The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-01-16
PROVIDENCE AND PROHIBITION.
How the Law is Made of None Effect
in Rhode Islands Capital.

in Rhode Islands Capital.
NEW York, Jan. 1.-THE devious ways
of Providence in the matter OF pro
hibition are past understanding. l am
speaking OF Providence, r. l., where the
laws are so stringent as absolutely to pro-
hibits sales of liquor except on pre-
scriptions. A friend of mine who is in the
glass business recently visited the Rhode
Island capital, and his observations OF the
way the law is evaded are interesting.
give them exactly as told me, and know
that there is no eXaggeratlon.
My friend received an invitation to din
ner at the SWEETEST, club house in the city.
The best men belong to 1T, and III the party
that partook of this particular dinner there
were leading business men, aJudge, and
several prominent lawyers The superstition
was that it would be dry dinner" for
the law will not allow a sale of even bottle
of beer. To my friends great surprise his
neighbor on the left called for a bottle of
champagne, and it was duly punished, in
quick time. A few minutes later waiter
brought piece of paper, which looked like
an ordinary order check, and laid 1t before
the man who had ordered the champagne.
He signed it and passed it to my friend. 1t
read:
Received from walters name) one pack
age marked Mumm's Extra Dry, which l
agree to return in good condition"
Name of club mani.
NY friend read this extraordinary docu-
ment and passed it to the Judge who sat up
on his right.
Eyes, " said that ornament of the bench,
''this is loan and not sale. The person
signing this receipt is bound to return the
package or another like it. These receipts
are filed away, and when dozen have ac-
cumulated against member he orders a
basket of the wine and returns it to the
waiter or steward There Is no law in the
State that can interfere in any way with
the transaction"
1t appears that when the club found it
self face to face with the new iron-clad law
of Rhode Island, its legal members set them
selves to work to find a gap in the wall.
They decided upon the plan of loanlng the
liquor refreshment instead of selling 1t. In
the first place the members stocked up the
place on assessment, and afterward 1T IS
kept going by the replacing of the net goods
used, by the members who use them. There
are number of total abstinence men in the
club, but having upheld the club they can
only grin and bear it when the law proves
inadequate.
The amount of decrease in the liquor bust
ness as a whole may be learned from the fol-
lowing incident. My friend called upon a
grocer to whom he had been accustomed to
sell few gross of TASKS once in a while.
He said to the grocer:
81 suppose it's no use trying to sell yon
anything under the present laws"
NO" said the grocer, with an expressive
wink lit isn't; but wouldn't you like to
take smile yourseff'
The glass man didn't care, and they went
to the rear of the store. The grocer took
hold of an apparently solid partition and
pulled it easily to one side, revealing a nice,
coy room well furnished with conveniences
for spirituous comfort. They took their
smile, and before parting the grocer gave
his order for a car loal of TASKS. There are
over 200 gross in a car load and 144 TASKS in
gross. Prohibition has not killed the glass
business in Providence.
The bar of one of the leading hotels is fit
ted up to resemble one of the temperance
cafes which have become so numerous
throughout the country. Dainty urns bear
in silver letters the legends, "cold tea, " shot
coffee, "pure milk, etc. The cold tea can
be particularly recommended to those who
like whisky and the coffee to such as prefer
brandy. The glass man was witness TO
rather curious scene in this place. 1t was
only in the forenoon, and he had just taken
a little "cold tea" for the weather was
chilly The presiding genius of the place
was standing on tiptoe looking over the
shutters of the windows. Suddenly he
turned and said:
"Now you will see some fun. The fellow
who's coming in now is no good. I've got
done with him.
Presently tho door opened and in walked
the ideal 'crushed tragedian." He rubbed
his hands together in that cheerful way
which always indicates preparation for the
first drink of the day
"Ah; good morning." said he, "Ill take
some coffee this morning, If you don't mind, :"
and he smilingly put down 15c. on the
counter.
"All right" said the barkeeper, and he
proceeded to put out a cup Of genuine
coffee The theatrical gentleman tossed
it off hurriedly; then he looked like
Laertes stabbed with his own envenoned
blade.
'By the Olympain Zeus! Sold! p he ex-
claimed, and stalked to the door without am
other word.
81 saw him on the sidewalk bracing a man
for that &c.," remarked the barkeeper,
with grin. "We don't want any buns in
here.n HOWARD FIELDING.