The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-14
THEY NESTLE UNDER THE LAW.
SALOON MEN SELL DRINKS TO SOL
DIERS AS GUESTS"

Military Authorizes Detail a Guard
ut Bigler's Restaurant Near the
Market With Orders to Keep Sol
Giers Quilt Is Claimed They Got
Drinks With MeaIs-W. ID. Brown,
CoIored. and II. Manning Also Put
ON Police Docket-saIOOn Men
Claim They Are Protected by
Court Decisions Allowing Sale OF
Drinks to Guests-Mai. Harrison
viii Put Guard at All Places
where 1t lis Necessary.
An unexpected march was stolen on the
police and the provost guard by the sa-
loon keepers yesterday. some of whom dis
posed of round lots of liquor to soldiers
The saloon men run restaurants in con-
nection with their places, and claim they
have the right, under the decisions of the
courts, to serve liquor to their guests.
While three parties were put on the docket
for retailing on Sunday, they claim they
did it under the law. 1t is probable Re-
corder Ravenel will have a nice point Of
law to consider when the cases are called
in the Police Court.
Jacob Bigler. whose place is west of the
city market, on ST. Julian street, was the
first TO go on the docket. The other two
are w. b. Brown, colored, whose place is
on Bryan street, west of the market, and
Patrick Manning. saloon and restaurant
keeper at No. % Bay street, east. All
three run restaurants or hotels" In con-
nection with their places, and as they have
licenses TO serve drinks to guests, they
claim they are not violating the law. The
decision in these cases viii be watched
with interest. not only by the public but
by the civil and military authorities, who
realize they are hapdicapped to some ex-
tent if this state of affairs continues.
Long before many civilians were on the
streets yesterday morning the vicinity of
Bigler's restaurant and saloon was alive
with soldiers. Whether it was believed
they could get what they wanted there
Is not known, but 1t seemed the restau-
rant was the most popular place in town
AT one time II was estimated that there
were i'm the neighborhood of 200 soldiers
around the restaurant, some of whom were
on the inside, while others were waiting
outside to get in. As the soldiers got their
meals" they came out, and others en-
tered. This continued until about 10
o'clock, when the soldiers movements be-
trayed that there was some sort of an
unusual drawing card at the restaurant.
Policeman Mansfield kept an eye on the
place for some time, and finally got on to
the fact, as he believed, that liquor and
beer was being served to soldiers. Ac-
cording to instructions, he notified Chief
McDermott of his suspicion that the law
was being violated. As soon as he learn
ed the suspicious were well founded
Chief McDermott directed the officer 10
notify Bigler to close. There was some
trouble in getting the orders carried out.
however, as Biger claimed he was act
ing on the advice of his attorney, and for
that reason did not think he should close.
1t was but a short time until the mill
tary authorities were notified. A guard
was detailed to the restaurant with or
ders not TO allow soldiers 20 enter it, not
even for the purpose of getting meals. The
guard remained on the outside some time,
allowing none of the soldiers to enter but
after Bigler's attorney, Mr.. Walter c.
Hartridge, had a conference with Mai.
Russell B. Harrison, provost marshal, sol-
diers were permitted 10 enter 10 get meals,
but there was a guard inside to see that
liquors were not served. The guard re-
manned during the balance of the day
Bigler was docketed for selling liquors
on Sunday, however, the contention of the
authorities being that he has violated the
law. IL is claimed the restaurant, or no
tell scheme is merely a ruse to evade the
law, and that where II is reasonable to be-
lieve bar and restaurant are run jointly
for the purpose of selling drinks, the spirit
of the decision as to hotels does not APP
ply.
When seen at his place shortly after the
matter was patched up Mr. Biger said he
thought he had been improperly treated.
and felt confident he would have no
trouble in showing the law was on his
side.
Il am running a bona fide restaurant
and lodging house." he said. above the
bar are a large number of rooms fitted
out for the accommodation of guests l
have been serving beer and liquor to these
guests to-day. Among them were soldiers,
who come here for their meals, and as
they were being served. called for the
drinks, which were given only to those
at the tables. My charge for a meal is 10
cents, but the guest paid additional for
the drinks served at the table. The drinks
were a part Of. the meal"
Speaking of one Place, a soldier stated
all he had TO do was to plank down his
money, which ii was understood entitled
him TO a meal and a bottle of whisky. If
he desired to drink at the table. he could
do so, otherwise there was no difficulty in
carrying it away with him.
The other restaurant men were docketed
on the strength of evidence furnished by
the soldiers, but it is not understood
guards were detailed at their places When
requested to discontinue selling to sol
diers, they did IL without any effort 20
resist the authorities The decision of the
Recorder will be a test case, or rather il
will be the initial step to further litigation.
Even though the saloon men win in their
fight, they win not have gained much. Mai.
Harrison was seen at the police, station
last night, and when asked what he would
do in the event soldiers were enabled 10 get
liquor Sundays at restaurants, he stated
he would place a guard al every place
with orders to keep the soldiers out. He
has no fear about the saloon men coming
out in their tight as the soldiers can be
restricted from places where il is known
they are going for the purpose of getting
liquor.
Chief McDermott is anxious to see the
result of the cases on the docket. His
idea is that If every restaurant is allowed
h.