News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1896-05-14
EUGENE sEELEY.
The Van Ness Head Waiter Takes the
stand.

The Van Ness Head Waiter Takes the
stand.
| Eugene Seeley, who said that he he had
been head waiter at the Van Ness house since
July 81, 1893, was the next witness. His ex-
animation proceeded thus -
Q. During the time that you have been
employed at the Van Ness house has any in
tOXicating liquor been kept for sale or sold
In the Van Ness house TO your knowledge?
A. No, sir
Q. Has intoxicating liquor of any kind
been served in the dining room during the
| time that you have been there? A. Yes, sir.
q. Tell their honOrs whether you have in
any instance procured Intoxicating LIQUOR of
any kind for the guests of the house in the
dining room, and if so, the circumstances
and method of sdoing it, A. Well, there
has been cases where | had calls from the
guests for different kinds of liquor. | ring
the bell or send my boy that was working in
the dining room.
Q. What has been the general conyersa-
ton with the guest who has called, asked if
| intoxicating liquor could be had? A. |
| always told them that the house didn't sell
anything, but if it would be an accommoda-
ton to them | would procure boy If they
would give me the money, and send out for
it.
@. Do you mean that you told them this
last every time they have asked for it.?
A. Yes.
Q: Every time guest has asked for it?
A. Yes, sir.
O. Understand the question--every time
that guest has asked il he could get lntoXi-
eating liquor have you told him that you
could get bell boy and send out? A. No,
sir, as rule, | told them the house didn't
sell anything and that would settle it. usually.
Q. What generally has been asked for?
A. Claret, sometimes beer
Q. How many times since the first few
weeks, | will say, of your being there, have
you sent out for lager beer or ale for the
guests of the Van Ness house, in the way you
have mentioned? A. | couldn't give the
number of times. You asked how many
times?
Q, Yes, if you could tell how many times
you have taken the money of guest and sent
out for lager beer since the first few weeks
that you were therey A. Not at all after the
first seven or eight weeks.
q. Lager beer or ale was my question? A.
Yes.
Q. Please give careful attention to the ques-
tons, Seeley, and we will get along more
rapidly. During the first few weeks-first
seven or eight weeks-did you occasionally
send out for lager beer or ale? A. Yes.
Q. And can you tell about how many times
you have taken the money of guests and sent
out for them for claret or any other form of
wine during the time you have been there?
A. 1t don't seem to me that ! had served
more than 20 or 80 people of my own accord
since the first few weeks | was there-say
eight weeks.
Q. What do you mean by your Gown ac-
cordF' A. Why, when they asked me, and /
took the money and sent out. | have served
a good deal Of wine there that has been
brought in by the guests.
Q. was asking about the number of times
that you sent outlook the guests money
and sent out for claret or any other form of
wine? A. don't think more than % or 80
times-I don't think more than that.
e. And now, just what did yOumean w hen
you used the expression, when you served it
of your town accordY Tell the times when
you didn't serve it of your Gown aceord'' as
you sayS A. When guests would bring il in
and would serve it for them guest would
bring in bottle and | would pull the cork
and serve it TO him, which was very frequent.
O. You speak of their doing that with
wine, did they ever do that with lager or ale?
A. Yes. sir.
Q. During the timc-and In connection
win this, before bringing In the wine, did
the guests ask whether it would be served
them if they brought it in themselvesY A. As
rule, they did.
W. naNe you knOWn OF guests VINO were
stopping at the hotel for some little time
having a quantity of wine or lager, large or
small? A. have, yes.
q. You might name a few who have done
this? A. G. NJ. FOote of New York, DR.,
Witthaus, DR.. King, DIR. WOodard DR..
Phelps, DR.. Hammond, and with one or two
exceptions all the New York professors.
z don't know whether you mentioned
Or. Moore or notY A. didn't know DR..
Moore.
@. (Dr. Moore wasn't here, that is SOL
When you have taken the money from the
guests or whenever You have sent out at the
request OF guest for any Intoxicating
liquor of any kind, state whether or not you
have explained to them that you would have
to send outside of the hotely A. | always
did.
Q. And state whether you always got the
money In advance when you sent outY A.
always did.
q. State whether or not you ever went to
the Office to ask them to send out or to make
any entry on the book In connection with
sending out in this way? A. No, sir.
q. To return to the first few weeks when
you were there. Did you send out few
times for lager beer for guests during this
few weeksY A. did.
Q. In the same way that you sent out for
clal ct or wine subsequently, A. Yes.
, g. That is by getting money in advance
and sending boy out? A. Yes, sir.
Q. How many times do you think you sent
out during those few weeksS A. | couldn't
tell you.
Q. A few times or many times2 A. Not |
many. but don't know where to draw the
line; should not say "many."
Q. Can you give us some idea about the !
number of times? A. don't think could |
q. Did you send out for wine or claret or
other wines during those few weeksl A. |
Yes, sir.
@. What was it that caused You to stop |
bringing In ale and lager beerY A. didu't |
bring It in.
q. You say that after the first seven or |
eight weeks you did not bring In any, A. |
No, sir.
@. Have you ever seen any whlskey served |
In The dining roomY A. Never, with but two |
Q, Name those exceptions? A. Col. lie |
Grand b. Cannon, and have just forgotten |
his name nOw--I will tell you in moment |
lBy Gov. Woodbury.: "Holt") --IIenry Holt |
from New York.
@. Where was this whiskey procuredY |
A. They brought It In themselves.
Q. And did they wait upon themselves? |
A. Yes, sir, they did.
q. Did you ever during the time that you |
have been there see any whiskey brought In |
and served on the table In glasses, brought |
In In glasses and served on the tablet A. No, |
sir.
q. Or any Intoxicating liquor brought In
The room In glasses, on n server or otherwise, |
and served on the tableY A. No.
q. During the time you have been there,
has the house owned or had any wine glasses
Or whiskey glasses or any glasses except the