Evening star., 1894-03-27
THE LADIES TAINTED
Mrs. Spencer's Lively Attack on Hummer
& Ross.
Big Suit for Libel VIII Probabiy ,
FoIlow-lnnOvatiOns in Liquor
Hearings.

Never since the establishment of the Dis
trict government has there been such a
! fight waged against liquor license as the
one row before the Commissioners irvolv-
ing the licensing Of the saloon Kept by
Hummer & Ross, 800 1th street northwest.
Whatever the result may be there will
surely follow suits at law for large dam
ages. The talk about the case has been
llVely. The hearing finally commenced yes
! terday afternoon, as stated in The Star.
MT l.. Z. Williamson, representing the cp-
position, opened the case. He was followed
by Mr.. G. Maurice Smith, whose presenta-
ton of the case was clear and concise.
Ihe hearing, however, was not concluded
until this afternoon. Promptly at IL o'clock
lne interested parties appeared before the
excise board, bit the rules passed yesterday
excluding everybody save the attorneys
was again enforced. Mr. Smith concluded
ms argument. and was followed by Mr..
simon Wolf, who made an eloquent appeal
for the license.
Mrs. Spencer Argues.
Mrs. Sara A. Spencer appeared as her
own counsel in behalf of the Spencerian
BUSINESS College. Mrs. Spencer was at
tired in black, and her sparkling eyes told
palmer than words that she was in earnest.
Future developments bore out this con-
cluslon, for she went at the applicants
hammer and tongs. and threw consterna-
uon INTO the enemy's CAMP She began her
argument by stating that she had engaged
no attorney to defend the college in this
case as she thought herself competent, hav-
j ing taught law for thirty years
J Sne read section of the new license law,
Which reads that no license shall be granted
10 any person to sell liquor within 400 feet
OF scnool house by the shortest course of
! traVel by actual measurement, she said,
/ the entrance to her school was 295 feet Ii
was maintained by the applicants that
! their place had been established long prior
/ 10 the location of the college at this point
i ne coilese moved TO its present location in
december, 1856. In June 1889 she said the
! Ross saloon was taken down to its founda-
ton and rebuilt. the family meanwhile
moving elsewhere and going out of bust
ness. When they returned the place was
clearly a new one and newly established
She held that the Commissioners were the
peculiar and special guardian OF the schools.
and that they should protect them as they
would their own homes when any danger
was lurking near.
is there any consideration n, aartb
gentlemen, even though IL be the entire ap-
preparation bill of the District of Columbia
or new municipal building. that would
tempt you to license a dangerous and i'm
moral house In the daily pathway of your
sons and daughters? You would sooner
| license the smallpox"
Continuing. Mrs. Spencer said the attor-
ney Tor the applicants had contended thar
the opposition had not furnished a single
specific date, nor name nor fact in their
affidavit concerning the character of the
house. She inquired
Her Charges.
rs this a properly constituted tribunal to
try this case? Has it power TO summon wit
nesses and compel them to testify? II so
We are bristling with facts, names dates
and localities. If this is a properly cons,i-
tuted tribunal and we can summon whom
! 1,,l.@ IL
hesitate to go into such details as will sat
fsfy the court having Jurisdiction. II not,
must ask our professional brethren to re-
frain from any further challenge in this
direction. But the law does not require
that we shall furnish names and dates.
Section covered the situation. In that IL
was provided that license should not be
granted TO any person keeping a place
where idle, noisy, disorderly or suspicious
characters congregate.
A Lively Scene.
Mrs Spencer was severe I'm her discourse,
and assailed the character of the ladies con-
nected with the saloon in a vigorous man.
ner. The ladies were within hearing and
one of them tainted when she heard her
character blackened. Mr.. Williamson closed
the case. By this time the ladies were fully
recovered and a personal encounter would
certainly have followed had It not been for
the attorneys. Mrs. Spencer was requested
TO leave the building, but she promptly re-
I fused and took her stand in the hall and
waited for the enemy to pass. The big po-
liceman at the door was called upstairs, but
one of the ladies tainted again, and Mrs.
Spencer departed with the words of Mr.
Wolf ringing in her ears:
You will have a chance to prove every
thing You have stated. We propose to sac
you for $4,000 damages for defamation Of
character"
That is exactly what i want. We have
the facts and only want a chance to prove
them, replied Mrs. Spencer, defantiy.
The Commissioners then took the case
under consideration.