Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-08-20
ROOSEVELT on THE powEny.
lie Sees for Himseif How the Excise
Law In Enforced.
CNew York Tribune. leih)

Commissioner Roosevelt yesterday maze
a personal tour OF the city TO see 'hat
the excise law.wa being enforced pro-
nerly. A week ago Mr. Roosevelt dele
gated this work to Commissioner An
drews and Mr.. Abbott. Of the Guy 'iB'
lance League. Last Monday many per
sons said that the law had not beeh en-
forced as rigidly as 1t had been upon pr
yious Sundays. Commissioner Koose'e"
vigorously denied this. but evidently ne
was put on his mettle by these assertions
and yesterday he decided TO see ior MIN
self
1t was about 2 o'clock in the afternoon
when the President OF the Board or 20
lice Commissioners was found ea'lhs
meal I'm Bowery restaurant. lie was
accompanied by friend ana by Actins-
Roundsman 1ierney his special oicer'
Commissioner Roosevelt said ne dec'ueu
that he would depend on hearsay evidence
no longer. and that he would go OUT anu
see just how efficient the police force was
and If II was enforcing the law riSluIy'
lie said that he had been traVeilihs
around the city since 10 o'clock. and that
his sole idea was 10 see how the excise
law was being enforced. lie expected TO
keep II up all the afternoon. and, per-
hans. part OF the evening. CorInis-
sioner Roosevelt was unusually reticent
when asked about where he had beeh'
where he was going and his experiences
through the day. His reply 10 all ques-
tons was. simply:
Il will tell you all about II to-mor-
row."
Everywhere Commissioner Roosevelt
found the excise law enforced with I'M
l..
dryest Sunday since the present crusade
was begun Perhaps Recorder COT ac-
ton In excise cases had something to 90
with the determination Of the saloon men
TO keep their doors closed They did NOT
care to run the risk Of being brought up
i'm the Court OF Special Sessions or III
General Sessions. Therefore doors were
tightly barred. and saloons that had never
In the memory OF their patrons pee"
closed. were tightly bolted yesterday.
one odd incident was noted IN the Ten
derloin district. There ia Il saloon on one
Of the prominent corners OF Broadway
which has defied the law ever since II mas
been in force. The Tribune explained He
system as worked by the proprietor or
this saloon last Monday morning. 1t was
briefly this \ storm door leads 10 sec
ond door runner" would meet patrons
coming down the street. and II they were
known 10 him he would pass them inside
the storm door once inside this inclosed
space he would lock the outer door %
prevent an interruption. Then he would
unlock the inner door and the patron
would pass along Il long hallway into a
rear room, where he could get all he
wanted to drink. All the time this saloon
looked innocent. with blinds rolled away
UP and the bar deserted.
From midnight saturday night until the
electric lights twinkled IN the midnight
hour last night a policeman stood at this
door necligently leaning against the door
lamb. He said nothing, but looked wise.
All day those who had been welcome be-
fore came up Only 70 turn away in disgust.
The hotels and restaurants have observed
the law with great faithfulness during
Commissioner Rooseyelts crusade, ana
Yesterday there was no variation from the
set rule. Drinks We're served with meals
or i'm rooms. but the bars were deserted.
The cafes and lsather-rooms had no wal
ters on hand ana no drinks We're TO De-
had.
At one Of the big uptown hotels, where
call-boys are summoned by an electric
bell, some Of the guests got an idea
that the house was on fire during the
day. An irritable clerk was on duty.
He rang the bell and no boy responded
answer. Then he started a fuslllade Of
rings. Guests came running to know
what was the matter. Finally n hall
boy. weighted down with a heavy tray
on which were used glasses and bottles
came down the hall. The clerk asked
where all the call-boys were. The boy
answered.
"All busy serving drinks In rooms"
one conceded legal right Of the saloon
Keepers was to open their places and dis
pense ice-water ana soft drinks. such as
saltwater, sarsaparilla, and lemonade.
Saloonkeepers did not take advantage Of
this concession to any extent. steve"
Brodie did a big business in this line at
his saloon on the Bowery, near Grand
street
About o'clock in the afternoon Il we'll
dressed man. with cleaning teeth, and
wearing eyeglasses. entered the place.
Fall in line mister, an take yer turn
wild De rest" said one Of Brodie's
helpers
The man took his place at the end Of
the long line, slowly moving up 10 the
can OF buttermllk. As each one got 10 the
can he dipped the one glass in it and
drank, and handed the glass to the next
ore
Soy. Swipes. who's the mug wild De
blinkers? He's like de dude bloke from
de Tende'loin wot had his gold timer
pinched.' whispered one of the free
drinkers 10 his companion.
Nav. OATS jay from Chicago doin
de Bowery. OATS a real diamond in de
bloke's shirt"
1t finally came 10 the turn Of the man
with the glasses to dip up his glass Of
buttermilk. He took the glass used by
the others, and, without any sign Of re-
pugnance, raised the buttermilk and
drank 1t with apparent gCsto. lie was
going ont. when Steve" Brodie stepped
up and said
lido. Mr.. ROOSEVELT"
Up 10 1879 O'Clock last night there were
sixty arrests for violation of the excise
law. In no precinct did the number of
arrests reach ten. The West Forty
ssventh-Street Station reached the top
notch with nine.