The Washington times., 1895-04-06
NO WARRANTS YET ISSUED
MIR. Thomas Sustains Mr.. Pugh
in Refusing TO Grant Them.
LAWYER SHOEAAKER'S VIEWS
He Insists That the Excise Board Has Been
Exercising More Discretion than the Law
Allows-No Instructions Given Him So
Far to Institute Mandamus Proceedings,
but These May Be Resorted To Hereafter.

Warrants have not been issued in the
eleven cases of saloon keepers charged
by the Anti-saloon League with selling
liquors without a license, nor has the league
instituted nlandamus proceedings to com
pei the assistant attorney for the District
to tissue them, so far.
Mr. Albert E. Shoemaker. attorney for the
league, called on Attorney for the District
Thomas yesterday morning and presented
his construction of the license laws re-
ferring to the cases in question to him. Mr..
Thomas then appointed 2 p'clock yesterday
afternoon for a consultation with Mr.. Shoe
maker and Assistant Attorney for the Dis
trict Pugh Mr.. Roger Williams, a clerk
of the excise board. was also present
After some discussion, Mr. Thomas sus-
tanned Mr.. Pugh's action in refusing to
issue the Informatiops. Mr.. Shoemaker,
it is sunderstood, imputed 10 the two District
officials, d desire to keep the cases from
being tried, knowing that the proceedings
OF the excise board were irregular and that
a trial would result in conviction.
EXTENSION MERELY A RUSE.
Mr.. Shoemaker stated last night that in
many cases the excise board have rejected
applications for license, and after issuing
the forty -eight-hour closing notice, as re-
quired by law, have granted an extension
of time, ostensibly for the purpose of sell
ing out the stock, for definite or indefinite
periods. These cases, he said, had ap
paTently been finally and absolutely rejected
by the board. and there was no intention on
the part OF the board to reconsider their
action.
The saloon keepers were merely given
the extension of time 10 sell out their stock,
after pleading that it would be great
hardship and injustice to compel them to
close GU at once and in such cases they were
simply selling liquors by pei Emission OF the
board and are without q license as required
by law These dealers are buying fresh
stock right along, Just as they always did,
and the plea for the extension of time is
merely ruse.
Another class of cases VIII ich Mr..
Thomas seems 10 think we can make more
out of than those already referred to, are
those whose appliea tions have been rejected,
to take effect at some future date" said
Mr.. Shoemaker. 'sFor instance, an appli-
cation is rejected on the first of March, to
take effect on tile 31st of April.
CAN EXTEND INDEFINITELY
''If the board can legally extend the time
for a month or two months, there is appar
tHiiy lptliihE W pitNtIJ tlcitf lIOtn
ing an extension until October 31st, 1895,
thus allowing the dealers TO sell liquors
an entire year without license.
Section II of tue excise laws OF the
District says that all applicants who have
had a license during the previous year shall
apply for renewal of such license on or
before the first day Of November of each
license year, and shall be permitted TO con-
tinue business until such license shall be
granted or refused by the Excise Board.
And yet,' continued Mr. Shoema ker
'in spite of that clause these men have
been allowed to go on selling liquors after
the rejection of their license, under an ex
tension Of time granted by the Board.
I'VE Think said Mr.. Shoemaker, that
the Excise Board has been exercising more
discretion than the law Allows
Referring to mandamus proceedings, Mr..
Shoemaker said that he had not been in
structed by the League as yet in that re-
gard, but thought il possible that if the
attorneys for the District persist III their
refusal to issue the warrants, they would
go at the matter in that way
q