Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-02-23
JAGS FOUND IN JUGS.
Police Inspector McKelvey in His An
nual Report Speaks Of
CRIME CAUSED BY WHOLESALERS.
Hard Work Done in Suppressing Illegal
Liquor Sellers.
THE THIRD DISTRICT NEEDS MORE MEN

Inspector McKelvey. of the Third or
Southside police district, has made his an
nual report to Chief Brown.
The report is introduced with the state
ment that the area of the district is as great
as that Of Allegheny, with a cosmopolitan
population of $4,000. After speaking of the
good record made by the police in keeping
fers to the liquor traffic, and takes exception
to the manner in which many so-called
wholesalers do business.
"In 1889" the Inspector says. there were
II retail licenses granted and 8 wholesale
Last year there were 80 retailers and 40
wholesalers. Many of those granted licenses
in 1890 had conducted illegal saloons in
1889. fact which was known to the Court
by whom the license was granted.
During the past year renewed efforts were
made to crush out the illegal liquor traffic.
Those engaged in the business were first
notified that they must cease selling liquor
at once. Quite a number obeyed this order
but many disregarded it and we're arrested
under city ordinance for keeping dis
orderly houses, and on their promise to quit
were let off with fines. while many cases
were sent to court and the parties convicted.
Easy Method of Making Money.
"Many of the sellers were either widows
or cripples, with large families, who had
adopted that method Of making an easy
livelihood and looked upon the excise law as
an imposition, and did not regard it as
misdemeanor to violate it. The establish
ment of all sorts of clubs as subterfuges
was resorted to, in order to evade the liquor
law, where liquor was sold illegally, as has
been repeatedly decided by the courts of
this State"
The report speaks of the fragrant violations
of the law by wholesale dealers, a number
of whom were prosecuted for illegal selling,
and the proprietors pleaded guilty in court.
Inspector McKelvey says that there seems to
be something radically wrong in the present
system Of granting liquor licenses. A man
who has scarcely enough capital to pay the
fee required by the State can rent shanty,
obtain license, get barrel of beer and
another of whisky on credit, and then swing
out to the breeze wholesale liquor dealers
sign. The man will of course retail his
wares, for he makes no pretense of conduct
ing a legitimate wholesale business
A Premium on Law Breaking.
The granting of license to such man
is simply placing within his reach a
premium for law breaking which few do not
strive to grasp. There are many engaged in
the traffic that cannot make living by con-
Quoting an honest business, and knowing
this, they make living as best they can.
The number of arrests made in the district
has increased nearly 30 per cent over the
preceding year. which, while partly due to
the increased population. has been to great
extent the result of clubs and jug houses,
as the wholesale houses have been named.
There are no gambling houses in the dis
trict. During the year 16 disorderly houses
were closed by the police and careful in
vestigation shows that the Jug business is
responsible for every one.
The Inspector takes occasion to warmly
commend the officers of the district, parti.u-
larly Captain William Stewart and Lieu
tenants j. NJ. Johnston and L. M. Booker.
Attention is called to the poor condition
of station No. Z, which is the only one in
the city that has not been remodeled. Twice
the station has been braced and now there is
some danger that it may collapse.
Asking for More Patrolmen.
Attention is called to the limited amount
of patrol service system in the district there
being only q call boxes to cover the large
territory, and in order to increase the eff
cheney of the force more boxes should be put
in at once The Inspector also asks for an
increase of patrolmen. There is large ter
ritory to cover with only Al men for regular
duty. This is deemed an insufficient
number, and in justice to the citizens of that
part of the city the force should be increased.
The report includes tabulated statement
of the most complete order. This statement
shows that during the year $3.50 arrests
were made and 301 dodgers were cared for.
1859 calls, making 1877 arrests. Of the
persons arrested. 1928 paid fines, 642 were
committed to jail, 424 to the workhouse, 1O2
were held for court. Is committed to the Re-
form School, sent to the hospitals, 888
were discharged, l escaped, 1 was turned
over to other authorities and 1 held as q
witneas