New-York tribune., 1896-12-05
DIR. PARKHURSTON TIE LAM
WRITES TO MIR. RAINEs CrIT!C!s!NC HIS
MEASURE.

THE LATTER EXERCISED OTER THE PROPOSED
PrEIcATIoN or THE I.ETTER-vUAT
TIE WITNESSES HAD To sAy-THE
NEXT SESSION IN BUFFALO.
The committee that is investigating the alleged
violations of the Ranes law finished a present
session In this city yesterday The commit will
hold ~ mex, session in Buffalo after which T. will
probably return - New-Iork. II T. the
opinion OF the Senators composing the committee
HAT in this city he foura all evidence hearing
upon every side OF the question. The scefon OF
yesterday devoted partially to examining Wit
n sses "a to what In their opinion constituted the
main defects of tho rainos law. and In whnt way
II mlsAt be amended. Nothing Of sensational
nature took ia and tho sessiou.v.ns rather dull
on the whole. The Hov. Dr. Parkl,rst vas cx-
pcctcd TO testify In tho afternoon bu, ne was un-
cxpectcdy called out q. town and obliged to re-
mann In 'iassa chisctts He rent letter to Senntor
Raines however. from Springfield. which seemed to
nav" p'rturbcd tho Senator TO considerable OK
rent The latter refuhcd to give the letter FOR
publication. and when be learned that Frank Moss
intended to make 1t public ne told the latter that
II ne 'Mr Moss) savo it 10 reporters. Dr. Pnrkhurst
would DO summoned 20 Albany. The letter is an
'x-parte statement" adacd Senator Haincs. "s.nd
II Ds Pa:hiiursi wants TO testify. he must come
before the committee"
:
III yon make the letter pubic. will summon the
Doctor 20 Al5ary.' added Senator Kancs SHARPLY
Ihats no businesa OF mine" replied Mr Moss
Dr. Parkhurst's letter read, in part. as follows:
Senator Ford. i understand him correctly. tells
H.e you would like 10 know how have been I'm
pressed 10y The workings OF the Present excise
WokmgS nea e N be TnnI N @ IT, the
Ieiimcniing has demonstrated the fact that the
"'-.'od That fact is IN itsclf a sever. critic,sm
and IS symptomative Of tho haste r which It was
creating hotbed growth Of from two 10 three
thousand hotels. 4 considerable percentage OF
deiu-ion and snare. Fake hotclF is. believe
a fresh contributior to thc resources of our lam
distributed through the city. produced niircciiy
easily operates 10 produce contempt for legislation
The liquor traffic In this city might have been
spared al least some OF tho d~bascin, which
1t Is now sun ring, r the law controlling 1t gave
opportunity for IN" necessary discrimination be-
tween applicants for saloon li-enses.
II is moi strange. therefore. that "A good deal OF
III" work our society. working In conjunction with
the police had been able to accomplish in the way
of abaing the disordery house features OF saloons
have been undone. ant that "Kanes hotels
Guy TO re synoaN me Tor continuance Of the gr
We do no, intend say that the prcscn: condition
o; ihc Giiy Is not great deal worse than it would
he II al is other administrative departments
Tho investigations OF our agents have also made
IL pieiJ clear that percentage or these so-called
the Euildinc I"paI imcnt to do IT. entire duty
in the promises. and to construc nationally such
of old building ana their adaptation to hotel uses
am Of rs opinion that there * force that
can 80 QUICKLY communicate momentum TO all tho
the cxisicncc of District -Attorrcvs once thS, -
known 10 have no afiiiation win fh. crirn,aI n,
oi"sses. - ana mat Is knoMn 20 have for IN" 81.
prem" rlfpos" of s Efforts 10 treat criminals a-d
20 make law-bIcakng dsTeputah" and dangerous.
y. IN addition 10 The above. there s any poili
,'ion which you would Ike an expression from mo.
! would be pleased 10 give IL either writing or by
personal appearance before your committee.
Most or IN" witnesses called yesterday paid par
iicular attention 20 the .vaslo.s Of ihc las Lv
means OF fake hotels and clubs. They wer, unani-
NOUS IN regarding th'-" points - thr w'Ah"-f u
inc law. but when IL - pointing oar remedies
they were not able TO MAKE many valuable suggcs-
Tho first witness called Yesterday morning was
General Emmons CarH. secretary of the Ical'h
i'o1tH Inc Ef'1icr rhii 81 ms testimony referred
to The powers o. the Health Board with reference
10 notc, General rl'rh s?id That thc Beard had
Ioprry sniea apd yen,l"ed lie addcd M IN
about 5,0o Inspections many oi ihcm beag In
Raincs law hotels. Some Of tn cas"s were In
Hogan. In some Instances. he sail. these
paints were not born out hy the inspection. but
called rooms being liue bette than stalls and SIT
uai.d in tn" rear ~ barrooms
brooklyn. sand that IN his district there had been
decrease in arrests FOR drunkenness since the
kaines law went INTO effect. lie produced figures
Morris Tckulsly formerly prcsden, OF the Liquor
one the whole. but that II needed amendment to
provide for tho punishmcn; o, PERSONS who mis-
represented facts In applying for certificates The
witness agreed with Senator Kdnes that there
were many places within ten miles OF the city Han
where liquor illegally sold He suggested
that saloons be allowed 10 open or Sunday from
O'Clock 10 10 O'Clock p m senator FolSy snssestcd
initted enact thoi" own liquOr laws T. would be
an admirable" thing. ana the witness promptly
agreed with h!m. Magistrate wentworth was also
H. Dirby Johnson was the first witness of the
l.. ,l.. Iy.f. L.,
a valuable statute. but that Il contained some
errors that ought to be amended He would not
arrest man who had a license The liccnse guar
anteed his appearance upon summons. Tie thought
thcrc was no value In the preliminary inqnry noT
circumocutiOn TO bring II man to trial He thought
the Court Of Special Sessions should try the
II useless TO attempt TO define the wo'd meal"
strictly the word guest lie thought the pub. I'M
prepared for all closing on sunady Mr Johnson
though, that now ,he ka9eI Ia" T, was not rGaed
Sessions. that they looked upon the law as i'm
practical In many excise cases the Assistant Dis
Attorney acted prosecuting officer and
sci for the defence. He had heard also one AS
sisant District-Attorncy say that the law had no
moral element and did not command the respect OF
Robert Graham secretary OF the Episcopal
church Temperance Society. thought the present
law innnly ly superior to lts predecessor. bu Of
the opinion that further regulations were ne 'ded to
ca ted taxing all clubs Frank Morse. lawyer and
trustee OF the Society for the Prevention OF crime:
a lso approved The tendency OF the Raines Law hut
thought that il ought 10 be amended Now. nc
said there was nothing 10 prevent saloons from In
yading residential districts. lie thought each cleo
ion district ought 10 have local option. He also
said that he kncw OF Rancs law hotels that had re-
ceived certificates which had not complied win the
building laws. The small numbc" of cOnN lotions
under the present law vas ph"noincnal and lndi-
Cotnd that there was a combiacd effort among Office
bolders to drscrcd.; tho law. IT his opinion
thnt there wa. a. much drinking, aa formerly. bur
thaf II was done in fewer places Senator Foley
agreed with him.
c,,nrrintcndont bennett of Dr. Parkhursts So
cttr testified that the fake hotels had been largely
/ rnsponrblc for increasing the number of street
uaiI.rs He r,ent ion.d among these places the
hotel AT No - Stanton ~. ana IN" old Sh"ihonrn"
Hotel now the ocean House. AZ No. 70 Eowery The
itcv 4 Cameron. pastor OF the Calvary Baptist
cburch of Drooklyn. and president of the Law En-
,orrcmcnt League OF that city. also gave testimony
along the same lines - IT, ,,, 49,.
,ruc investigating committee will probably not
,cein slftinc at Buffalo until next Wednesday.