Evening star., 1896-11-14
LfCEN ED IN HASTE
Anti Saloon League Sends a Protest to E1-
else Board
It's Allegations Against the Business
Mems Cuban Application Push-
ed Through Quickly.

Mr.. Jas. L. Ewin the president, and Mr.
Jesse c. Suter, the secretary of the Anti
Saloon League, have sent to the excise
beard. in the name of the executive COM
mittee of the league. a formal protest
against the recent action of the board in
licensing the Business Mems Club to sell
liquor the club premises. 9th street near
G.. The protest says:
1T is with regret on our part that this,
our first comment on the treatment of the
newly filed applications for licenses to sell
intoxicating liCSeors, is an open protest on
behalf of the law and order loving people
of this community. The delicate and diff
cult task of administering the excise law
is intrusted to you as discreet persons,
which, according to Webster, justifes the
community in expecting that you would
be prudent, sagaeious, judicious, not rash
or needless, cautious &c. If the action of
which we complain was not rash or heed
less we know of no less offensive terms
by which to characterize it. Moreover. you
are each solemnly sworn to diligently,
faithfully and impartially perform all and
singular the duties imposed upon you and
to perform all the duties of the excise
board according to law (Act of IA Aug,
81, secs. and 15.)
THAT the action of which we complain
was neither faithful nor impartial is, we
think, well known to you. That it was not
according to law is equally clear, as we
shall briefly set forth for the benefit of
those who are not SO familiar with the
terms of the acts of Congress and the rul-
ing judicial decision relating to the licens-
ing of clubs. The first clause of section
of the act of Congress approved March 3,
1923. provides that every person applying
for a license to sell intoxicating liquors in
said District shall file with the said board
a petition for such license, and such peti-
tion shall be considered and acted on by
the board in the order in which such petit
ton is filed and numbered
Granted the Next Day.
THE petition of the Business Mems Club
was filed. as we are informed, on Novem-
Der 2. and numbered 5i3. On November g.
the day following. the application was
granted in advance of the 542 applications
previously filed, and up to our latest ad-
vices no other petition had been acted on
and only three had been subsequently filed
Section Of the same original act con-
templates the filing of 'remonstrances es
against the granting of licenses and re-
quires the board to keep a full record OF
such remonstrances and of their action
thereon; and section ) of the rules and
regulations governing the sale of intoxicat-
ing liquors In the District of Columbia, un-
der acts of Congress authorizing the same,
adopted by the excise board. District of
Columbia, August TO- 1885, provides that
whenever application for bar room or
at new places or for transfer of ownership,
there shall be posted in conspicuous place
on the premises card &c.
NO such notice was given to the public
OF the application above referred to, and no
opportunity was given for the presenta ton
OF remonstrances. 1t Is true that our attor-
ney was informed on November that the
application had been filed, but this was not
the notice to the public contemplated by
the law or the rules. and our attorney then
and there, as we are informed, requested a
hearing against the petition Notwith-
standing this request and not tWithstandjpp
the provisions Of the law and rules. as
above quoted. the applica tion was taken up
the next day, which was elect ction day dur
ing the absence of our attorney from the
District as a voter in Maryland contrary
not only to the letter and spirit of the law
and rules. but also to the courtesy which
has generally been shown by the excise
BOARD to the attorney of the Anti-saloon
League.
The Buenn Yi.t.. Club.
Ihat there existed reasonable objections
to the licensing of any one to sell in
| toxicating liquors at the premises named
| as their club rooms by saiu Business Mems
| Club was well known to you by reason of
the nearing recently granted in the matter
! OF the application OF the Buena Vista Club
| for license at the same place, and the
| previous history of that place, which we
may briefly recount:
The house Is in a neighborhood mainly
| occupied by private residences and a IL
| cense was first granted there in the wear
| closing October 81, 1898, the name of the
| alleged proprietor being the Buena Vista
| Club. Inc place at once became objection
| able to nelghbors because of drunkenness
noise and other fragrant disorder, and the
| attention of the excise board was fire.
! quently called to it by Mr.. p A. Byrne, a
| resident Of the block, and president of the
Father Mathew Total Abstinence Society,
and by other residents and real estate own
,-rC N Mr. Il ol..
resides across the alley from the place
''On the 1st of November. 1855, said
Buena Vista Club applied for renewal of
license Remonstrances against such re-
neWal were presented, and on October 90
1886. after the place had been allowed to
remain open nearly year without Ii
cense. the application was rejected to take
effect October 81. 1896. This action was
taken after a hearing of both sides, at
which it was clearly shown that the actual
proprietor of the place was John Hocke-
meyer; that the place was freQuented by
boys and by Sunday patrons who did not
know where to find 1t and who had to ring
the door bells of neighbors to inquire the
way to their club; and that the nightly
carorsals in the place were so noisy as to
disturb the rest and impair the health of
Mr. Helmuths family.
"Thereupon the applica tion for renewal Of
license was rejected, as before stated. The
excise board, OF course, admits that there
was sufficient cause for such rejection and
| 1t should. We think, have been cautious
and not rash and needless in considering
an application in a different name for a
| license at the same place by reason of it's
own experience and utterances.
In the case of an applicant in George
town the board has been twice or thrice
deceived into granting licenses to a con-
victed and admitted law breaker under
such aliases; ard in its report for the L.
cense year ending October 81, 1885, the
board states that it was informed that
there were a number of clubs then formed
| and the organization of others talked of
whose only purport is that of dispensing
liquors.. and added. The opinion of the
board Is that many Of the so-called clubs
are simply speak-easies.'
THAT the Sunday saloon Of John Hocke-
meyer, alias Buena Vista Club is not i'm
proved morally legally by its new
name was certainly to be suspected at
least, and the usual investigation and con-
| sfderation at least were for this reason due
| the neighbors and the citizens of the Dis
trict.
Grounds for Rejection.
'In addition to the grounds for rejection
above indicated. there is another legal
ground to which attention should be call
ed.
Sec. 16 of the liquor law. as re-enacted
with amendments by the act approved May
II, 1894, provides that license for any Of
the purposes specified in any section Of said
act shall not be granted to any person to
conduct SuCh business within h,,p drod