The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-03-10

License court, yesterday. was enliv-
| ened by a number of fights, principal
| among which was on the appli-
cations opposed by the Penn Ave-
nue. Baptist church. The church
as a body through it's official
| board, filed remonstrances against four
| places in the immediate vicinity of the
church, John c. Weichers wholesale
| house; and the hotels of Frank NJ.
| Amsbry. Christian Gomernger and
| Michael Bannon.
In the interim between filing the re-
monstrances and the hearing of the APP
| plCations the opposition to Gomeringer
| and Bannon was withdrawn, they haV-
| ing given a written guarantee to the
| remonstrants that they would see to 1t
| there would be no further cause for the
grievances set forth in the complaint.
| y most determined effort, however,
| was made against the remaining two
| places which are in the building adjOin-
| ing the church on the north Rev Dr.
| Joseph *. Dixon, the pastor, took the
| stand in both cases and vigorously pro-
| tested that they We're not necessary;
that they We're improperly conducted
and were hurtful to the morals of the
community and the peace and comfort
of the church body.
J. w. Browning and Milton w. Low
ry, members of the congregation, We're
attorneys for the remOnstrants. r. p.
| Hoban and George 5. Horn represent
ed the applicants. Amsbrys case was
| reached first. The church sexton, Fred
| eriCk tellinger, testified that people
went into the place on Sunday and
that lOuG and bOisterOus talk could be
heard within, during the morning when
services We're in progress in the church.
He also testified that frequently men
who had taken a little too much for
their stomach's sake regretted it over
the church yard fence.
PatrOlman Iona b. Day, who is on the
Penn avenue beat this month, testified
that he had heard people talking in
Amsbry's place after II o'clock on Sat
urday nights. He couldn't say that
they We're drinking and on ross-eXam-
ination admitted that he did not know
but that the voices We're those of Mr..
AmsbrY and his employees.
DIR. DIXON TESTIFIES.
Rev. DR.. Dixon was next called and
was asked by counsel to testify as to
the necessity of the hotel. Judge
Archibald said that court did not care
to hear any evidence as to the neCeS-
sity of the place, but would listen only
to testimony bearing on the character
of the house and its effect on the neigh
borhoOd. Dr. Dixon thereupOn stated
that in his opinion the saloon situated
and conducted as it was, was detri-
mental to every interest of the congre-
cation. Sunday school boys stopped
and studied lewd pictures displayed in
the saloon windows on frequent occas-
ions; loud and bosterous talk was a
common occurrence there; people pass
ing to and from the church We're com
PEELED to listen to vile language uttered
by lOaferS who COngregate in front of
the place and on one occasion a lady
member of the choir was pursued by a
man who came out of Amsbrys place
and followed her even into the church
yard
on cross examination, in answer to
Mr.. Horns questions, he admitted that
he was opposed on general principles
to the liquor traffic The lewd pictures
= displayed in AmsbrX's window might
be, he said, show literature such as
' could be found In many other windows
= about the city. He did not make a
: study of show pictures and only looked
al the ones in Amsbrys place because
5 his attention had been attracted tC
! them when he went to urge his Sunday
school boys to go away from in front
of the place. The pictures We're those
| of women more or less nude. He Coult
not answer inteligently Mr. Horns
I question as to whether or not they were
a pictures of women in ordinary bale
- costume, he said, because he never saw
n an ordinary ballet costume or any Othe
v kind of ballet costume.
q County Detective Leyshon hearC
complaints of gambling being carried
ON at Amsbry's, but an investigation
failed TO substantiate them. Mrs w
b. Duggan, agent of the Board of AS
sUciated Charities, heard complaint
about the character of the place. Sin
was not allowed to testify to these
n however. She told however. that sh
d knew there We're drinking rooms up
n stairs. Harry McCracken, IS years o
If age, testified that he and four or fiv
other boys had played cards in tn
e place on several occasions, Sundays in
= cuded, but without the knowledge o
e consent of the proprietor or the bar
e tender. They had not been served wit
a drinks.
DEFENSE OF AMSBRY.
- Tn 6pfarSn of his character and th