The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-28
EVERYTHING ISN'T LOVELY
Sunday Closing Movement Causing
Trouble Among Retail Grocers.
Warm Discussion at the Unions Meeting Last
Night-More Arrests through the
Committee of Eight.

The regular meeting of the Retail Gro
GERS Association was held, last night. at
the rooms of the Board of Trade. The
chief question discussed was the Sunday
closing. There were many com plants that
q great many kept their doors open. and
six persons boldly stated that they had done
SO. and would continue SO to do. vote
was taken in face of this disrupting senti-
ment. and the large majority were strongly
In favor not only of closing. but of a vigor-
Gus prosecution of those who keep open. A
great deal of indignation was ex-
pressed at John Shea. whose store IS
on South Missouri street. who stated that
he had kept open, and does not intend to
close. Others said that if he keeps open 1t
is of no use to them who are his neig bors
and to adhere to an agreement between
themselves. The feeling against Shea was
all the stronger because it was said he had
been one who had solicited his neighbors
to CLOSE. and while they main attained faith.
they charge that he made no effort OF any
sort to keep the agreement There was
some complaint that some " no openly favor
closing kept their side and back doors open
last Sunday.
Several motions were attempted to cause
q stricter surveillance upon those who keep
open. but the chairman held that the assO-
cistion, with its committee of eight has all
tho machinery necessary for prosecutions,
aud that oil that had to be done was to re-
port cases Of infraction of the law, with
witnesses and the committee would act
Those prefsrring the charge upon which
conviction would be sought need not be
known in the case. Finally Q motion was
made that all who want to keep open
1t was apparently o test vote. and
resulted in . rouslng majority voting
for closing. The vote for opening was very
small. and was almost all from the south
and southwest part OF the city. Then
there was more discussion, some of the
speakers evidently trying to carry water
on both shoulders under the plea that tho
association, if it should turn to pr0secut-
ing its own members. would be broken MP.
IL W as said that the object of the associa-
ton was to protect it's members from bad
debtors. A closer turned the point OF pro-
lection to good advantage by saying that
while it was true protection was one
of the objects sought fOr, Sunday closing Is
also q protection. and th at the NOV ement is
as much the province OF the association as
any thing else Working on Sunday was
said to be leading dogs life" and the
sentiment met with applause. The debate
400 there are $50 who desire to close. The
status of Sunday closing remains the same
with the probability that q number will
not close next Sunday. 1t was
thought that much depends upon
the outcome or the pending
prosecutions. William Shaffer notified
the association that he would resign his
membership. and would spend $500 trying
To break it up if the closing clause is not
rescinded. He is to begin his operations
to-day. 1t was significant that the great
majority testified that. while they lost
some trade, they did as much business upon
Saturday as they had formerly done
upon Saturday and Sunday. There were
not many who kept closed who felt that
they were losers. but some of these said
they would feel compelled TO open If these
grasping few continued to violate their
apreement.