The New York herald., 1878-02-10
THE TEMPERANCE WAR.

PROGRESS OF THE SUITS AGAINST LIQUOR
DEALERS ON STATEN ISLAND VAN cLExR's
TRIAL
Two weeks ago there appeared In the HrHAIpan
account OF the complications arising out OF excise
suit In Staten Island the cause celstrs
OF Westn1d. aud winch bid fair al the time TO bring
to gnt some strange information relative
liquor crusade. Four young men had on their osshs
exoneraed q hotel keeper named wilkins from the
consequences of Sunday rafac, and tho pub.
iicssA himself when placed tho stand had
virtually admitted his offence, thereby for.
letting his license and exposing his frenda
10 charge OF perjury. Immediately the temperance
people were up in arms, ana suit begun their
behalf against Van Cleef, Silke Nolan and McAIster,
the four onendcra Since that the trial has dragged
ITS slow length along until staten Island. which first
hailed as sensation now votes II an unparalleled
bore In the case OF The People VI. Van Cecf time
again tho court room, which is OF IN excessively
primitive order, has been nlicd with gaping moutha
aud eager eyes, aud as often have the final results
which much rhetoric and legal strategy TO achieve
been ostponed.
Somehow the Excise Board has almost Invariably
furnished the causes OF these adjournments AT the
nrst trial the examination OF a member developed
some curious evidence touching their business pro-
ceednns and at once hue aud cry was raised against
them. The liquor people suspected them and were
canny in thsr dealings with them. The temperance
ioks went iurther They served on them notice re-
qurng them TO show cause why they should not iur-
nish account oil what became oil tho money they
celved This was u surprise 10 The Excise Commis-
sioners-sonc say au uuwelcome onc-v they Rallied
and met IT h4y, produced alter little delay all
intrusled 10 Them and prepared ~ ~ out
office with their oilciaI robes unsn,irchcd.
The temperance people were up however.
aud Determined on striking u blow mewbcrr. SO
they swoopea aown upou Caslleton where CERTAIN
IA Welt " a ~
gard some con plants regariIng the ways
means o local iicai,s luyestraleu them ana hud
them IN twlLkng indicted ny The Rich mond county
Grand Jury. The boards oI Northleld aud Wcstdc L
threatened Also, but, Tor other
cieniency tue temperance Larry spared them.
There we're other victims wanted, however, uud it
suddenly came ~ mind tnat The Ponce Com
officials, aud Al them the ant-iquor champions went
with Will Now, station lsanu Is barren oil convic-
tions, but .iry teens wtn indictments, aud ia
exceedi pgy thort time charge submitted the
Grand Jury that the Police Commissioner had been
noticd OF the existence OF from nieen " twenty
licensed saloons, which they made no effort whatever
close. On tho strength ol the Information Iur-
Garrett Wright, oil Nortlnvld; Mr. Marsh, OF south
field, and MI Barrett, OF Vastetop, who constituted
tue local Police Board. These gentlemen ut once
serted that tncy had an available defence aud dd not
care whit Tor temperance macbinations In that
state OF confidence they ure left tor tue present
await the course vi the law.
VIGOROUS OPPOSITION.
This sudden acti, NY tue part oi the aptiliquor
faction aroused tner Opponents to lace The emersen-
cics that were beng lorcsu upon them. rney LOO
dug up the hatcuot Dut, Instead OF carrying GU u
sutory Confess they set about making active prepar.
atlons Ior the coming election ana made up tnc,r
nlnds " pack Ooards with sympath whom
no temperance eioqucncc could win ana no lempor.
aacc threats could appui. Ii now was open
the factions, anu compromise WAS aDandoncd and
tencs cast aside The temperance people, VINO had
sought ny their own individual slvrts to expose the
sunday liquor trsnic carried py th.ir neigh-
Dors. were bitterly stgmatzed, and tney,
their part, were Just AS ready with zhQfp
reJpndcrs, md to carry their oppo-
si0n. As usual IN such politics became merged
the exciting question oI the hour people VI
Wsstneid were div,aed not by thor democratic ra
puocan principies Tut ny their tavor hostility
liquor drinking ihe local sheets are ul oi the SUB
ject suggestive cartouns the production ol indigenous
taieut, illustrate II, and the election Is ousiy
looked for that II may be scl,icd Tor time.
One shrine OF tho liquor party Is the saloon Of
Walker, IN Rvssvillc, whose license was revoked.
Here ample sheet covers the with this inscrp-
uon H. which explains To tue tbrsty the ihhos-
pilaity the place. CIosed account uf the dsulh
vi Mundy and Cottet"
In tsmperance grocery stores, the other hand is
suspended tne Oii0~ing, wnch Is claimed TO be ire
speech VI Cornelius Macc, The liquor n caudidA.O
Tor EXCISE Comm .ssiouer. rms is supposed oy 'llo
n0L-drinkcrs 10 be u document mucu their ia-
terest:-
FELLow CITIZENS rnNsps.-
you viii have this ISIS, and more YOU saai havs =
drink now. kiiimyor Will tap keg at my expense.
Y. MASEE. Nominec Tor Excise Board.
Affairs Ia this bellicose condition yesterday
when the suit Of The People vaG Ciecf again came
o lei eioperance advocates, Mr. hornagel OF Eiting.
vile, with his client, the prisoner. There were
numerous witnesses examined. Ia lack hail
population have e.tied IN the case already. TLca
there u recess, anu then cross-questionIng ans
baago-iDg were resumed again, when, suddenly, Mr.
Mundy rs eyes roamcd wildly round the sno,
baeiui glance ut the prisoners CHAIR. IL empty
"wherc's Van CeciY ~ he demanded iu loud voice
mo one could say. Twenty ughy-bearded West.
neldans shouted 'vun Liee,i" wnh all their might
and cthu -iastc servant oil the law rushed md
the roadway nd beloved 1t tnere But IL was some
time before II became known that the prissnc had
gono get drink ana would shortly favor the Cour
WIN a hearIas. lie was conducIed to ms place %
fhaFS
after never took his cy 90 oil him
Tbore were hopes tGat the trisl would end yester.
Gay, ana doubtless II would had not the inevitable
Excise Board Uiundcrcd again. They were TO iurnish
papers ior the trial, which they sent ~ court and
carried OIL again unhoard oi aud cad The counsel
tor the defence moved to dsinss rec motion was
denied. hen came adjournment, ana when last
the prisoner was IN Inc hands OF Mr. Mundy. who
SAID, cheeriully young man, you viii never escape
tbis SUIT, anu rcmcmber Oh, remember that you will
one day 90 before Tribunal where Eltingviie law
yers unknown anu tnero staten island
Juriea