Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-08
[Communicated.l
INCREASED DRINKING
Would Result in Apollo and Leech-
burg in Case of Repeal of
TIRE TEMPERANCE LAW In FORCE.
Opinions of Leading Business Men in Both
Boroughs Quoted.
RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BIZ JR. 0. e. A. NJ.

APOLLO, March 7.-Perhaps not over
! dozen people in this place know the work.
ings of the prohibition law under which
they are living, and the liquor faction is
taking advantage of this point. Their argu-
ment is that the Brooks law is imperative
in these two boroughs, and that there is no
penalty for selling liquor without license.
When asked why they don't open up shop
aud sell 1t without worrying about securing
the repeal of the law they are stumped, but
fall back on the idea that that would be
against public opinion.
Walter Guthrie is prominent young at
torney and has fully examined this question,
in regard 10 which he says: "It is entirely q
mistaken idea that the Brooks law is inop-
erative here. All we have of the old pro-
hibitory law is one section, which declares
that the Judge shall not grant license to
sell liquor in these two boroughs. Ii they do
sell it they come under the Brooks law
aud can be tried and convicted of selling
liquor without license and sentenced to
pay the penalty. A man named Albert
Painter was indicted under this law this
week at Kittanning, for running a speak
easy in Apollo. Silverman. the Leechburg
original package man, is now serving his
sentence ior violation Of the same act.
Must Sink or Swim Together.
Another part OF the law not understood is
| the linking of Apollo with Leechburg. A
| great many have the mistaken idea that one
can make change and the other remain
under the old law. Good legal opinion says
| it is sink or swim together If Leechburg
| should give majority for saloons SO large
| as to overwhelm a majority the other way at
| Apollo or vice versa, that would settle 1t Tor
| both boroughs. This is question that
should be carefully weighed by persons who
are asking that it come to vote under the
| impression that it will be easy to beat the
| liquor people then
There is perhaps not better posted man
in the borough than James Kirkwood, of
the Apollo Foundry Company, and az he is
member Of the Law and Order Society 1
went to him in regard to the speak-easy
| stories. tie said:
'They say the Brooks law is imperative,
but if they would merely examine into the
question they could see that it is. When
Andrew Stoughton was arrested for illegal
| liquor selling, he was tried under the pro-
hibitory law, the second section of which
was declared unconstitutional. Judge Neale
decided that had he been tried under the
Brooks law ne could have been sentenced,
but not under the other law. We were
prosecutors, not prosecutors, and when
Stoughton promised to quit trying to sell
we let him 60, aud he is now working
steadily ill the mill.
| How Speak-Easies Are Closed.
''There is also talk of speak-easies rum
| ming now. 1t anybody who knows of there
/ being such places is public spirited enough
to quietly inform the Burgess or Law and
Order League the matter can be etfectually
settled in short order. l have known of
several men trying to do that kind of busi-
ness during the past few years, and it re-
| qured but word to stop them, which was
| better than to send them up for it,
"There is something radically wrong in
| this matter" continued Mr.. Krkwood.
About five years ago, when George G. Nc
| Murtrie took charge of the Apollo Iron and
| Steel Works and was doing everything in
! his power TO make it a success, l was MET on
| the street by committee of gentlemen from
| the Chamber OF Commerce, and they asked
ME to go with them to see Mr.. McMurtrie.
1 did so, and they asked him what they
| could do to help him in advancing the in
| terests of the company and the town. His
reply was to get ground and build houses
| for the increased number of men, and, above
| all, keep whisky out of the place. They de-
| clared that they would certainly do as he
| asked and some went so far as TO say that
| they would die before going back on their
| word. 1t has been less than five years since
that interview, and yet several of them have
broken their word and are now working to
secure license for the place"
Committee of Prominent Citizens.
Mr.. Kirkwood would not mention the
names of tie gentlemen on the committee,
but Mr.. Jack, the mills chief clerk, who
was present at that meeting, named the fol-
| lowing gentlemen as the cummittee. Colonel
S. NJ. Jackson, S. NJ. Nelson, DR.. William
! McBryar, Sr., and Il. G.. Cochran.
Mr.. McMurtrie was asked as to the au-
thenticity Of Mr.. Kirkwood's statement, but
he would only say, 'Mr. Kirkwood relates
the interview and agreement perfectly. but
then there are things 'twere better not to
| dwell upon"
T. J. Baldridge is young man in Apollo
| known by ybody and he is in position
| to tell of the ups and downs of the town.
| While he does not deny that there is cer-
tain amount of drinking going on at all
times, he still says that it could be a great
| deal worse. But that is the opinion of
| everybody within hailing distance of the
| town.
| Dr. T. J. Henry is authority for the
statement that there has not been a case OF
| delirium tremens in the borough for years.
There is not a man, woman or child resi-
| dent of the place who is compelled to live
| by asking aims, and there is not an habitual
drunkard to be found. This is prima facie
| evidence that the place is prospecting under
a prohibitory law, and it is questionable if
that would be the case if the law were re-
| pealed.
Have the Borough's Interests at Heart.
The gentlemen have quoted on this SUBJ
| ject are among the most prominent men of
the borough. They are owners OF property
| and feel it to their interest as we'll as their
duty to keep down the saloons in the
borough. The ladies are working hard for
| the law as it now stands and the two
branches of the Christian Union, partisan
| aud non-partisan, are working together
! They are circulating petitions, one for lady
signers and another for voters. Only two
ladies refused to sign. One said that per-
haps her husband and sons would not drink
SO much it there were saloons there, and the
other was merely obeying command from
her husband. Mrs. Guthrie and Mrs. DR..
| McBrvar are leading in the work among
the ladies.
A visit was made to Leechburg, where
| almost the same state of affairs exist as at
| Apollo. However, no business men could
| be found who favor the repeal, although the
hotel men said there were several who did
not want it known. John jenkins, the
hotel man who is after license, said that
among others the kirkpatrick Mill Com
| pany favored the repeal. A visit to the
mill. however, proved that he was mistaken.
| AS the mill is not running the only man 10
| be found was the chief clerk, Mr. Campbell.
| who stated positively that the firm was
working for the law as it now stands.