New-York tribune., 1890-05-23
EXCISE MISMANAGEMENT.
LICENSES TOO EASY TO GET.
AN INCONSISTENT AND INCoNGRUouS SYo'
TEN AS APPLIED.
,xorHEa GOOD DAYS WORK OF THE FASsETT
INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE - PERFUME

T., ca,o,or rassett presiding at the investigation
, . rxcieo Department by the state senate Com
., , an cities Yesterday said TO James r. DishoP'
en-, ecretarv OF the Board Of Excise In order 70 orihg
r,in ouestions better within the grasp OF MS ho'
too rapid comprehension, The point WISH W inu'
,r.te by your testimony Is now utterly Hoo"9i'V'''
and inoongruous the whole license system Is, as u
is oppled' Mr. Croker Is responsible lor Mr. niS''p
arnointment and Mr. Bishop warmly commenced inc
i,,eo ~ the Excise Commissioners to the attention
=, tho committee and lauded the real and efciency
- tho en,nloyes from the counsel down 10 the scrub
,roman intimating that the office stood near per-
fecton,s sacred height But the apologies ol Ar'
Rishop were tame and lame In comparison Wih the
hard facts with which he rewarded Mr. lvins's per
eistence OF inquiry There is an excise rule that no
,non can in this city hold than one liquor
,csnsc Mr. BISHOP could give no good reason why
there shoud be such rule at all, and while he main
,ained that IL was enforced, it was shown that
n is constantly evaded. 1t is a splendid rule for
wealthy man who engages in the retail liquor business
on large scale. lie may have half dozen places
licensed in the names OF his relatives or MS oaehders
When the license OF one Of them Is revoked lie Is
not responsible only his igurehcad Is And as IL Is
easy for new applicant to get license for liquor
store whose previous householder has got into
,ronble the real proprietor has no difficulty In finding
frcsb dummies as often they are required.
Mr. Wins proved by George II. Gale, special In
snecor who was on the stand again yesterday, that
it is matter Of common occurrence for licenses 10 De
Granted 10 new individuals, the presentation, along
with their application Of bill OF sale setting forth
the transfer Of the uquorsoro appointments OF the
former ceensee to his successor. The consideration
NJ the sale was in one instance, only dollar The
former censee has also to make affidavit that he has
and will have no interest in the business during the
time for which the license Is granted to his successor
Mr. Wins. also through Mr. Gale, introduced in evil
dencc number o inspectors reports on applications
for renewals and licenses, which, considering the
we'll known character OF Some Of the places con-
ccrned show that the inspections are pcrfunctory
indeed.
at Is n matter Of common rumor in the city, said
Mr. WINS that Licensees may come and go, but the
place goes on forever and that is accomplished by the
aid Of a bill OF sale. No matter what complaints are
made the license IS revoked, but In month or SIX
weeks a new license may be given 10 the wife or the
brother or the the cousin or the bartender
Of the man. and the place goes on, the same inhu-
ences continue to work in and through the place as
before and | think that tho records Of the Board,
when VIC come to them. will show that very few places
havc been shut up In perpeuity. There are some, to
be sure that are shut, because the whole community
rose against them.'
Tho examination OF James F. Bishop. secretary Of
the Board, followed that Of Mr.. Gale. Mr. Wins
asked
o-who nominated youi A.-wsl. was sent by the
Hon. Richard Croker.
O VIA, do YOU meant A.-He recommended me.
@ Did he indorse your papcrsi A.-Yes, sir.
o-what district do you 1.-Two ini A.-Thc XXI1ld
Assembly District
Q.-That Is known as Mr. Glroy'si A.-Yes. sir
Odd Mr ,slroy indorse you alsoi A-Yes, sir.
o.-What been your business prior 10 that time
Al had railroad and steamship Office in onc'hundred'
and.twenty .lfth-st
o-Haye you had experience In pubic once oeiore
A.-No sir.
o-Had YOU to pass examination Of any kndl A
No ,ir va. no. svbnitted any examination OF any
Kind.
Do you know whether the Board made any reference
10 your Application papers and the Inducements contained
therein as to publications for oAicei A.-No. Sir.
o-Are you a member o, Iammany Hal "enefai Coin'
,lttse in YOUR ds,rictl A.-Yes. sir
o-what is the salary of your object A-sS'ooo'
o Who va, your predecessor A.-Mr Gale
O-poes he 90 any OF the work ne useu 70 W d. '''
re,aryl A.-No sir. ., =.
- rosc-ue the duties Of secretary. A-To attend TO
,h General uulaic that after information so'e'
unc Ike $4,000 people year 70 answer az ,s
,lo,. addressed the Boare 70 sign licenses N'Ni ~
.oners and to look after tho general detaiI' oi 'nc
Office. ,. -, ,o.,,,, ,a.ion
O wha, DO you have to say or do about inc
h orc, the duties OF the force the supervision OF ee
manner In which they perform their du'es' N-i"s
missioner, mold me responsible for all tlelf acVs'
O. Are you personally acquainted VIZ" o'''' 'V-' -
detartuent' A.-YcN 'lr. ~,
@ And with duties OF everybody A'-ie' ST., IT
O What stop, do yon take 10 se" tha1 u'y p.'o'r"
. = l,,i.-, -Whcn anything + called TO my a'V'h''oi
...,I,atc H. Ny once from . TO l. ana
100 of,cn during the months o; April, May ana June
.tAv a. late A. b. q or :. .. . dov
a suppose an inspector were not " appear ''' ''
| .. vo,,ld you know IT. A.-By the chief inspector
| s.o,,or Fas,ctt--Does he keep a time oooAi Al '
not say. - ,,,,,,,rv no, 20
,,o,r in the oncc til II or l. ococN' no" "o''1 '''
| - -, ,-onlv by tho chief inspector
| hold fha chi
M ,,i- work of all the inspectors A-F". '''
IN. r.,,lar inspectors. not the special inspectors 80 -
,c tho ,tar of the secretary. and do c''il'' WIZ"
,.,t,r made 4 report place. ard the Con"n''S
! thought It was not IN proper shape theF "' - =
,,l ,,sn,ctor n rcrort on the place AGAIN "h'"
r,o,t is made the secretary refers II 70 Hlr' "'
rut, IL Oh a book. y day Is set down or "e11."s ,,
! n,rtl,s arc notified 20 attend and teFe j. -,
! I d,,,t know of any complaint against ne "aP "
| - ,,r,ct in the matter OF the sixth Avenue io''''
| - There ar, for:ynine actual inspectors uhue''
| stand A.-Nes, sir. ., ..,,,s n.
oI. It your Judgment that the Inspections cou'a v
| conducted hy smaller nuinherl Al ray go -
1,cv h,,c % canvass the cl.y from thc battery "
| - 900 ,ho, there are no places running without license
| ,h,t We have not record Of. Last summer u"is ~
,, they should have had their vacation aho>' eN''' ~
~ them worked at getting that WORK up ine Inv, an,,.s
.,oncrs thought It would be well to make 'nlS M ,t
,,,c, , ycar think last August or july was the '"
tnc They preparing 20 do It aea'h' ,-,...o q,
~ Well the inspectors found themselves at leisure % "
septcmbcr. october and Noycmh'r didn theS'
| cht.t inspector will answer that question -,
| a VIVA. steps does the Board take FOR the pu'p y,
d,nr Itself Of moral character or scn'ra' f'pu'o
| m. ,pplicant- Tor ucenscsl Al they nave any Wv,
,hev brng the applicant before them. remember he"
| dozen such cases ,,ho,a
~ Doe, the Board take in:o account arrests "'. '.
,,re +. not a convlcuonl A.-No sir. they don't "''"
| ANYTHING about that , ,, md
| n Sipposc | had been arrested and got bail agar" '
| ,a,, would the Board know Of ~ A-Not u"'.''
,,,. made complaint and IL set down Tor h''''
| ing. ,,.o nat hoo,
| a A Assuming that 900 5000 cases have not o'e''
and tina, every year they are disposed OF by sccial
tioo Of The Grand jury. you never hear OF th'"' a."
| so. sr. -, .,,s,,c %
| O-lavc you known Of the Boards r''"S's ~
rant license the applicant on the erouhu ''' 's
,u ~ sale was bona nlcl Al cannot ch"'hc "'
,,eoory with that now. but | remember President "'
v,, very severe where thought there was any '"s
..,c ,n,ut tho nnlQayt