The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-08-23
GRIMES, DORNEY. GIBSON AND
THE LICENSE BOARD.

L
| According to the advertisement OF the
board Of license commissioners, Ed
ward J. Grimes. whose saloon is at
$40 North Main street. makes applica-
ton to have his license transferred to
Thomas ]. Dorney. ex-secretary TO
Mayor McGuinness. in order that Dor
ney may open a saloon at 211 Atwelrs
avenue. which location Is within 125
feet OF the Atwel's avenue primary
school.
According to the directory. Edward j.
Grimes. the supposititious owner Of the
saloon at s25 North Main street, is in
reality a clerk In the office OF Thomas
Grimes & Bro. wholesale liquors, 115
and III Pine street.
According to. the directory. too. the
proprietor OF the saloon at s25 North
Main street Is one Patrick S. Gibson.
Whether Gibson owns the license or has
retired from business. or whether
Crimes owns both Gibson and the IL
cense, we are not prepared to say. At
any rate. Gibson does not figure In the
proposed transaction, which Is just as
well for Gibson.
This, however. is not matter of
great Importance, except as indicating
the convolutions of the liquor business
The main point is that Gibson or
Grimes or somebody is ready to go out
of business at S25 North Main street,
and that the license that lies some-
where between them is sought by Dor
ney to give him the right to sell liquor
within the school house limit of long
established precedent.
Perhaps Dorney owns both Gibson
and Grimes, end lacks only the possess
sion of the license to make his owner
ship OF some value. This possession
the license board is asked to grant. We
have heard that Dorney has expressed
confidence that he owns the license
board, or at least majority of 1t. The
license board is composed Of j. l..
Sprague. chairman; r. A. Smith, Sec
retary; George III. Burnham, ]. M.
Studley and Charles III. Mathewson.
There Is reason to believe that Dorney
doesn't own either Secretary Smith or
Mr.. Burnham. His claim to ownership
of Mr.. sprague, Mr.. studley and Mr..
Mathewson. majority sufficient to Sc
cure to him the license, IL probably
based on harmony OF political con-
viction. Whether 1t means more than
that. there is no way OF telling. If any
Of these three commissioners are
pledged to Dorney. 1t must be Mr..
recently elected to the
board. Mr.. Mathewson is an efficient
employe of the Journal. and perhaps he
owes his election In part to Dorney's
efforts. At all events.
Dorney steered the Journals great
ioo-G Goo campaign which resulted in
he election of Mayor McGuinness. The
Journal thus owes Dorney something.
Ind perhaps Mr.. Mathewson, as Jour
,al employee, feels 1t incumbent upon |
,Im to do his mite toward repaying |
he obligation. For Mr.. Mathewson's |
ake It Is to be hoped no such re-
possibility rests upon him. But, at
my rate. Dorney would not be barking
round town that he is sure to get that
Icense. school house or no school house.
rom the present license board unless
e felt that he had reason for his con-
dence. such scandal as would be
eveloped in the license board. If Dor
ey gets his license, would. however.
e OF small public interest by contrast
D the monstrous scandal Of permitting
saloon to flourish In the shadow Of
ublic school.