The Portland daily press., 1895-09-16
The Clubs Forced to Close their Bars
Yesterday.
DID NOT:..PROPOsE TO TAKE ANY
CHANCES.
The saloons Were Kept Well Closed and
New Yorkers Suffered Spasms of

New York, September 15.-It was the
general verdict today Ethat this was as
dry a SundayyassNew York has seen yet.
Great interest centered in todays pro-
oeedings as it was expected the police
would pay especial attention to the clubs
and make test case as toythe rights Of
these institutions to sci liquor Sunday.
In anticipation OF the probable action
of the police commissioners, the great
majority Of the big clubs decided it would
be better for a time at least to accept the
commissioners Interpretation Of the Sun
day law. The board of governors of
many clubs decided the Saturday visit
ing lists should be suspended and no
drink be served to members without
meals.
The Manhattan Athletic Club decided
that no liquor should be sold at all on
Sunday until the present question was
decided Among the clubs that suspended
visiting lists and served drinks only with
meals today..were the Lotos Racquet,
Kniokerbocker, Players, New York Ath-
letic and Calumet.
The doors of the Union Club were kept
tightly closed and reporters could not
gain information as to what action the
governors of the club had taken 1.-THE
question.
On the bulletin board of the Reform
Club, the following notice was posted /:
"Clnb bar will hereafter be closed Sun
days. y
Capt. Pickett OF the Tenderloin pre-
cinct paid attention to the Girder Club
ON 2Sth street, Of which Oliver Sumner
Teal is president.
..Mr. TeaH is very anxious test case
should be made Of the rights Of his
club to sell liquor Sundays to duly cred
tied members. He contends the club Is
merely storehouse for members and
drinks For this purpose a ticket is
punched as high as dollar which rep
resents goods and liquid especially, which
were purchased and stored away in the
club were issued to members. On the
back of the ticket was printed this no.
tice: "This ticket represents the owner
ship of the amount Of supplies indicated
by the punch mark, which supplies are
held in storage by the Girder Club, sub
ber whose name appears on this ticket. /"
Two detectives under Capt. Picketts or :
der, Joined the Girder Club week ago
to get evidence against it, They came
around Saturday night and got tickets.
This afternoon they visited the club,
presented tickets and were served with
drinks Mr.. Teall was present and recog-
nized and spoke to the detectives The
latter made no arrests.
The Marie Anto1nette Club, composed
mainly of workingmen organized as a
drinking club to evade the excise laws,
was visited today by policeman in
citizens clothes who arrested the barten-
der ofsthesclub
Magistrate Cornell is vice-president of
the University Athletic Club. Friday
the house committee sent him mes
sage asking him for advice as to action
on Sunday The magistrate advised that
the bar be closed as he would hold the
club people the same asa saloon keeper
if any liquor was sold. The club mem l..
bers followed his advice. Excise arrests
today amounted to 81 against IS last Sum
day. In % precincts out of 3S not single
excise arrest was made as far as could
be learned tonight.
The Century, Union League, Metropoli-
tan, and Union clubs we're open and
members could get drinks. As far as
saloons were concerned it was very dry.
The greater number of them had bars
exposed SO it could be seen they were
not doing business.