New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-29
RAINES SOCIAL CLURS~
COLLECTOR KELLEY SAYS ALL MUST Paw
THE GOVERNMENT TAX.

HOW THEsE CLUBS ARE ORGANIZED. oFFIcEprn
AND CONDUCTED AND SOME AMUSING Ex-
PERIENcEs ~ CONNECTION WITH THEN
The lately organized social clubs have taken
the hint thrown out by Collector Kelley and I,
Is more than likely that most OF them will re-.
spond 10 the call for the S2J tax without In
necessary delay Deputy Collector Mckinney
has prepared letter. in which he sets forth
the regulations ~ the Government and thu
penalties attached for Noncompliance A copy
OF this letter has been forwarded 10 the officer,
of all the clubs known. and IL they do not r..
spond within a reasonable time the United
States Dlstrict-Attorney will be authorized =,
prosecute them so far quite a number Of sa
loon men. ostensibly officers Of the so-calst
clubs. have called the Federal Building and
paid their tax.
Several interesting questions have come IN
between the Collectors Office and representa-
tives OF the clubs since the subject was frs,
brought up. Yesterday a saloonkeeper called
and told Mr.. Mckinney that ne was recently
elected steward OF the Club" which Is located
upon his premises. He stated that he has a
license for his own business and that he pur-
chased the privilege OF furnishing liquors 70 tho
organization o. wh,h he is an officer He
wanted TO know IL he. officer would
be compelled TO take Jnt additional license
The Deputy Collector after thinking the matter
over awhile. decided that individual sa.
loonkeeper and a. a., officer Of the club he was
two distinct persons. In other words the club
had nothing to do with his own liquor tax and
as he sold liquors to the club he would therefore
be compelled to take out Government license
He paid his tax reluctantly.
II was amusing to notice the little predica.
ments which some of the alleged officers ~ these
fake" clubs got themselves into According 10
law each club must be provided with set Of
officers But strangely enough when the ques-
ton was put to some Of them to who their
officers are few could tell one man did not
know that mis- club had treasurer
Who takes the money!" asked Mr.. McKin.
ney.
II do" was the reply.
We'll. then" said the de- outy. Il guess you
must he the treasurer
That's right" said the man; I believe
must be-"
In further conversation this man was unable
to tell the name OF the president or q any o.
Ncer OF the club he represented As a matter
Of fact few of the clubs have any officers. They
are formed by the cronies or the hangers-on Of
the different saloons The proprietor SAYS.
"Sav fellers Wen form club and Ill sell
YOU drinks on SUNDAYS
And the fellows reply: All right, old man.
we're with you"
The first important measure Is 20 se,e. CO.,
name This is generally Of a picturesque tltle,
eucb as .The Night Owls" The Fly by NiEnts
or The Mosquito Club" Then the pIopreto.
opens A convenient room IN ms buluiHs, p-.'
IN a few chairs and a table and the job Is COM
plete There are no articles or in,orpoi a.i"n,
bylaws or any nonsense Of that KihH' mp
lust form and drink and the man VINO l'lnnS
himself under the table first on SUNDAYS Is gen
ELL bo vfin the privilege 81 lfrf
drinks on the following Sabbath day. ms -
a peculiar feature OF the Raines s"c'at C'1 -.
II is only when such active peoplr d. ,,,i,cr
eminent officers. with restless J. b0u'";
Tullv go on the warpath that poarH % ~
ficers is thought Of Then the proprietor "a -, ~,
saloon says: Look, you fellers l III "a ~, az
500 >" And they all see al once ana py a.
cIamation the president generally assumes IN,
office of president. treasurer stewart a.
waiter OF course the clubs do exist, ana WI.
Uncle Sans deputies get after th'h' $500 ~, az
conect tho So5 tax the United states Treasury
will be enriched by Just 80 much- ,.I,,,,ov
The letter which Deputy Collector Mckinney
has sent out reads as follows
To officers ana members OF I so-,1o, squ .ubdiyi.
sion 4 which provides that every person, cor
poration or organization who sells or oneFs 10. "'
nv foreign or domestic distilled spirits, VIII vl
n air Hauors II less quantities than five gallons a
the same time shall be regarded as a re'a,' o
IN liouors' Also Section 3,2i2A, which ltoFipf.
,hat ANY person or organization who snail carr'
on the business OF retail liquor dealer %i'n1uf a.
ing PAID Spec'dl IAN do
every such offence. be fired not less than So. ho'
more than $500 and imprisoned iot less INA
thirty days nor more than two years a..
Shoulj YOU come within these provisions OF ue
statute Won are herebv notified ara tel'lI'u 10 T
dsr fiiil return verified by oath or aihrmau oh on
the inclosed form of your liability 10 sis'ai ,rS
q retail liquor dealer, and forward Su'h Ie'u'
required hy law 20 me at my Once foslou,t
building Brooklyn Neglect or rei.ral 10 '' NM
with such notice will subject ln' on..sS ,o,,,deI
organizatiOn % compulsory proceedings pioSp,i
bv Sections 3l73-75 and 70 the provisions oi TIC
statute stated above. .,, 1, .,,--.s "a
Violation OF the above statute VIII he reiertep ~
the United States District-Attorney Tor piosecu'
ton unless attended to at once. - l.,,.-
' JOHN e. KELLEY. Collector