The age-herald., 1899-05-15
Sold Beer in the Metropolitan
 Restaurant Yesterday, IS THE CLAIM OF POLICE Making a C2 Sweep of
 Eve : ing. FIRST ARFG OF ITS KIND All the Cafes Have Been SeryInq Beverages. MAY PROVE A TEST CASE
All the Cafes Have Been ServInq
 Beverages.
MAY PROVE A TEST CASE
Saloonkeeper Richardson Arrested for Having Blinds in Front of His Place Pulled Down Dur
 ing Closing Hours.

Emil Lesser, proprietor of the Metropol- itan hotel, was arrested yesterday after noon and placed under bond for violating the new Sunday law
 The immediate cause for the arrest was for selling beer, the arresting officer claim ing that this intoxicant was served with meals during the day in the Metropolitan restaurant.
 MT. Lesser was arrested in his place of business Officer Joe Nix walked up te him, saying: Under instructions from the chief I will have to place you unda bond"
 MT. Lesser expressed ignorance of the cause, and asked the officer what it meant. The officer told him what the charge was. but did not name any specific case.
 This is the first arrest of this kind in Birmingham, and probably fh the state. Though not specified in the law. it has aI- hotels had the right to serve beverages, such as beer and wine. with meals when- ever the guests desired it.
 The police claim that under the Bir- mingham law hotels and restaurants come under the same category with saloonkeep- CTS and anyone else who dispenses drinks. They allege that during the day yesterday numbers of bottles of beer were served in the Metropolitan restaurant, and under n- structions from the chief Officer Nix placed MT. Lesser under bond.
 Probably Test Case
 Just what line of defense MT. Lesser will follow is not known; neither is it known whether he admits having served beer in violation of the law It is hoped by many of those interested in the law that he will make a test case out of the arrest and al- low the supreme court to give decision on the legality and constitutionality of the Birmingham ordinance.
 Under the present law a man who has bought beer or whisky on a previous day is liable to arrest when he offers his friend a drink on Sunday provided the friend takes it.
 It is customary with great many men to buy beer in cases and keep it on hand to drink with their meals. but in Birming- ham he must not have friend with him to dinner on Sunday, for every time the friend accepts of his hospitality and drinks a bottle of beer the host is liable to pay fine. In most cities the law is liberally construed and hotel proprietors are allowed to serve drinks to their guests without fear of arrest, and as yet no test case has been made of the matter. In Birmingham, how ever, the police department is making a clean sweep, and anyone who violates the Sunday law in the least Is promptly put under arrest.
 Saloons Again Closed
 The saloons were shut up lock, stock and barrel yesterday. and from the close watch kept by the police it is evident that Chic1 Austin intends enforcing the new law to the letter.
 Two arrests were made during the day, but both are of light nature.
 John Richardson was placed under bond by Officer Brown for having the curtains down okar his window after 12 o'clock Saturday night The law requires that no curtains, blinds or screens shall be placed so that the view will be obstructed from anyone who cares to look in. The saloon must be so arranged that a person on the stret can see plainly the interior of the place. The curtains were down over the window when Officer Brown attempted to look in and Richardson was placed under arrest.
 The new law, in one section, says that If saloon keeper is arrested the second time for selling on Sunday his license shall be forfeited. It will be remembered that MT. Richardson Is now under a bona for keeping his place of business open after 12 o'clock Saturday night week ago, but as the second arrest was only for having his curtains down over the window it is not