The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-23
UNIQUE MAYOR Hell.
How He Enforced the License Law in His
Native City.

How He Enforced the License Law i'll His
Native City.
Salem (Mass.) Letter.
The mayor is William NJ Hill or Bill Hill he
is called by his intimate friends and by those
who are not his friends. He is ffty-two years
old, and knows every man, woman and child who
has lived in Salem his native town, for any con
siderable length of time. He is a currier by
trade. He wears. instead of the beard which he
can not grow pleasant smile and a peculiar
twinkle of the eye. In many respects he is like
Gen B. F. Butler, as, for instance, his frankness,
his selfassertiOn his honesty and his singleness
of purpose but, than these, in the fact that
every one who knows him either likes him heart
lily or hates him cordially. Perhaps he is the
most popular man in Salem,
In 1882 some of his friends asked him to
for mayor. Hill said he would see. He trusted
no man with his campaign. started no boom, but
found out quietly whether he was wanted. By
the time his name first publicly announced
his election was so well assured that no
combination of politicians could have prevent
ed 1t When the municipal election approached
last fall, the Prohibitionists began to make
stir, and succeeded in working up a sentiment
against license. Mr.. Hill, up to this time, had
| hardly intended to run for reelection. But as
he was personally attacked as a license man.
q free rum man, he determined to keep the Cl,ice
for another year. He made no contest on the
| liquor question. He simply told the people in
pubic meeting that, although he never drank
drop OF liquor III his life, he was IN favor of Ii
cense, but if the citizens of Salem voted against
it, he would certainly enforce the law. The tenn
perance people boosted that they sure to
carry the city, but election day Mr.. Hill had
over 9 300 votes in total of 800 odd. The cti-
zens voted at the same time about two to one
against license.
True to his word, Mayor Hill promises strictly
to enforce prohibition after the present license
law expires on May !, and everybody who knows
him knows he will do it.
An anecdate will illustrate the character of the
man and the unique way in which the liquor
dealers who persist i'll violating the law may ex-
pect to be met In 1879. Hill resigned his seat in
the Common Council to take the Office of city
marshal. The old prohibitory law had recently
been superseded by the license law. A few of the
dealers had sold with IMMUNITY under the pro-
hibitory statute, and they did not propose to
pay a license fee. Mr. Hill went to them quietly,
asked them to take out licenses, and assured
them that he would recommend that licenses be
granted. One, who had political influence as
we'll as pertlnacity, said:
Look here Bill, L have always sold liquor
and am always going to. They couldn't stop me
under prohibitory law, and you can't under
this law"
Mr.. Hill tried by various arguments to in
duce the saloon-k keeper to abandon his defiant po
sition; but he was obdUrate.
Very WELL said Hill, Il will stop YOU"
This was Thursday. That night at o'clock
the Marshal took six of his best men and
lanterns, which they were ordered to swing in
the manner of a railroad danger-signal until
midnight, while they marched back and forth on
the sidewalk in front of the door, Two others
were stationed ON either side of the door, with
instructions to speak to one, but simply to
| put down in the open memorandum book which
each had the name of every man they knew
who passed in. The two others were stationed
within supporting distance. Crowds gathered,
and the proprietor was pcstered with questions
as to what it meant. He kept on, however, and
Hill repeated the performance on Friday night
1t was so novel that Hill soon had the town
good naturally supporting HIM When he came
on Saturday night with his posse the proprietor
came out, locked the saloon, handed the key to
! the Marshal and said
Here, Bill; you keep this until I get Ii
| cense."