81
~ in reference to this woman's got
moral character?
- 81 am willing to go on her bond
said Mr.. Claucer.
= "Well, now, hold on" said the thi
=, man on the board, who had been We
" quiet all this time and let the 9th
- two run the machine, "I propose tn
~ we get the law and read to these pc
- - sons, before we go any further with tt
as matter"
i "I-I behave that would be an exec
ell lent idea," quoth the middle man
the board.
eyes, I think that's well put in
said the chairman.
So the third man on the board, wh
IL by the way, seemed to be one of tho
conscientious old chaps who wanted
Ter see the thing done right, if there was