Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-27
Where a Fashionable Crowd Held
Forth, Closed Up by Inspector
McAleese Yesterday.
A BURSTED MAIN MAKES TROUBLE.
Salvation Army Poker Players Jump Forty
Feet From q Trestle to Escape
Vigilant officers.
THE wANDERINGS OF A FEVER PATIENT.
Happenings of q Day in the Twin Cities at the
HOad Of the Ohio

Inspector McAleese has closed another
fashionable speak-easy. On information
made bv him, Detectives Robinson and
Fitzgerald yesterday arrested Mrs. McCrea,
OF No. SOP Penn avenue, for alleged liquor
selling. The place has been running for a
considerable time, but owing to the extreme
watchfulness as to who should be admitted
TO its secrets the police have been unable to
get a good case heretofore. Mrs. McCrea
kept q boarding hoose and had eight or ten
lodgers and she and her two daughters occu-
pied 1he remainder of the house.
1t is a large three-story brick situated
right in the midst of very respectable
neighborhood, where nobody would expect
TO find a speak-easy. Even the immediate
neighbors were unaware of the rather ex-
tensive operations in the liquor selling
line. They had often seen at night numer-
ous carriages coming and going from the
door. but supposed the occupants were visit
ing the office of dentist on the first floor
front They did not know that parties of
fashionable young people of both sexes
from the East End and Allegheny We're
flocking to the place to drink wine and in
dulge in little quiet carousals.
THE POLICE WERE INFORMED.
But the police were better informed.
They knew that numerous wealthy business
men and young bloods were congregating
there, and that Mrs. McCrea's wine par
lors," as the place was commonly called,
needed their attention. Inspector Nc
-Aleese and Detective Robinson went down
Tuesday night TO arrest the proprietress.
but she was not at home They found gay
crowd inside drinking. They wanted Mrs.
McCrea so that the arrest was put off until
yesterday.
After the warrant was served the woman
was taken before Magistrate Mckenna and
released on $500 bail to await further trial.
Inspector McAleese has a list of prominent
people whom he will use as witnesses if
necessary. The hearing has been set for
Friday afternoon at 1 o'clock In speaking
OF the published statements coming from
Mrs. McCrea, Inspector McAleese last night
said:
When this lady says, as she is credited
with saying, that she did not sell liquor,
she simply has no respect for the truth.
can bring plenty of evidence to show that
she has been selling at a lively rate and
with considerable profit TO herself, as her
prices were pretty steep and her customers
OF the liberal class. You will see that when
the hearing comes she will promise not to
violate the law again, and she will pay
her fine without a murmur. The lady has
two daughters, and on their account am
more than sorry this thing has occurred,
as they are bright, innocent young
girls, and L am satisfied they
were entirely ignorant of the sort of an es-
tablishment their mother was conducting.
Asto the other inmates of the house can't |
saw very much. There are two or three |
lady roomers, married women l am told, |
whose husbands are travelling men and |
spend much of their time away from home. |
Then | am told also that Mrs. Crea has, had |
six or eight gentlemen rooming in the |
house.
OTHER CITIES NOW IN LINE.
The war on Speak-easies is not confined to |
the First police district of Pittsburg, but is |
being prosecuted in other cities. This is |
especially the case in Philadelphia, |
where during the past few weeks |
many places have been closed. Consider |
able talk has been created in that city over |
the fact that when places are raided those |
who operate them are fined or imprisoned, |
while the visitors are usually let go free. |
Concerning this, Inspector McAleese, said |
last night:
Prior to May, 1890, when the practice of |
making informations against these people |
was not in vogue, all visitors, as rule,
found at the time of arrest were re-
leased But since then il has been |
the custom, with very few exceptions, to |
fine visitors as well as proprietors. These |
fines are not large, generally S. or s. and |
costs, but they serve largely to break up the
trade. A great many people who would |
otherwise patronize speak-easies are kept |
away from them now by the fear of arrest |
ana punishment, i think it is proper to
follow this course. Visitors to such places
are aiders and abettors to the breaking of |
the law, and should suffer