Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-07-03
CITY AND DISTRICT.
VARIETY OF SUNDAY LAWS.
New Officers Confused by the Three
Codes In Force in the District.

The great diversity OF sunday laws in different
portions of the District bewilder and confuse
newly-appointed policemen " no undertake to
enforce them. Persons unacquainted with the
laws will be greatly puzzled ii they set out TO
make purchases on sunday In different parts of
the city. Within the city limits on sunday
grocery stores, cigar stores and dairies are open,
and business Is carried on the same as during
the week. In grocery stores
WHERE LIQUORS ARE SOLD
. curtain or lattice work usually divides the
rear end OF the store, where the liquors are Kept,
from the portion where the grocery business is
In full blast. In some stores goods are displayed
At the front door and the doors are kept wide
open all day Sunday. FMS Is within tine limits
OF the city of " stShIngtOn.
But In the county or in West Washington a
very different stale OF affairs IL found. There
II Is a violation oI law to serve a glass OF soda
or sell cigar or "a bunch oil nOWers- some
years ago prosecutions were instituted against
merchants Tor keeping their places open on
sunday for the saIe OF merchandise These
prosecutions were brought under an old ordi-
nance vi the corporation, which prohibited the
keeping open ON Sunday of any places OF bush
ness excepting pOthecaries shops, underIa-
kers' shops and barber shops. which were TO be
closed at one . clock. After a number of prose-
eutions had been brought under that ordinance
10 WAS shown and Judge Smell held that IL was
detective in not having been signed by The
mayor. Alter that decision places Oi business
were opened ON sunday, ana nave continued
so W to the present L ndcr recent ruling by
the Criminal Court BARRIERS were required 10
close their shops Oh SUNDAY, we'll saloon
keepers. Inc penalty for keeping barber
snop open > the d that retail liquor
dealers s,,.oon keepers, $50 1Or each o1lcnse.
The penalty IN the ctlse % u Wholesale liquor
dealer or d brewer II $40.
IN 1HE COUNTY.
Crossing Boundary street and getting into the
county, where the Levy Court ordinances are
still enforced different state OF affairs exists.
The law IN this section proniUitS the sale on
Sunday OF any article except drugs and meui-
clnes. Tie iTJuStlce and aD>urdIIy OI Ine thing
being apparent, however, the police have
stopped prosecuting merchants Tor selling ON
the north side OF boundary street, while those
Oh the opposite side were permitted to DC open
Prosecutions are sometimes Instituted, now
ever, against places where 1t is suspected liquor
l. sofa. Inc nues in sucn cases are usually Two
dollars, ami iOr selling liquor ten t4oIiors, or
half the aIuOunt iOr the same Offtnse across
boundary street In the county are several
wine houses, Wusre the beverage Il made rom
GRAPES grown OH The premises AND NO LICENSE Is
required 10 sell IL
IN GEokGETOWN, OR WEST WASHINGTON,
Hill another code vi laws 10 i'll existence. As
there Ia Dut one complete set OF the laws, which
II not in possession vi the authorities, the OF
aeers frequently experience trOuoie IN bringing
prosecutions Often when arrests are maUe the
officers have 10 obtain copy OI the particular
iaw under which To prosecute the case ana take
IL with them 10 the EOIiCe Court Drugs ana
fresh nsh are the only articles permitted 10 De
sold Oh the Sabbath the law requiring All other
places tn Oe Closed. The sale OF cigars and soda
water IN drug stores Is promoted and punish
able by line oi i've dollars. 1he law against
selling liquor Is similar 10 that III the city.