Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-05-26
CRUSADED TO DEATH.
Kidding the First District of
the Speak-Easy Evil.
M'ALEESE'S LENGTHY LIST.
ALI Illegal Liquor Shops Closed by
Summary Conviction.
MAKING BIG MONEY FOR THE CITY

Chief J. o. Brown, OF the Department of
Public Safety, took a stroll through the
lower portion of the city yesterday ::after-
noon. When asked if he had seen any evil
deaces of speak-easies, he replied:
"No, have not. They appear to be
pretty well cleaned out. This probably ac-
counts ior the quiet Sunday we are having.
1t is now nearly o'clock and there is but
one prisoner in the Central Station"
The calm and holy hush which character
ized the day in the heart of Pittsburg is at
tributed to the speak-essy crusade con-
Quoted by Inspector McAleese, of the First
Police district, which embraces the first Is
wards of the city. The Inspector yesterday
completed his report on the subject for pres
entation to Chief Brown, and it contains
some rather startling information, especially
when taken in connection with some OF the
returns made by ward constables to the
county courts. The report embraces
period of "a days, commencing on May
and ending at midnight Saturday. In that
time 1, 445 arrests for all manner of offenses
have been made in the First district, 443
being victims of the speak-easy war.
SOME BIG FIGURES.
The Inspector, in his report, states that
be has made informstions against 203 per-
sons for keeping disorderly houses. that is,
places where liquor is Illegally sold, and
162 of the proprietors have been arrested,
pleaded guilty and punished. The number
of visitors arrested in these places was 2S1.
Forty-one warrants against proprietors have
not yet been served, owing to the fact that
many of the persons wanted have left the
CITY, while others have become alarmed and
are in hiding.
The speak-easy proprietors arrested were,
with very few exceptions, fined 500 and
costs. The visitors generally got off with
81 and costs, but in cases where the house
was q notorious one or the person arrested
was Of bad character, the fine was increased
or the prisoner sent to the workhouse for a
term. The total revenue to the city from
speak-easy cases in the First district up to
date amounts to s., OS1 80, and will probably
reach $40, 900 before the Inspector finishes
the work. Magistrate Gripp collected
s.. 990 from disorderly house Proprietors and
$40 so from visitors, and Magistrate Nc
Kenna collected 81 1863 30 from proprietors
and s.. .361 20 from visitors.
Mr. McAleese saws he has his district
pretty we'll cleaned up, especially when the
TACT is considered that tine crusade was
actually entered upon only last Monday.
While he has already made 203 informa-
tions, he expects to issue 100 more in the
next ten DAYS. OF the 43 persons against
whom warrants are out, the Inspector eX-
poets to capture two-thirds this week.
BETTER TAKE THE HINT.
In speaking of the crusade, Mr.. McAleese
said that the arrest of persons found visiting
speak-easies and fning them next day
would do as much TO close up the business
as the prosecution of the proprietors them
selves. He said also that If any of the par
ties VINO have already been convicted, plead
guilty and fined, return TO the business he
will rearrest them and take their cases to
court, using their plea of guilty as'evidence
seainst them. When they come up ior
trial the Court can sentence them considera-
bly, heavier than Police Magistrate for
illegal liquor selling.
The work in the first police district in
suppressing illegal liquor houses the In
spector has found to be very difficult, but he
is satisfied that he can comply with the
Chiefs order and have them all closed up
by June /. In this connection the Inspector
compliments the police magistrates and
officers of the district for their jealous CO.
operation and assistance. The Inspector
himself has been worked very hard, and
has had little time for sleep and less for
meals.
The lists which follow show the names
and addresses of the speak-easy proprietors,
and the disposition of their cases.