The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-11-30
The RAINES COHMIT7BB
Social Clubs" and Fake Hotels
Discussed . Prominent
Officials to Testify.

NEW YORK, Nov 80, 1896. The multi
tude of persons involved in the workings
of the Excise law, familiarly known as the
Raines law, will soon be better informed
concerning its operation. The present
condition of the liquor law and its en-
forcement will be looked into by the
Senate Committee appointed to investi-
gate the subject. The committee began
their sessions this morning In the cham
bers of the Department of Excise in
the Metropolitan Building.
Legislative bodies of inquiry are con-
ventionally slow in getting to work This
committee proved to be no exception It
was long past the hour appointed, ten
o'clock when the Senators met to start
their labors. and considerable time was
employed in the preliminary organization.
Senator Raines. the chairman of the
committee has announced that he win
thoroughly lock into the administration
and execution OF the Excise law, and he
reiterated that statement this morning.
The other members of the body are Sena-
tors Frank w. Higgins of Chautauqua,
Samuel j. Foley and John Ford Of New
York and Meyer Nussbaum of Albany.
Little about their plans could be learned
from them beyond that which has already
been published.
1t seemed from the stray remarks of
the committeeman that special attention
VIII De paid to what they called social
clubs and fake hotels The ostensibie
formation upon which to base needed
amendments to the law Senator RaireS
said that the law mad exceeded une most
sangufne expectations, but naturally a
ed correction
The Chairman will also endeavor to get
evidence in support of his assertion that
there are 1000 liquor selling. places yiolat-
ing the law in this city, which brought
forth so much criticism and comment
Many witnesses Will be summoned before
the committee, among them Excise Com
missioner George Hilliard, Police Cornm1s-
sioners Roosevelt, Parker. Grant and An
crews and Chief cf Police Coniin.
II is expected that there win be lively
times when Mr.. Roosevelt gets on the
stand, since the Commissioner and Sena-
tor Raines have had snappy debates at
long range over the liquor law, and now
they VIII nave an opportunity to indulge
IN a verbal boxing ma tch face to face.
1t is not likely that the revenue feature
OF the Raines law will be DISTURBED as
one OF the results o. the investigation.
this year will be about so, ,70e 900.
That part is considered very satisfac-
tory The committee has full power to
Sohuucl All inquiry into the operation OF
the Liquor law, and it was announced
this morning that the probing will be
long and exhaustive proceeding.
one OF the things that the commit
tee VIII investigate is the fact that out
of about 100 cases of violations of the
law reported to the District Attorney,
and out of 500 or 900 tried in court only
seventeen convictions have been had ii
the law is defective In this respect, Sem
ator Raines says, an amendment will he
framed TO remedy it. Before that win
be done, however, somebody from the
District Attorneys office win be subpoe-
naed before the committee to explain the
reasons for the failure to secure convic-
tions.
Magistrate Wentworth win be required
to give his reasons for imposing only a
cases, the brewers may be questioned
about alleged adulterations in beer, and
prominent critics OF the law may be hailed
before the committee to explain the
grounds for their aspersions. All these
things have the committee promised to
do. Possibly other points viii suggest
themselves during the course of the in
quiry.
All of the members of the committee
finally put in an appearance except Sem
ator Higgins. who has promised to be
in attendance tomorrow.
After consultation with the other
announced that they would begin taking
testimony tomorrow. He said that Com
missioner Roosevelt, Chief Conlin and DR..
Parkhurst would be subpoenead for to-
morrow, and that 1t would be sort of a
field day, in which the whole ground of
the enforcement and operation of the law
in this city would be covered.