The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-04-29
HOTELS BARRED OUT.
Lincoln and Bay State Houses Refused
Licenses "For Cause" -Protracted Session
and Axe Falls Hotel Men Talk
Douglass Club Lands All Right
With Their Revised Bylaws.

Guests of the Bay State and Lincoln
House will be obliged to get along
without refreshment of an alcoholic ma
ture for a short time, at least, subse-
quent to May 1.
This was the decision arrived at by
the license commissioners last night,
and to say that the news Of their ac-
ton created a sensation as thousands
of persons gained the intelligence from
The Spy bulletin, would be putting it
very moderately.
1t was the talk of the town, and in
less than quarter of an hour was
noised about streets and was on the
tongue of every passerby.
Employees and proprietors of the re-
spective hostelries were unable to be-
lieve the report at first, and until
visit had been paid The Spy bulletin
board, would not be convinced.
1t was commonly conceded that some
startling developments were liable to
emanate from last nights meeting, but
the result was in excess OF the most
sanguine expectation. The commits
sioners got out the official axe and
swung it with a vengeance, resulting
in the decapitation mentioned above.
When interviewed by The Spy man
the commissioners authorized the fol
lowing statements as their reasons fol
the action:
license commissioners deem it unwise
to renew the license under the existing
conditions"
"The Lincoln House is refused Ii
cense for good and sufficient reasons
satisfactory to the license commission
ers."
The commissioners also authorize the
following statement which may settle
all doubt regarding the trouble be-
tween James Early, secretary OF the
hoard. and Landlord F. w. Trow-
bridge, which might be construed as
reason for the action of the commits
sioners:
1.-THE refusal to grant a license to the
Lincoln House had nothing to do with
the affair for which Mr.. Trowbridge
has offered the commissioners a Wit
ten apology. The commissioners as a
board have never made a formal de-
mand for an apology from Mr.. TroW-
bridge, and will state, in addition,
that action on the Lincoln House IL
cense was practically decided some
time before there was cause for an
apology"
Further than the foregoing state
ments. the commissioners had abso-
lutely nothing to say one way or an
other. When asked If the existing
conditions" might be construed as in
timating that change in management
might cause the commissioners to look
on the application with greater favor.
the commissioners closed their official
mouths as tight as the proverbial oys-
ter, at the same time intimating that
all statements so far as the commas
sioners. are concerned. had been made.
a question as to whether the refusal
to grant the licenses in question
meant that two of the applicants less
unfortunate up to the present time
would have a chance, met with the
same fate. The gentlemen of the COM
mission signified that the interview
was at an end, and any theories that
might or might not have been con-
firmed were doomed to an untlmeiy
end
Other business transacted by the
commissioners included the granting OF
licenses to the Douglass Club, the Wor-
cester Brewing Corporation, Bradley,
Nichols & Co. of the Exchange Hotel:
The excitement which has surrounded
the possible fate of the Douglass Clup
during the past few weeks, dWlndled
into comparative insigni1cance beslde
the more sensational features.
The time for advertising the applca-
tions of the brewing company and the
Exchange Hotel expired yesterday, ana
the representatives of these places
may take out their licenses this fore
noon.
It was thought that last night S
meeting would practically end the mat
ter of granting licenses, but the result
gives rise to a general impression that
one, possibly both Of the hotels, may
file new applications under diIerenl
proprietorship within a few weeks that
will meet with more favorable result.
81 am as much surprised as the pub
lie is. l can hardly realize 1t" These
were the first words of Proprietor F.
W. Trowbridge of the Lincoln House
when he was informed by a Spy man
OF the refusal Of the license commits
sion to grant him a renewal Of his IL
cense. Proprietor Trowbridge was
seen, as he was chatting with a few
boon friends in the lobby Of the hotel
and throughout the evening he re-
ceived calls from many of his intimate
associates, who discussed the action OF
the license board. and he held a levee
for some hours following the action OF
the board
Mr.. Trowbridge repeated his utter
ance OF surprise at the course pursued
BY the license board. He said that he
could not understand it. During his
connection with the hotel the Lincoln
House had never failed 10 secure its
license when the city voted yes.
When asked II he ascribed the refusal
70 the protest from Principal D. w.