Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-06
THE ONE-MILE LIMIT.
Saloons Selling Liquor Open and Above
Board to Soldiers and Citizens.

Saloons Selling Liquor Open and Above
Board to Soldiers and Citizens.
Mr.. Neil Dumont ceased to be the legal repre-
sentative Of the District of Columbia in the
matter of Police Court prosecutions some days
ago, and. as has been printed in The STAR sew
eral times, he had to abandon whisky prosecu-
tions because Of orders from his then official
chief, Mr.. Hazelton, who said that the liquor
cases would be prosecuted under another law
That other law was the one recently
embodied in the police regulations which
has been printe d and distributed. No such
prosecutions b ave yet BEEN instituted nor is
there any likelihood that such will be the case
in the near future, for Sergt. Slattery, the act
ing lieutenant of the eighth precinct station,
says that the officers have received no instruc-
tions as to the law since their cases were dis
missed without even a trial, and that they are,
therefore, giving themselves little uneasiness
about the liquor traffic.
The saloons in the one-mile limit are all doing
an open and above-board business said po-
liceman today. The soldiers and citizens,
said he. have no difficulty in getting all the
liquor they want along this end of Brightwood
avenue.
Article 16, section l. of the police regulations
provides THAT no restaurant. bar room, sample
room or tippling house where distilled or fer
mented liquors, wines or cordials sold shall
be kept i'll the District of Columbia without a
Incense therefor first had and obtained in ac-
cordance with the provisions of existing law
and the following regulations. and any person
violating the provision of this section shall. on
conviction. be punished By fine of not less
than 500 nor more than $3.50 for each and
every offense, and in default of payment of
such fine such person shall be committed to
the work house Of the city of Washington, in
said District, for period of not less than three
nor more than eleven month";
The saloons in the one-mile limit are now
conducting business under q decision of the
court in which it wGs held that the tender
Of the license fee operated as license. and in
order to avoid that point section Of the same
article of the regulations was made to read:
That the approval of applications for
license for the sale of distilled or fermented
liquors, wines. or cordials must precede the
opening of places where such liquors are sold"
This is the law which Mr.. Tobriner. counsel
for the liquor men, claims is not effective, for
the reason that the Commissioners, SO he holds,
did not have authority~tO make any such regu-
latior or law. The question. however, cannot
be determined until a case is taken into court
The authority under which these regulations
are made is as follows:
Joint resolution to regulate licenses to pro-
prietors of theatcrs in the city of Washington,
District of Columbia. and for other purposes
Resolved by the Senate and House of Repre-
sentativeso Of the United States Of America in
Congress assembled. That all licenses issued by
the Commissioners of the District Of Columbia
TO proprietors of theaters or other public places
of amusement in the city of Washington, Dis
trict of Columbia. and now in force be and the
same are hereby terminated. unless the per-
sons holding such license shall within ten days
after due notice comply with such regulations
as may be prescribed for the public safety by
the Commissioners Of the District of Colum-
bia.
Sec. 2. That the Commissioners of the Dis
trict of Columbia are hereby authorized and
empowered to make and enforce all such rea-
sonahle and usual police regulations in addi-
January 26, 1887, they may deem necessary
for the protection of lives, limbs. health, COM
fort and quiet of all persons and the protec-
ton of ali property within the District of Co.
lumba.
Approved February 26, 1892.