Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-08-12
GOTHAM'S DRY SUNDAY
But Few Dealers Take Advantage of
the .Soft Drink" Law.
Steve Brodie Inaugurated
Charitable Scheme.
Did Not Work Smoothly So Far as His Barroom
Is Concerned.

NEW YORK, Aug. 13-The police wece
Just ms vigilant yesterday rs on preceding
Sundays, and fewer saloons opened their
doors to even their Oldest customers. The
excise arrests yesterday were l2l, against
10 last Sunday.
Few liquor dealers took advantage of
the privilege of keeping their places open,
which has lately been decreed to be legal,
provided liquors and beers are not given
away or sold. The most notable instance
In this direction was that of Steve Brodie,
who had no end OF trouble in carrying on
charitable enterprise within the doors of
his saloon on the Bowery, the doors OF
which he threw wide open early in the
morning
1t has been the prastice of Brodie to oc-
casionally give away soft drinks to the
poor In the neighborhood of the Bowery,
and yesterday no decided to dispense but
termilk and lemonade free to whomsoever
might wish to accept his bounty.
To such as desired to do SO, there was n
small contribution box placed on the bar,
announcing on its face that the proceeds
would be given to a certain free ice fund.
AT o'clock in the morning the doors OF
Brodie's place We're swung wide open.
Brodie had provided 240 gallons of cold
buttermilk and 200 gallons Of lemonade.
Brodie himself directed operations, while
two assistants helped him in his work of
charity.
The liquors behind the bar were effect
ually concealed with heavy canvas, which
had been hung over them. The proprietor
invited all to come and partake of his
bounty, at the Same time telling the big
crowd which gathered that they might
make small contribution to the ice fund
II they chose to do so. Quite sum of
money had been collected in this way
when Patrolman Rosenberg made an ap-
pearance and told the charity TO cease its
operations, rs it was in violation of law.
yindicated by the Court.
Brodie said that he was performing
work of charity, and therefore, should not
be arrested. But the policeman lugged
him off to the police station and thence he
was taken to the Tombs police court,
where he was promptly discharged by
Magistrate Cornell, who told him to con-
tinue his good work. The offense with
which Brodie was charged was that of vio-
lating the Sabbath law.
After his discharge from custody, Brodie
went back to his place, and the dispensing
went merrily on. But the good work was
not destined to progress long, for Patrol
man Thorne took Brodie into custody
again for violating the Sabbath law, and
Led him away to the station house amid
the groans Of the large crowd which had
collcooed. At the station house Brodie
y gain protested against interference with
him In his work Of charity.
6a 20 tha oc<Av
"made 100000 from those poor people on
the Bowery, which have kept, and it is
only fair that should give them some
small return for it," The captain declined
to hold him, and Brodie returned to his
charity in triumph.
But disappointment was to come to the
Bowery philanthropist once more and
this time in the person of Acting Inspec-
tor Cortright and five assistants. They
swooped down on the saloon and it's in
mates without warning. One Of the men,
90 Brodie says, went behind the bar, tore
part Of the canvas down, and took drink
from bottle on one Of the shelves
"Yes, it's whisky" the officer said,
after tasting it, Brodie said that the off,
Ger had gotten hold of the brandy instead
of whisky bottle, but it made no differ
Some Arrests.
The police then told everybody 10 get
out, and, according to Brodie, forbade a
boy who was about to drop a penny in the
poor box and threatened him with arrest.
Az one end Of the bar stood an habitue of
the Bowery who had just taken drink
from the buttermilk tank. Cortright or
dered his arrest on the charge Of disorderly
conduct. and he was taken away. The
prisoners name Is Michael j. Hare. At
She same time John Noonan, one of
Brodie's bartenders, was In the rear room
at the saloon, talking with a man AL
though Brodie swears that no liquor
passed between Noonan and the other,
Nocnan was accused by one Of the acting
Inspectors men with having sold a glass
Of whisky, and he was arrested for vio-
lsting the excise law.
Brodie promptly bailed both prisoners
eat. But the fight was too hot, and
Brodie was forced to olose his place early
In the afternoon. He was not. however, to
be deprived Of the pleasure he enjoyed in
giving of his abundance, and he applied
to the Bowery mission. just opposite. Au-
thorities OF the mission accepted their
neighbor's offer, and $50 gallons Of butter
mix anu iemOnaue werc carried across the
street and given to the thirsty under the
missions roof The portion remaining
was dispensed at the evening service.
The prisoners Hare and Noonan. will
be arraigned In the Tombs police court to-
day, and it is likely that the cases may
prove interesting. Sergeant Woodward
OF the Mulberry street station said that
the arrest of Brodle after his discharge
from the court was not justifiable, and
that the prisoner was not held. He would
not comment on the case, in which the
acting inspector and his men had taken
the initiative.
Headed on
LIVERPOOL, Aug. 12.-The police here
arrested on board the Cunard steamer
Etfuria an American woman booked for
New York under the name of Stalev