New-York tribune., 1878-07-05
EXCISE ENFORCEMENT.
THE LIouoR.pEALERs AND THE LAW


THE LlQUOR-DEALERS AND THE LAW.
WHAT THE EXCISE BOARD HAS DONE SINCE MAY l
@-sTATFAfENT BY THE COUNSEL OF THE SOCIETY
FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRIME.
Since May l there have been busy times at
tho Office OF the Board Excise Notwithstanding the
steadiastness of the Legislature IN not passing
license law and the efforts Of such the Rev. DR..
Howard Crosby the practical enforcement Of
the present law the work OF issuing licenses is almost
brisk before the only difference being that
the proprietor OF the groggcry has few
inconyenen; steps take, and must put little
money into his business and into the public treasury.
Commissioner Morrison OF the Excise Board, asked
yesterday II tie Board sul adheriug to the letter
OF the law. as defined by the Court Of Appeals.
YES" he replied, we have not changed course
OF action, and believe that everything We have done
thus far strictly under the law We liable to make
few mistakes in granting licenses TO improper persons
but eudcayOr to do our work properly. Tho office
has been crowded since the st Of May and every
taking license must bring two surcties have
TO deal with twenty thirty thousand people in the
course of a few weeks"
"IIow far do you restrict the granting oflicensosr
"Well, not able to refuse great many those
who apply for hotel license comply with the letter
OF the law covering licenses OF the third class. Some
times hnd that unjust accusations are made against
q sniOon-keeper through malice. We may be informed
for instance, that place where liquors sold
is also house Of llrcVute that il is dance house,
and an investigation finds that the proprietor is up TO
the average rcputc Of his class. Many who refused
licenses go to the curbstone brokers, whom try
fr possible suppress but through their agency
few licenses are obtained"
How l. the enforcement OF the law affecting the
liquor business Z"
"I think u viii compel many shut mp shop. While
the law WAS strhgcn,y enforced last Fail aud Win
ter. the saloon-kecpcrs ost great deal OF money
j
hiring To up the legal appearance or keeping
nojcl, inn or tavern. Probably II costs each one $500
To- do this aud believe that at least 100000 has been
exprude that way by the salouukccpers Of the city
This expense viii crush out .oms OF the more reputable
ones. Tue places, III many instances, make the
most money, ard can pay the present penalty
Yes. good many OF them"
81. that permitted under the law e.
W. tuiuk u j. COnformabc 10 law 60 do So but Mr.
Mundy hlnks 1t not The Board has decided to grant
Is the society for the Prevention OF Crime active
''Ycs, Il,nk 70. am Of the opinion that d.. How
ard Crosby very fair-miudrd mau. and that lie
mainly dtruus shat up dane, houses and places that
breed immortality But cannot cay much for his
:. How many Licences have been granted since May r.
MI. Morrison called for transcript from the books
and said: can give yOu tue number from the Let
May, aud IA the absence OF one Of the clork can only
estimate closely tue number which had been issued
and haa be- renewed. but after February issued
fo9 atossc T 10 say rr% how many icrases are
now m existence Between May aud Jane 25, to-day,
licenses smaller hotels Cbout - before May -; Loss
say -; 1913 S5o licenses 10 storckeepers druggists aud
keepers OF groceries, when the liquor Is sold to be drunk
oG the premises Nbout lj0 before May u LIS $50
licenses for ale and beer bOut 900 before May D. This
makes total of 2443 licenses, bringing IN revenue of
told, were issued before that date"
s. How nauy liquoI-,ellcr- there In the ctyr
Between 5000 and 1000. There do not appear 10
be many by the records Ol the Boad Of Excise by
the revenue returns Docause as rule those "ho are re
fin. Iags4r. hJ - IA alN Pc gFYl
when DO you brgu to look after thOse VINO are sell
We grant reasonable time for them to appear at the
Excise office mink about July We shall he making
a list OF those who have not procured licenses"
WORK or DIR. CROsBY's SOCIETY.
D. j. whitney counsel for the Society for the Preven-
tion Of Crime said recently that the society de-
ermined 10 crush the low ogeeres, AID suppress
the Sunday liquor traffic, ami that everything cncour
aged the officers TO expect success I'VE nave Deeh as
ccyed from certain political quarters. Only recently
Tammany sachem came and said Keep on win
your work. and II YOU set INTO tignt Place you may
men express sympathy with the movement, Even
hotels are helping privately The Excise
Commissioners put where they are to represent tno
worst element IN 1ammauy liat. one Oi tht O"ihihls-
sioners has said that they would give third-class
license to any grOggcry that could show three Deds
Ne have the support OF the very citizens In the
city. within ortyclght hours wealthy gentleman OF
In the Dstrict-AttorneJ's office. Mr. Phelps has given
every assistance possible Inc guna Jury mas uo
failed do It's duty and the courts are strong ON the
side OF the law slxty-one indictments were secured last
week; there will be let up; great many more are
coming. 50 far have not lost case and Tue nhgs hre
becoming larger No risks OF failure are taken Every
casc IA looked up with the same care that murder thsc
would he and when we strike we intend % win, and do
win Tue suppression OF the Columbia opera HOUSE was
thorough piece OF work Jacob Berry, the prOpfletO
was fined heavily and sentenced 70 the pehiehtlarY.
told his lawyers that unless they noWeq lne case 10
rest with that decision, would give lhelf client tue
penalty OF six separate Indictment Inc danee-nouses
i'm the BoWery going TO be shut up measures are now
hcnv tnken To sec what be done toward suppress
sing such reyels as the Buckingham Palace excursion
We have closed mp most OF the houses OF PROSTITUTION IN
the Eighth Precinct, and are now ht N9rA In thc
Tenth Precinct People frequently want 10 Know ,Whut
The society Is dohs; .ney cond @ show them great many
yacant places IN OF the worst quarters q lhe ci
that until recently were grIg nOPs pHnss sS IN np
and Imprisonment that VIII be more than thcse men can
long resist -..,..,., i,,,,or-so,,or ,ar,o IN
me and said: You have taken Us by surprise. We
thought you had exhausted your Iesource1 ~ AlOauy,
and That since you bad prevented repeal OF the law
Won would be content 20 let matters run along mole
quietly here This lst batch OF indictments Das Vesn
east side came 10 me and said: What shall tell my
constituents TO do; they are Wiling 70 90 any tnR you
sayP Then tell them said that they must close their
grog sbops on sunday He replied, But that is very
hard They do Il said Or take the consequences
Men doing unlawful business repeatedly asking
10 20 out Of the business for II they don't they VIII DO
driven out. There is 70 be no LET up l SO ms some
what hard TO pursue these men In TINS way put he
pubc nt large little realizes the terrible hold vice has
got on th4 city The only way Is 10 crush 1t out Jhe
ton used Ia applying IT, II the churches would unite
i'm this work Sew-York could he purified IN a little
while There now no acH OF rh ape@aD riS M o Of tS
city was ruined the Argyle Rooms He ohereI US any
sum OF money needed to wipe u OUT @ uidn pso 50
much of his money but to-day tile place is closed ana 10
rent"
ALARM AMONG LIQUOR DEALERS.
al,n uiu n