New-York tribune., 1883-11-04
TIE ACCUSED EXCISE BOARD.
WHAT THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE TO SAY
A SUFFICIENT ANSWER READY-wrIAT THE RECORDS
SHOW.

SHOW
Excise Commissioner Mitchell was asked yester
day by a reporter of THE TRIBUNE what answer the
mcmbers of the Board would make TO the present.
ment of the Grand jury He replied The Board
has sufficient answer. 1t would nave been Detter
TO ndct us and give us an OPPORTUNITY TO make our
answer i'm court. The places which have been men
toned as the resorts of thieves and other low char
acters either have licenses, else the person to
whom the license was granted was certified 10 by
the police as a proper person to receive license.
Shang' Draper has never been licensed: HIS
brother, William, is the keeper IF the place No. 466
Sixth-aye. When the late shooting case was
reported to us Draper cited before the Board;
The case is not yet concluded. We VIII
not knowingly license bad place. John Nugent
now in prison, was never licensed The same is the
case with others who are mentioned in the Grand
Jury's presentment We furnish the police lists OF
those who not licensed. 1t rests with the pohce
TO prevent the selling of liquor in unlicensed
places"
Commissioner Houghton said that the present.
ment was cOwardly and unjust to the Excise BOARD
1t is stated" he added, that three OF the lnspec-
tors of the Board have been complained Of and in
dicted for violating the Excise lazy; Inc inspectors
mentioned are Lawrence MGDonald, aexander Mex Ilo NC NC
pointed inspectors they owned liquor-shops. Ihey
sold these. After their Indictment they produced
the bills of SALE the insurance policies and receipts
for goods bought. The Commissioners have con-
ferTed with the Mayor relative to closing mp un-
licensed places. D. j. Whitney, OF the Society Tor
the Prevention of Vice, is undoubtedly the person
who has given q good part of the information on
which the presentment is based In one case tnat
of George A. Greene, who is charged Witn keepihg
there was q long and exhaustive tr1ai, ana MT.
Whitney was given ample opportunity to produce
his evidence to substantlate his assertions ne
failed to do sO although requested by the EXCISE
Jerome Brady, general book-keeper and steno7
grapher for the Board, furnished from the ofhclai
records the. history of the various persons ana
places mentioned in the Grand Jury's gresentment.
No 466 Sixth-aye was licensed by William Draper.
"ShanS Draper never received license. When
William Draper applied for license his application
was forwarded to superintendent Walnhg' as Is
usual in such cases. 1t was referred to the on1cer
in command of the Twenty-ninth Ponce RE
cinct. Josiah Westewelt the sergeant in
command of the precinct, reported that DTa-
report a license was granted Abe" Coakley, who
keeps the Fountain Hotel at South Flfth-aye. ana
Canal has never secured license from t3e pre-
sent board, and his place is not licensed: george
Levy, of No. 566 Sixth-ave., holds license. he
was reported upon favoraby by the police Edward
Matthews, who keeps liquor shop at No. 4Sl Sec
cnth-ave. and Thirteenth-st,, was licensed on IA
vorable report from the police. John Nugent, who
license revoked. Joseph O'Donnell, Of No. SOL
Six{h-ave., has no license. Trainor ~ Boyls9n, OF
the BOwery and Hester-st., have been licensed for
many years Mr.. Trainor recently fitted up place
in an expensive manner at SiXth-aye. and Ihlrty-
third-st. No complaint has been made against either
Gr of the fin By f3e PSGscG
He was favorably reported on by the police: There
has been no complaint since. " Dad Williams, OF
reported on favOTably by the police. Joseph
yelling. of No. 1876 West HOustOn-st., is licensed.
No complaint has been made against him. No. oIS
Eighth-ave. said in the presentment TO be kept by
an unknown German, is not licensed and has not
been, so far as the records of the Excise Board
show.
Mayor Edison was asked what action he proposed
to take in the matter. He replied that he had not
vet seen the information on which presumably the
presentment was based. In any case he could do
nothing, as the Excise Commissioners were an
swerabe only to the Governor, and could be re-
moved by him the same as the Sheriff or County
Clerk.
The Excise Commissioners held meeting at noon
to talk over the presentment. License books were
examined to ascertain If the statements made by the
Grand Jury about certain liquOr-dealers were cor
rect After pr0tractcd consultation the Commits
soners decided not to take any action on the pre-
sentiment until after election.
Superintendent Walling said that the Excise
Commissioners could not shift the Odium of the
presentment to the Police Department. The po-
lice" he aid, are constantly making arrests for
violations of the Excise law. Deal who sell
without licenses are arrested over and over again,
hut they give bail and never brought TO trial.
Licensed dealers who sell after hours or on Sundays
are arrested as often as the police can catch them
violating the law, but the Police Justices and the
Excise Commissioners demand more proof OF vio-
lat Ion than the officers can furnish i'll most cases"