The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-02-19
WITH A SHARP STICK
Tough Neil and DlSFeputable Pete Are
Being PTOdded
THEY MUST QUIT IN BUTTE
Tired of the Robberies and Brutal
Assaults Committed In the Palace
Dive the Authorities VIII Re-
yoke the License.

BUTTE. Feb 1s.-The license committee
of the city council got after the thieving
| East Park beer halls tonight in a manner
| that will meet with the hearty approval
of all respectable citizens. After the
Wholesale conviction of beer hall proprIe-
tors in the district court sometime a 90 the
keepers of disreputable joints made a
slight change in their dens of robbery and
immortality which, while unimportant
and immaterial, were sufficient to evade
the strict letter of the law and since that
time they have continued to run along in
open violation of the law, of order and of
decency.
Secure in tho knowledge that the law,
under strict construction, could not
reach them, they became as bold as ever,
and robberies Of late have been as fire.
qucnt and as daring as they ever were.
Knockout drops and powders have been
freely used, and many an innocent vic
tim, who looked as though he had more
than dollar, was drugged and robbed
Complaints have been very numerous re-
Gently, and they resulted in an adoption
at the last council meeting OF n resolu-
ton, introduced by Alderman Byrne, re-
ferring the ''recent beer hall robbcres
and thuggeries 70 the license commit
tee."
The committee met tonight with WV
ion, Knowlton and Carder, all of the MEM
bers, present.
Chief Leyden was called upon and told
OF the recent robbery at the Palace, in
which $50 was stolen from John O'Hara
by Lulu Allen. She passed the money to
Belle Clark who, afterW ards turned IL
over TO Chief Leyden and told him the
story of how the trick was turned. The
chief stated that the proprictors of the
place. the notorious Pete Hanson and
Neil McGinnls. told the woman who had
the money to duck as the police were
after her. They refused to give the Ollie
ers any assistance in ferreting out the
robbery, as is the case in every such in
stance.
vivIon stated that there could be no
doubt that the beer hall proprIetors stand
in with all the robberies, and the other
members of tho committee were of the
same opinion.
Knowlton said that the beer halls are n
disgraceiul evil, not on account of the
robberies alone, but also on account of
the class of human vultures who are sup
ported by the women. lie classed them
as the lowest and meanest beings that are
on the earth, and he said that they re-
quired constant watching by the police.
Ii was quickly agreed that the commit
tee should recommend that the license of
the Palace be Immediately revoked as a
result OF the last robbery perpetrated
there.
Carder believed that the licenses of all
saloons where women are employed or al
lowed to congregate, should be revoked.
and hnowlton was particularly i'm favor
of revoking the licenses of the Clipper
Shades and Spread Eagle concert halls,
two dives that are equally as touch as the
Palace, and run by equally dsreputable
men. These propositions occasioned con-
siderable discussion.
While the members of the committee
all expressed themselves as being in favor
OF revoking the licenses of every beer hall
in the city where female walters were en-
ployed they thought that perhaps it might
be wise to 60 little slow in the matter
and not get too much of n moral streak
all at once. There was some doubt in the |
minds of the aldermen as to whether they |
could show that the beer jerlIers receive a
commission on all drinks sold, although |
they were satisfied themselves that such |
Is the case. They also thought that the |
revocation of the Palace license would |
have wholesome effect on the other beer |
hall men.
In the event of any other robberies be- |
ing reported it was decided to recommend |
that the license of the beer hall, of which |
is made, be immediately re- |
voked. Attention was also called TO the |
fact that numerous complaints have been |
made of the unearthly racket that is kept |
up at the Clipper Shades all night.
After some further discussion 1t was de- |
rlded TO submit report recommending /
that the license of the Palace beer hall be |
revoked, that the city treasurer be in
structed not to issue another license to
either Pete Hanson or Neil McGinnis. the
and that all applications for
saloon licenses be referred TO the license
kuowton expressed tho opinion that
he report would be amended by the coun-
I'll SO as to include the revocation of the
licenses of the Clipper Shades and Spread
Eagle. All of the members of the COM
nittee stated that they would vote for
such an amendment.
Under the present condition of things
he beer halls can only be reached through
he license committee and the council,
md these bodies evidently propose TO see
hat the wishes of decent and respectable
people are complied with.