Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-11-28


Last Sunday was another dry one in
Wilmington. Every saloon in the city
was watched by the police as on the
Sunday previous, and there were only
two or three places where any evidence
was obtained. 1t is thought that some
who are known to have been violating
the law were cognizant of the fact that
they were being watched and closed
up tight.
Sunday week Chief Dolan issued
an order to the mon to the effect that
they were to quietly watch all of the
saloons and report their findings to
headquarters.F Several violators were
found and record was made at head
quarters. The same order was issued
Sunday, and again two or three
places were found to be violating the
law. The men have heen working up
the evidence against these places and
as soon as the police have the "dead
wood on them they will be prosecuted.
When the order was issued sac
officers were instructed to work in such
manner as not to throw out any sus-
picon, and it is thought they carried
out the instructions to the letter. Not
only were the patrolmen on guard, but
the officers captains and sergeait6-
also had their eyes open. The officers
were watching the saloons and also the
patrolmen, and as far as can be learned
the officers and men all worked faith
fully and no favor was shown.
Not only were the men instructed to
watch carefully, but they were given to
understand by the chief that each
would be held responsible for any vio-
lations in his district that were not re-
ported. None OF the men are known &c
have been called TO account for deTelic-
| tion of duty, and it is thought the
| chief has all the yiolators under his
thumb.
| The plan was not exactly the same as
what was carried out in New York.
| There was not man detailed for every
| door of saloon, but each patrolman
was instructed to watch one or two
places, and in this way they did not
cast so much suspicion. No officer was
noticed standing still for any length of
| time, but each one of the men had
saloon under his eye most of the time,
and he was not SO very far away that
he could not see if persons went in or
out.
This order is not new thing. Orders
| have been issued before to the effect
that tho men were TO watch the saloons,
| and every Sunday the dealers-that is,
suspected ones-have been under sur
veillance. Several times arrests have
| been made. but in most cases convic-
| tion was not secured as the officers were
lacking of direct evidence. Now, how
ever, the police department has the
co cooperation of the liquor dealers asso-
Citations in this city. the officers of
| which have stated to the Board of Police
Commissioners that they will render all
the help they can. With the help of
the association it is thought that the
suspected parties can he brought to ac-
count with little difficulty.
The evidence that is now in the pos
session of the chief will be carefully
taken care of until such time as il is
deemed expedient to proceed, and it is
thought that conviction can be secured
in most cases. The associations are as
anxious to have the violators prose-
cuted as the police department, as it is
these violators who are worrying the
members Of the association, who live
up to the law.
A reporter of Tho Gazette, who
was cognizant OF what was going on
Sunday, saw u number of men who
are in the habit of freQuenting saloons
| going from ono place TO anotnef WIN
out success, and from the personal OBJ
servations of the reporter it is thought
thai about every saloon in the city
with possibly one or two exceptions
was closed Sunday evening. II any were
open, the business was worked in such
a manner as not to throw out the
slightest suspicion. The result was
that drunken mon were few and far be-
tween and those who managed to be.
come intoxicated are supposed to have
procured their liquor either on Satur-
day or from walking speak eaaies. -