New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-25
LIQUOR VAR IN LAKEWOOD.
A LIVELY FIGHT IN THE FASHIONABLE
WINTER RESORT.
ONE MAN FINALLY GETS LICENSE. BUT cANNo
GET POSSESSION OF THE PROPERTY WHICH
HE HAD RENTED-sEvERAL ARRESTS


HE HAD RENTED-sEvERAL ARRESTS
ON CRIMINAL CHARGES.
Iakewood Dec "a CspeciaD.-Ths resort. the win
ter home OF many people OF wealth ana iasn'o".
Is In the throes OF liquor war. with the ouus "'
present slightly in favor OF the opponents Oh sa
looms In order that the situation may De iui'y
understood It should be said that the power Oh
granting or refusing a license in Lakewood Is apso-
lutely vested in the County Court. when coh'e"e'
at Toms River, the county seat ten mics iio'''
here three times a year. In April. Sep'eh'oe 60
December This court is composed OF ple''''e
tudce-Judge Van Sickle at present filling that po-
s,ion and three lay Judges, c. w. OTIS Ephrain
Emson and Charles b. Mathis. The latter three ar
appointed by the Governor. partisan reasons uSu"''
governing and majority OF the court Is necessary
for n permit or refusal. The names OF t"eNe
freeholders are however, necessary on the appica-
ton for license. Permission TO sell liquor IN Lake
wood is at present granted the three large hotels
although the druggists possess licenses winch
enable them to sell by the quart only and these
have always been deemed ample for the heeus VI
the village -,
Eugene Fay of Long Branch. who is the principal
figure in the fight was. however. OF diHeren'
oninion and at the April term OF court ne maue
application for license to maintain saloon mere
This was denied. In the summer ne ior"eu d
combination with 3. +. Sinclair. a noted 1allh
curer and spirituast. who owns cottage Ill
MadlSOn-dVe.
finest residence part OF the village. Sinclair agreed
to rent his cottage to Fay II the latter snouid
succeed in procuring a license Sinclair pron.'Seu
to obtain the twelve necessary signatures. Ihese
proceedings were conducted with great secrecy. and
the application was presented at the oepte"oei
term but was again unsuccessful
RESORT TO STRATEGY
Fay then tried another PLAN The law provides
that when a license has been refused man AT one
the MT
again till a year from that time. Fay enlisted the
aid of his son-in-law, Joseph Corbett, an ehipioye
of the New-Jersey Southern Railroad at Atlantic
Highlands. Judge Van Sickle bitterly opposed the
application for license in Corbetts name, put MS
associates were of a different opinion and Corbeu
received the desired permit to maintain an III"
or tavern in Sinclars cottage.
Mrs. Annie W. Smith. colored woman VINO had
a lease of the Sinclair cottage for period OF three
years. presented the next obstacle The real owner
of the cottage Mrs. Hannah Nj. Sinclair MIS-
Smith, however. fell behind in her rent but oppo-
nents of the liquor license raised the money for ner
and she rendered it to F. NJ. Marston. Mrs SIN
clairs agent. After giving various excuses Mars RS
place rGa as agent Then the money was handed
Sinclair but he also refused saying he was not h.i MS
wife's agent: Mrs. Sinclair was reported as oeihs
i'll and unable to transact any business. ouoa
while this sn s0s efd fs ey Sc to sN us h
lease but they were met with persistent refusal
Mrs Smiths wealthy psshbGr 6anS her up de en-
TO $500 but the result was the same.
ONE WAY OF GETTING HOUSE.
Last Saturday afternoon a neatly dressed lady
called on Mrs Smith, represented herself as dress
maker and engaged four rooms depositing ga on
account Of rent for them. and received a receipt
for the amount After she had departed Mrs. Smith
scented danger and told her story to Or. ]. H.
Plat, one OF the opposition leaders. Dr. Plat
warned her 10 admit no 10 the house under any
pretence and engaged Charles Grain. one or the
village cons,ables. to keep watch over the prem
Uses. on Monday morning Reuben Cook. a carpen-
ter whom Fay had previously hired to remodel the
house. made his appearance and Informed Mrs.
Smith that he had been engaged by the dress-
for her business. Mrs. Smith refused to admit him,
and he sat down the stoop to await developments
About o'clock the dressmaker arrived on the
scene, and after a short session with the occupants
kept Cook company on the stoop. Mrs smith nav;
ing offered 10 retu;n the money, which she declined
to accept About 1890 o'clock up walked Sinclair
and demanded admission This being refused, he
announced his intention OF entering by force
dlatey sent for and had just entered the COTTAGE
when Sinclair broke into rear door and rushed up
stairs Closely pursued by Mrs Smith, woman OF
hercuean proportions, and her son. Mrs. Smith
grabbed Sinclair. and in the tussle both rolled
downstairs. Sinclair at arrested on the
charge OF breaking and entering, taken before Jus
next Grand Jury Cook became abusive, refused to
leave and was arrested and bound over 10 keep tho
peace. Fay becoming his bondsman. The dress
maker decided to accent her money and avoid trout
her son taken into custody for assault ard battery,
and they bound over TO appear at the same
time as Sinclair. Court Will convene on Thursday.
and some interesting developments anticipated.
Lakewood is excited. This morning Fay's ennis
saries increased the offer of their chief to $500 Il
Mrs. Smith would give up her lease.