The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-11-30
The Saloon-K Keepers Determine to Turn De-
tectives to Assist in the General En-
fOrcement of the Sunday Law.
What Is Thought Of the Movement by
the Business Men Affected by 1t.
Only One Arrest Made Yesterday, but War
rants Ready for Forty Who Are 10 BE
Taken Into Custody To-Day.

public meeting at Mozart Hall yesterday after
noSn drew very large crowd. When the meet
ling was called to order az 2:30 o'clock by p. Fl.
MeNelis. the hall was crowded with liquor men,
ciear-sellers. BARRIERS and citizens in other
branches of business, who had come out of
curiosity
Frank Mans was called to the chair, and stated
that the first business to consider whether
it was secret or a public meeting. From the
makeup Of the crown, he thought the people
had understood that it was public meeting but
he Was under the impression that it was to be a
secret caucus, and he knew there was business
to be transacted that the League did not care
about acting upon publicly There was
spirited debate over the question. Several liquor
sellers, and one or two BARRIERS stated that they
had been invited there, and they felt that
they ought to be granted the privilege of re-
manning One or two members of the League
were in favor Of having the meeting public for
the purpose of giving the people chance to see
that It was really in earnest in the movement to
be considered john Huegee moved that only
liquor men be allowed to remain. and as the
class representing thai business were in the ma
iority his motion carried Door-keepers were
ted aud the cigar,sellers and BARRIERS
were asked TO leave. After the departure of
those who had been asked to leave the room there
B!ill remained nearly three hundred saloon-keep-
ers Mr. Maus stated that the meeting had
been called for the purpose of taking steps to in
duce tho saloon keepers of the city not members
Of the Liquor Dealers Protective Association to
organize a branch association to aid
the League in enforcing the law. The
Police Commissioners he said, had re-
fused 10 give the committee from the League
respectful hearing, and had pointedly stated
that they intended 10 pay special attention to the
saloon keepers. This discrimination. he thought,
called for immediate action from every saloon
keeper in the city and their cooperation 10 see
Ing that the Law was enforced against all alike.
p H. McNelis, who was chairman of the COM
mittee that waited upon the Police Board, re-
ported what had been said at the conference.
He stated That the committee treated in
most insulting manner, and was given to under
stand that the board wanted none of their adj
vice. and prouosed to direct their power against
prosecuting the men engaged in the liquor bust
ness
Tho proprietor of the Mozart Hall saloon
thought the committee didn't have enough
backbone, and 1T wasn't worth d--n, and
didn't know any more when they came away
than when they went" ttet
Mr. McNes replying to this assertion, said
that the committee tried to reason with the
board. but the commissioners refused to listen
to them.
All thu members OF the committee had some
thing say. They asserted that it was useless to
further urge their point before the Police Board,
and all that the League could do was to 60
TO work on its own hook and enforce the law
against the offenders the police would not
touch
Returning to the object Of the meeting Mr.
McNelis stated that there seemed to be feeling
among the oon-keepers of the city not in the
League that hi,nself, John Huegele, Edward
Schmidt Louis Essman and few others were
engineering all this enforcement business. with
KvieY Of jnjuring the business OF their less
wealthy Competitors. He wanted to yefute
ali such imputations, and he hoped to see
branch league organized of which every
saloon man in the city would become
member. AS far as he was concerned he was
willing to take them all in the League proper IL
it would please them better. This latter prop
Ositon met with much favor from the outside
saloon men present, and one of them proposed
that If the League would take them in as mem
bers he believed nearly every liquor in the
city would enroll his name. The proposition
was generally concurred in. and a resolution was
passed opening the register OF the association
for the reception of names, with the under
Standing that there WAS to be compliance with
al the League rules and hearty cooperation in
the movement against violators of the law in
other lInes OF business. committee was appoint
ed to solicit ali present to become members, and
after three hours work ninety-eight new names
were enrolled the membership book of the
League, leaving ffty-oIe saloon keepers in the
city yet out IF the organization. few Of the
number were present, and refused to join. The
committee was instructed to the remaining
ones at once, and, if possible, induce them to
Join the movement
the line of work laid out is. Mr. Maus stated
that each man expected TO constitute him
self dotective, and use all means within his
power to secure convicting evidence against
druggists who sell whisky by the drink, grocers
who sell the beverage and cigar-selers. The as
sociation, he said, had been misrepresenteG in
EPTtng that 1t was going to enforce the
law against eating houses, milkmen
the street railway, railroads and newspapers
For the present, at least, the members of the
League would be expected to look after the
vioiators first named All evidence secured
would be reported to the executive committee.
who would swear cut warrants for the arrest of
the offenders. The new members were also in
6tfucted to obey the law to the letter under
penalty of being expelled from the organization
ii they did not. There was general discussion
of the best means to use in securing evidence
against offenders. and the League adjourned 1t
will meet again at 2:30 o'clock this afternoon
when further steps toward the enforcement of
the law will be taken.
Many of those who Joined did so under protest
Said one of them to Journal reporter: Il am
not In favor of this movement at all, but have
10 go IN, because the others are all going. do
pot think this enforcement business will last
long and am of the opinion the people will be
crying enough before many weeks. / wouldn't
nave gone ~ at all, but think the whole bust
ness viii fall Indianapolis can't afford to keen
PIP this foolishness II will ruin business Of all
kinds Already people are beginning TO avoid
the city, and you will see in few weeks, If il is
xept ep mat not single stranger will stop here
over Sunday. They sill hunt some city,
How the Movement Is Viewed.
a Journal reporter talked with number of
druggists restaurateurs, cigar dealers BARRIERS
and others concerning the Sunday law AS IL ia 70
beinterpreted aud administered by their imperial