The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-08-29
THE MADRONA SALOON
City Council Dismisses the
Charges Against 1t.
TECHNICAL EVIDENCE ABSENT.
Nobody Could Identify Any OF the FIRE.
Than Honorable Gentlemen.

The hearing Of the charges against the
Madrona saloon, on South Second street,
near Washington, of being the resort OF
bunko men, gamblers and card sharpers,
occupied all afternoon and best part of the
evening session of the city council yester-
day. The end was that the council took
the view that they were not proved. and
rejected the petition for revocation Of
license. This is in the face of the fact that
every one knows the place to be just
what Chief Jackson reported IT. President
Kioeber occupied the chair and flfteen
members were present. Corporation
Counsel Donworth conducted the case for
the city, and the defendants, Ries d Law
renee. were represented by Junius Roches-
ter and A. ID. Warner As it was the
first case under the charter the liquor in
terest was deeply concerned and formed
q large part of the audience.
Junius Rochester. on behalf Of Ries d
Lawrence, interposed objection to the jur-
isdietion of the council, and also that suf-
fcient cause vas not shown for lawful
revocation of the license
Corporation Counsel Donw ORTIZ cited au-
thorities to show that disorderly house
did not necessarily mean q place where
there was noise. Any place TO which
persons promiscuously resort FOR prac-
tices inimicai to pnhiic morality was
disorderly house. If the facts stated in
the complaint were true, there was suffi-
cient to constitute il disorder,y place.
The demurrer was accordingly over
ruled, and Adam Dudley Warner filed an
answer on behalf of Peter Res and w. K.
Lawrence, denying that their saloon was a
disorderly house or the resort of disorderly
persons.
Delegate Carlisle said if the city council
is the prosecution he should object to the
use of the term that it was 'wiiful and
malicious"
Mr.. Donworth said the chief of police
was the prosecuting officer in this case.
Detective Cudihee was placed on the
stand. and, replying to Mr.. Donworth,
said Re knew the place and had seen bunco
steerers in the Madrona saloon off and on
all the summer. He had there seen Car
ter, Ross, Sweeney. Lyon and others who
played short card tricks. He had often
seen them with Ries' sou.
Mr.. Rochester objected. A father, he
said, could not be held accountable for the
sins of the son. Under the divine law the
son was held account table for the sins Of
the father, even to the third or perhaps
the fourth generation.
A rather tedious examination of the wit
ness as to the reputation of the Madrona
saloon led to eros discrimination by Attor-
ney Warner, whose questions were framed
with view to showing that bunco steer
ers frequented the entire neighborhood of
the saloon, and that it wss not more of q
resort for them than other saloons were.
In REORGANIZATION Cudihee said the
bunco men usually travelled in bodies of
three and four; they travel between Ia
coma and Seattle, spending week or so
in each. When in Seattle they could usu-
ally be found in the Madrona saloon.
Detective Roberts testified to having
seen Sweeney. Myers. Hart and others in
the Madrona. Mr.. Rochester objected to
the witness giving his opinion as to the
reputation of the house, but President
Kioeber said the council desired to get out
all the facts and he should therefore over
rule the objection. He was willing to risk
admitting testimony TO which technical
objection might properly be made.
The evidence, however. went to show
the character given to the house by the
police without showing that any bunco
games were worked there. Roberts had
often seen Matt Ries in the saloon.
Officer Slater was examined but as he
had never discussed the character of the
saloon, except among the police. his testi-
mony as to its general reputation was not
admitted. He replied TO Mr.. Warner in
closs-examinaiion that he had never ar
rested any disorderly persons IN the
saloon. Mr.. Rochester asked If he had
ever seen any gambling in the saloon. TO
which Mr.. Donworth replied that they
didn't pretend that gambling was carried
on before detectives.
Lieut. Osborn testified that the saloon
was frequented by men who had the repu-
tation OF being bunco steerers. He had
made list for his own reference. Law
renee aud Matt Ries had gone on the
bonds of men arrested. The purport of
his evidence was that he believed the
place to be a resort for card sharpers. but
he did not know of il as matter of fact
Chief Jackson testified as to the reputa-
ton Of the house. In reply to Mr.. War
ner be said many of the frequenters OF the
place had been arrested as disorderiy per-
sons. He had ordered them to leave town.
tie believed there were very few Of them
here now. lie believed that the men en-
gagged in recen. confidence trick and
who had skipped their bail were fire.
qaenters OF the saloon SO many COM
plants had come to him about the house
that he thought it his duty TO call the
councils attention to it. de admitted
that complaints had been made of other
saloons, bat he had gone after them and
they had been more careful He admitted
also that no charges had been made in the
police court. but City Attorney Fortson
had prepared the petition 70 the council
and be had signed 1t.
This closed the case for the prosecution
and the convention adjourned until even
ing.
At the evening session the defense put