The record-union., 1891-04-15
A HINT TO THE POLICE.
Persons Under Eighteen Years Not
to be Allowed in Saloons.
That Is Now the Law-ShaH 1t be
Enforced s-The Case of the
Hopkins Boy.

Gus. Hopkins, boy about fourteen
years of age, was arraigned in the Police
Court yesterday on charge of drunken
ness. Judge Cravens was more anxious
that the boy should tell where he got the
liquor than that he should confess his
guilt, but young Hopkins said two other
boys of about his own age bought it, and
if they could be found they would prob
ably tell who sold the liquor to them.
Officer Gibson said he knew whothe
pena issued, requiring them to be pres
ent in court this morning.
After the court adjourned Judge Cra-
vens stated to RECORD UNION reporter
that AS one ofthe Police Commissioners he
proposed to see that the Act passed by the
recent Legislature was rigidly enforced.
1t reads as follows, and was approved
March 18th by the Governor, and is now
in force:
Every person who sells or gives, or
causes to be delivered, to any minor
child, male or female, under the age of
eighteen years, any intoxicating drink in
any quantity whatsoever, or who, as pro-
| prietor or manager of any saloon or pub
lie house where Intoxicating liquors are
| sold, permits any such minor child under
the age of eighteen years to visit said sa-
| loon or public house where Intoxicating
liqours are sold, for the purpose of gam
bling, playing cards, billiards, pool or
| any game of chance, shall be deemed
| guilty of a nlisdemeanor, and shall, upon
| conviction thereof, be punished by a fine
| of not less than SI00 nor more than $500,
and III default Of payment of said fine
shall be imprisoned in the County Jail
| for a period Of not less than 100 days"
NHTIlf In I,n4f L.,
! decided Improvement on the old one as
| 1t extends the age from sixteen to
| eighteen years, under which boys and
girls are prohibited from visiting saloons.
Every saloon-keeper in this city should
be notified by the police department of
the existence of this law, so that igno-
rance thereof cannot be urged in nitiga-
ton of the act of any person for having
violated its provisions. This done, the
police officers should be required-either
by the Chief or the Board of Police Com
mlssloners-to rigidly enfore the law and
arrest ana prosecute every person found
violating il.
There are many saloons in the city in
which boys are never seen. and which
have no private entrances for women, but
there are many others where both women
and boys are permitted to enter and
drink as much liquor as they have the
ability to pay for. Heretofore the police
| would have little difficulty in arresting a
score OF saloon-keepers any night for
harborlng young men or women under
eighteen years of age. Whether or not
they VIII heed this warning, and refuse
admIttance to all such, remains to be
/ seen.
1t Is not an uncommon thing to see
young men eseorting young women into
these Slde-entrances at night, although
the girls are often under eighteen years
OF age. If the police will but do their
| duty fearlessly in this matter, much of
| the disgrace that has been heaped upon
! the community of late may be wiped out
One thing is certain-if the police
| officers have not been able to see boys
| going to and from saloons at night, other
/ people have, and it might not be bad
| idea for the Police Commissioners to
! have some ofthe officers submit to an oc-
| caslonal examination by skilled ocu-
| llst to determine whether or not their
! eyeslght remains unimpaired.
There is now upon the statute books
| law which, if properly enforced, may
| work social revolution in this and
many other cities in the State-for Sacra-
| mento is probably no worse than others
There should be another law making it
mlsdemeanor for any saloon-keeper to
| permit women of any age to visit his
| place. It may be a poor compliment to
| the class of women who have seen fit to
1 brave public opinions by stealthily visit
| ing saloons under cover of the night to
say that it requires the strong arm of the
! law to prevent them from disgracing
| themselves, but, unfortunately, such ap-
| pears to be the case.
However, the law against persons of
| both sexes, under eighteen years of age
| Is In force, and it should be energeticaIly
| carried into effect. 4 few arrests for its
violation would do a great deal of good.