The morning call., 1892-04-11
HOLMQUIST'S DEN.
The TWELVE.

The History of an Infamous Resort That
Caters to Children.
n. R Holmqulst's dive and dance hall at
ZIG Grant avenue has criminal history that
that Is unique.
To begin at the beginning, Holmqust
opened his resort on regular retail dealers
liquor license, with the consent of the Board
of Police Commissioners, January 10, 1889.
He ran just three quarters, until October 10
of the same year, when the VIGOROUSLY I'M
moral character Of his den gained for il a
prominent place on Sergeant McKenna's
blackjack.
Sergeant McKenna receives the reports of
the police upon the character of all the
licened places where liquor is sold, The
nature of the reports he received about
Holmquisfs place were extremely bad,
Holmquist was charged with keeping a
dance hall, bar and house Of iii repute ali IN
one. He had sort of combination dive,
where all the iDiquities under the sun could
be comprised In q single nights TeYelry
without leaving the building.
That was bad enough. you'll say, but that
was not all.
Homquist was charged with decoying
minors into his establishment.
Terrible! Yes, but it was worse than that
even.
Holmquist was charged with decoying and
young feet in the paths of vice.
And all these charges were proved before
iuries.
One instance in particular is especially
aggravating. 15-year-old schoolgirl of
highly respected parents 10 the city was de-
cOyed into HolmQuists den and kept there
In some way the parents found out where
their daughter was and at once secured the
aid OF the police TO rescue the poor girl.
The police acted with expedition and
he'd YAla fhn- nyhl h,xt d
purpose. The girl was not found. Two
days later friends of the girl found her
there and rescued her. While the police
were searching she had been hidden In
closet.
or course, when even the least of these
black things came to the ears of the Police
Commissioners H0linquist's license was
denied.
Now it was in order for him to secure the
signatures OF II property-owners to a
recommendation enforcing his demand for
license upon the Police Commissioners
But he did no such thing
Why?
Was it because he could not get the II
signatures? Not at all.
All the property in his block is owned by
IL persons.
That Is the reason why Holmqnist Is not
running to-day on what is called property
owners recommendation" 1t is valid
reason, though, and acts like a charm. To-
day Holmquist still runs his resort, but he
dares not sell liquor. so adults do not pat
roDize his place much.
But the police didn't stop at merely
reporting" Holmquist They arrested him
and had him convicted aud fined heavily
as heavily as the law provides. About this
time one Alfred Clarke made the aeQuai1t-
ance OF Holmqust and advised him TO fight
the police. Hoimquist accepted this advice
and started in On long fight. He appealed
from the hne imposed by the Police Court,
and, pending the hearing Of bis case in the
Superior Court he went on selling LIQUOR.
HIS first arrest for selling liquor without a
license was on December IL, 1885, Two
days later he was arrested again on the
same charge. On the first charge he was
convicted and ordered to pay fine of 500
or 90 to Jail for 100 days. After his second
arrest the Superior Court granted writ Of
prohibition against the police, and he was
permitted to sell liquor without license
until the Supreme Court of the State de-
cided against him In july 1890.
:, Slili he kept on selling liquor without a
license upon the advice OF his lawyer Clarke
On August the police arrested him again.
| On each OF the three succeeding DAYS. the
| 9th, 9TH and 9th Of August, he was again
arrested. he secured an appeal on . new
| point, and kept on selling.
The police kept on arresiing.
On the 18th Of August they arrested him
three times. Once on the 18th and once on
the 14th; twice on the 18th, once on the
| 10th, once on the 18th. twice on the 18th,
once on the goth, 21st. 22d Of August re-
| spectively, and once on September. The
last time he stayed In jail few days before
he secured bail.
Then from the 4th OF September till the
iVth OF November, 1890, Holmquist again
illegally sold liquor without molestation.
THIS was the period between the ruling Of
Judge Sawyer that the ordinance was void
and the decision Of the United States Su-
| preme Court averring that the order was
valid and In fun force. The particular case
ID that OF Crowley VS.. Christensen.
When the Supreme Court rendered It's de.
cision Hoimquist threw up the sponge
by Clarke. and sought a settlement of the
cases against him. Upon his promise e
observe the law In the future he wa.
allowed to 60 after paying fines to the ex
tent OF $3.50.
! Now the place runs Without license and
without the retailing Of strong drinks. Blu
its character Is still vicious. Disreputabl,