The evening world., 1895-07-29
EXCISE SCARE
::r, DYING OUT.
Drinks 0btainable in Many
Places Yesterday De-
spite the Police.
CIVILIANS ACT As SPIES.
City Vigilance League Men
Watch Side Doors, but
for Little Good.
RUSH DURING THE MAGIC HOUR.
Between IL and O'Clock This
Morning Thousands Flscked to
the Opened Saloons.
RUSH DURING THE MAGIC HOUR.

Although the police made strenuous
efforts to vigorously enforce the Sunday
Closing law yesterday. the records this
morning show that there were many
cheering little oases in the general
matter Of dryness which prevailed.
Saloon-keepers are apparently recov-
ering somewhat from the panic which
Commissioner Roosevet's anti-Sunday
lquor-selling campaign at first created.
and although they carried on their
traffic with the utmost caution. there
were more suspcous-looking places
along the more frequented streets and
avenues both uptown and downtown
than on Sunday a week ago.
Then the screens were opened and
the curtains pulled up In almost all
the popular drinking places 30 that
passers by could readily sec that no
business was being done inside; but yes
terday 1t was different. AS general
rule the shutters were tightly closed.
and the spaces over the doors and
windows covered with thick curtains.
and altogether an air of secrecy and
mystery prevaded the locality.
The side doors were watched with a
vigilance that has never been eaualled
by the police. both In uniform and In
citizens dress. In addition to this the
town was patrolled from end to end by
the members of the City Vigilance
League, yet there were scores OF places
where liquor was sold. and well-known
patrons OF these places were able In
most cases to secure their usual Sun
day supply of liquor refreshment. al
though they may have been put TO
some trouble and inconvenience In do
ing so.
That tho law was being evaded 10
shown by the fact that the number OF
excise arrests made yesterday by the
police was 12l. as compared with l03 for
the previous Sunday. although this may
also Indicate that the police were more
active In the enforcement OF the law
than before.
Hotels and restaurants did n rushing
business all day long. and patrons who
were willing to pay for eatables had
no difficulty In getting what they wanted
to drink. The sandwich and cracker and
cheese sales were enormous. and al
though the police and tho Vigilance
League spies occasionally interfered with
this method of doing business. II worked
as a general rule as successfully as 1t
has IN the past
At some of the hotels. however. sand
wichcs did not go and the patron who
wanted his ale or beer or a cocktail was
compelled to order u hearty meal before
he could be served.
An attempt was made to interfere with
the clubs. and Acting Capt. Steinkamp.
Of the East Fifty-seventh street station.
sent out a detail of men to visit those
in his district. They took in the Arion,
Lederkranz, Democratic. Seventh Regi-
ment Veteran and other clubs In the
precinct Not being recognized as mem
bers they did not succeed In gaining ad-
mission, except In one instance, where
Special Officer Fraser got as far as the
buffet ana had ordered cocktail. when
he was spotted and summarily elected.
As usual, Brooklyn, Jersey City, Long
Island City and Hoboken offered a con-
venient haven for thirsty masses. as the
crowded ferryboats all day long bore
witness. while there was tremendous
exodus of Gothamites to all the pleasure
resorts in the vicinity, along the Sound
and at the seaside. where beer flowed
freely.
A number OF saloon-keepers about the
city threw their front doors open at
midnight and continued to sell liQuor
until o'clock.
Only one arrest for violation of the !
o'clock rule was reported. This was In
the case of Hugh DAILY. who keeps q
saloon at a2S First avenue.
At los O'Clock this morning Patrolman
NJ. j. Mclaughlin, OF the East Twenty
second street police station. entered the
saloon and Daily served him with a
glass OF whiskey. After the patrolman
had paid for the whiskey he made DAILY
q prisoner and took him to the station
house.
Alderman Charles Murphy, who owns
galoons at Twenty-third street and First
avenue. Twenty-third street and Second
avenue and another at Nineteenth street
and First avenue, opened all his places
PROMPTLY At midnight. He did rush
Ing business and was not molcsted
From O'clock Sunday morning up to
midnight last night policemen stood
guard at the doors Of his saloons They
were taken off at midnight
Acting Chef ConNn does not believe
that liquor was ob;a!naDle IN many
places yesterday.
1T was the dryest Sunday, so far as
the sale OF spir!tuous liquors. is con-
cerned. that New York ever expert
enced," said he.
THE City was a yer!table oasis. The
great majority OF saloons were not only
closed as tsht as Il clam, but the pro-
prietorS or managers pulled up the cur
tans. exposing the Interior OF the sa-
looms. so that any one passing might see
that no business was being done
II was out myself nearly all day, and
there were few places that | saw that
were doing business. OF course there
were number of saloon Keepers who
took the chance of keeping open, as
the returns show, but there were few
of them who were not arrested
II am satisfied that the policemen d,d
all they could TO enforce Inc law, an /
am very much pleased with the manner
In which they did their du,y."
On the east side there w(re scores of
places where the saloon \doors were
locked and the bar expossdA Ostensibly
there was no business beinA done. but
u reality and as the police \on guarI
s ..c .-.N