New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-09-08
THE EXCISE BOARD CRITICISED.
WHAT MR.. HAUGHTON SAYS IN DEFENCE.
SHOULD LICENSE HAVE BEEN GRANTED TO
GEORGE j. GREENEf

WHAT MR. HAUGHTON SAYS IN DEFENCE.
SHOULD LICENSE HAVE BEEN GRANTED to
GEORGE J. GREENEf
prssdent Haugbton. of the Board of Excise re-
ceived communication from Mayor Edison week
ago IN reference to charges against George D. Dteene'
proDrietOr of q liquor sh0p az NO. iZO Easo In''
teenth-st to whom the board granted q license VI
Anoust 10 Accompanying the communication were
copies of a letter from ID. J. Whtneyand OF report
which made TO Mr. Whitney by Thomas G Dary'
The Mayor called Mr.. Haughton's attention 10 tne
statements from the agents or the society anu
demanded an explanation ne s.a'enen's a weio
license to Greene in the face OF
koiest signed by A. many res, respectable aaao1e
unity had not been given to these residents 10 fur
nish evidence in support of the protest. III was
stated that Greene's character did not warrant the
Hoard in granting him "a llceOse that be had been
convicted of felony and that his social and family
relations were bad. The charge was made also tnaG
Greene had been detected in violation oil the excise
law on Sunday, August 20, only sixteen days aiter
Mr. Haughton sent a reply to the Mayor on
Wednesday stating that II the damaging charges III
reference TO Greenes character had been made anu
nroyen before the Board OF Excise, the license would
nor have been granted; hut he defended the action
of the Board on the ground that the INV s,igaIon
Greene's favor Copies OF pc ltlons afhiaVits ana
letters which were seat To the Board OF Excise III
regard to Greenes application were lutnisheu 10 ne
Mayor in defence of the boards action Among
rhe afidavits are those OF live citizens VINO slgneu
the protest against the granting OF the license de-
clarInp that their sIgnatur were Obtained Dy
means of false representations Letters from on uer
sionrrs of the protest stated that they Withdrew
their oppostion 10 Greene. There was memorial,
also signed by residents of East Ihlrteenth-st'
asking the board To grant Greene license. State
ments were lurnI he'd TO the board that the Oppose
non 20 Gre me WAS made IN the int rest OF the pro-
nrietor of the Clarendon Hotel, business rival
In his reply TO the Mayor. Nj. laughton SAYS that
the hoard came to the conclusion that Greene was q
nroner person to receive license. The license was
moi GRANTED however until weeks after the appllca-
ton was made and ample time was given Tor the
production of any existllg evidence against
t;reetes moral CHI tracter, Mr.. HaughfOn taxes the
ground that the Board OF Excise IS not more re-
sponsibe for the moral character OF a llquor-deaer
than are business firms for the commercial stahdne
of persons who buy goods from them lie also
o.serts tat n the board consumed too much time III
se Irchng after the reputation OF the applicants LOT
Lrrns.s the charge might be made that the board
ncgiected the tnanee4 of the Department. The
charge made against Greene for an alleged violation
ut INC law on August 20 IL 10 be Investigated Dy
the board on tuesday. . 49,
Nr Whitney expressed his surprise to reporter
o( Tug TKfBUNE that any information on the suO-
iect mad been given by thu Excise Commissioners
Ie saId that there was story IN the case tWnlcn
Inc de.Ignatcd as nasty case y that he would ten
when the right time came. At present, Nc sai, ne
did not wish IL saw anything aIOut the lnNcStlga-
irons made by the society, nor about MS conference
with the Mayor,