Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1893-05-04
SUNDAY OBSERVANCE.

The sunday Liquor Law-The Action
Taken by Observance Committee
Written statements Made by Various
Prominent Citizens on the Subject
Reports Made ConcerningViOlatfoR
of the Law.
The following resolutions, which had
been adopted at the meeting OF the New
Haven Sunday Observance committee, were
transmitted to the board of police commits |
sioners few weeks ago:
Whereas, It appears by the report of the |
committee of observation of this assoc1a-
ton that violations of the Sunday liquor
law in this city are rapidly increasing;
Now, therefore, this association respect
fully calls the attention of the board of
police commissioners to the foregoing facts
with the request that measures be taken at
once to secure the observance of said Sun
day liquor law in the same efficient manner
which has been in operation in previous
years.
These resolutions were read by the police
commissioners at their meeting held April
1S, and the city clerk was instructed to
send the following communication to the
Sunday observance committee:
"City clerks Office, New Haven, Conn.,,
April 10, 1898.
William Q. Robinson, egg, president of
the New Haven Sunday observance COM
mittee:
Dssr Sir-Your communication concern
ing the observance of the Sunday liquor
law was read at meeting of the board of
police commissioners, held April 1S, 1898,
and placed on file. have been instructed
BY the board to communicate with you
~ nj Grta
tive of the Sunday observance committee
to attend the next meeting Of the board
Ito be held May 2, 1898, at 7:30 p. m and
lay before them such special information
as the committee may have in reference to
the alleged increase in violations of the
Sunday liquor law. Yours respectfully,
City Clerk"
On Tuesday evening q delegation from
the Sunday observance committee appeared
before the police commissioners, in re-
Spouse to this invitation. Among those
E. Day, Prof. William L. Kingsley, Emil
Crisand, ex-Judge R. s. Pickett, Richard
E. Rice, Rev. j. 81. Mason, Prof. E. L.
Curtis, Rev. W. J. Mulch, and Amory E.
Rowland.
Professor William G. Robinson was the
spokesman for the observance committee.
After calling attention to the belief of the
committee thai the Sunday liquor law was
not as rigidly enforced as in previous years
he handed to the commissioners the writ
ten statements of Joseph Porter, Rev. W.
J. Mulch, ex-Judge R. S. Pickett, 8. P.
Thrashar and Emil Crisand, all members
| of the committee, in support of such
claim. These written statements follow:
MR. PoRrER's LETTER
| To the Hon. William G. Robinson. Presl-
| dent IF the Sunduu 0haarvouoa Commit
tee:
| Statement to be presented to the police
commissioners
| I have during the last five years uai
| formly attended meetings on Sunday. at
| about the same hour of the day, to 4 ..
NJ, held at Welcome hall on Oak street.
1 have observed during the last year that
| more intoxicated persons have strsyed into
those meetings than in former yeara, and
| this has been the case more especially dur
ingt he last three months.
| In some recent instances boys have ap-
peared at those meetings in an intoxicated
condition, and I am satisfied by what
have personally observed, that Sunday
drinking has bsen on steady increase for
moro than year. JOSEPH PORTER.
LETTER FROM REV. Mr. MurcH.
To the Hon. William O. Robinson President of
the New Haven Sunday Observance Commit
| tee:
| (For submission to the Board Of Police
| Commissioners.
submit the following facts for the purpose of
showing that the laws forbidding the sale of in
| toxicating liquors on Sunday in New Haven are
| not properly enforced, and that there is
greater laxness in this respect now than in for
| mer years.
| /. I have been resident of New Haven for
ten ears with as good opportunities for seeing
| had for the past few months, but until recently
| have not seen such indications of violation OF
hal T o1ooli h0ra rafar n
| 2. have seen men on the streets under the
| influence of liquor Sunday in greater numbers of
late than formerly. Without ascertaining when
| or where they got it, one may easily that as
| a rule they do not belong to the class who would
take the precaution to buy il and save it during
8. Men have come to my house on Sunday af
ternoon under the influence of liquor soliciting
have told me that where they and their compan
ions had been congragated liquor was being
| brought in from places near by aud freely USED
all day.
| 4. On one occasion have seen a man step tc
| the front door of saloon at midday on Sunday
opened door well filled bottle which he peck
eted and walked off.
ing for a little while leisurely on two Of the less
pleasant streets of the city saw three saloons sc
ing to adjoining 70 oms, and there was q notcea
| bly, large number of men going in and coming
signs of having been drinking. And in one sa
| loon where the screens were closed ovel
Il
cradle number of men moving about within. Al
| side gate to this place there were twelve mel
| by actual count passed in and several came out
1 within the space of three minutes
| g. On another Sunday afternoon while riding
| about town with friend I observed carefully
and counted ffty-seven saloons where. in my
| opinion and that of my friend, the screen Law
was being clearly violated. We saw about hal
as many more saloons where the screens were
open, SO that It Would be possible BY careful
peering in to see part, though in many cases
| fifty seven caseslit would not be possible to Sc,
what was going on inside by one passing tn,
tent'y for that very purpose. II the curtains
| were partly drawn aside there were SO man.
large framed liquor signs and partitions ane
| ghlY obStructed.
| In most of the cases mau might be geel
either leaning against the building, or sitting OF
the curb stone, or stationed near by, who hat
every appearance rot only of being interested il
the place but Of being on guard to dsfrim!net'
| parsonage parley briefly with three men and the1
open the side door and admit them, closing it at
| ter them and remaining at his post. Driving
| along the street at an average pace, there was
however, little opportunity to notice incident.
| like this.
Men were seen going in and coming out Of al
leys and side entrances in numerous instance.
looking places there were frequently a pnmbe1
of men lettering, while In no case where the
screens were open do 1 recall seeing any mer
standing near, either sIngly or In groups
The above facts are sufficient to show thai
| even if there was no liquor being sold openly
| and that everything was guarded somewha,
| carefully, nevertheless there was lively bust
| ness going on in connection with a majority Of
| in some place near by well known to the regular
| patrons Of the place, and that daylight and the
| present official surveillance did not offer any
| serious embarrassment to this form Of the bust
ness (Signed). W. j. MUTcH.
LETTER FROM Ex-JUDGE PICKETT.
To Professor William G. Robinson, President OF
Sunday Observance Committee.
| AS per request, submit the following state
ment to be presented to the board Of police com
| missioners:
have, as judge Of the city court, observed a
| falling of in the number of criminal prosecu-
| lions for violations of the Sunday liquor laws,
compared with such prosecution during the
| same length OF time in previous years.
| The number of such cases presented to the
| court from January 1, 1898, to April l. $685. were
| only about one-quarter in number of those pre-
| sented during the corresponding three months
have personally observed during the three
| months prior to April l. 1s9S that on my usual
| route to and from the College street church on
Sundays through Sylvan avenue, South street,
Davenport avenue, across Park street, up Broad
| and George streets to College street, that more
intoxicated persons were to be seen than during
| a like period for the last seven years.
| During said three months, previous to April l.,
1898, there have been more cases In court OF per-
| sons accused of Sunday intoxication. who testi-
fed under oath that they obtained their drinks
| on Sundays purchasing the same in more places
| in some instances from three places near each
other, than at any corresponding time since the
law requiring such disclosure was passed In 1885,
| During said pariod OF three months previous
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