The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-08-06

That section of Prince George county, Nd,
| which borders on the District OF Columbia,
! and is contiguous to East Deanwood, the
| terminal of the Columbia line of the Wash
| ington Traction and Electric Company has
become Mecca for the toughest clement
| o. Washington. Resorts, VIGOROUSLY evil,
! have been installed for the benefit of this
class. where is provided every character
of amusement which appeals TO the deprav-
| ed tastes of the patrons.
| The laws of the State seem to have been
| suspended. inadvertently it may be. or by
| Z system of subsidy as mas been sug-
| gested
At the resorts in question alcoholic bev
eraEes have been sold openIy TO minors
/ and the Sunday restrictions have been
evaded by the most transparent methods.
Resorts which on week days are open to
all visitors who are at Hbert.. to I.Tahase
whatever the bar affords in the ay of
intoxicants on the seventh day masquer
ade as clubhouses. to which only members
holding-tickets. or their guests, are sup
posed to be admitted.
The disguise so poorly conceals the char
-AStNi " thSSN IOstu HOUSES lilGl lIcl6 dIb
Few who are SO disposed but are able TO
penetrate the veil and under the character
OF friends of the members the general pub
lie or that portion of it which supports
places OF this calibre. are enabled TO drink
itself into state of intoxication without
difficulty On Sunday as upon any other day
Of the week.
On week days high carnival reigns every
evening. Dancing which simulate the
Bacchanals observed in the pagan Diony-
sian mysteries. is the feature Of these
night festivals. Girls, whose ages rar &c
from uitra-juveniiity to uncertainty
swing to the wild teTpsichoTean meas ire,
! embodied in the embrace Of men of the
coarsest type. Tables ranged beside the
dance paviIions afford convenient resting
places between dai-ces. where spent ener-
gies can be stimulated and exhiIarated by
recourse to the cup that both cheers and
lne5riates- Child or woman Is served
without question.
The cars OF the Columbia line are crowd
ed in the later hours of the nigat with
the returning throng, and Tibald jest, in
decent poStuTeS. and beStiaI actors make
the cars almost impossible to a respecta-
bic element.
To add 70 The .disreputable character of
this sectire Of Prince George county. there
has recently been completed at Seat Pleas
ant about half a mile from the terminal of
the Columbia line, club house where IT
is proposed 10 hold pugilistic encounters.
The opening of this club house has been
set fer the 18th of the present month
when viii be given, with several minor ifs
tic battles, twenty-five prize fight
which may be interpreted to mean that
the fight will end when one or the ether
Of the contestants is brutality knocked
cut by his opponent
The scheme of opening a club house at
this point and for this purpose. seems to
have been conceived in anticipation of ,ae
repeal in New York State Of the Horton
law. which uD to the present has made
that State pugiiistC paradise The strin>
gent laws which viii succeed the Horton
law in New York viii make it all but i'm
possible to hold prize fight in that State.
With view TO providing a place where
the big fights could be held, the present To-
cation was pitched upon by the leading Du-
gIIIstIc magnates, who are supposed to be
back Of the project, where the lax laws. or
the lax execution of the laws of Maryland
would preclude the slightest chance OF in
reference
Large quantities of salt, it is understood,
have been called into requisition to create
a proper condition of inertia among the
powers that be, and to guarantee the re-
CURED laxii5 in the Interpretation of the
laws
The officials of the county are generally
regarded as responsible for the condition
OF affairs that has hitherto existed at the
Columbia terminal resorts. The charaC-
ter OF the places was notorious and yes
tefday was the first Sunday on which BUSH
ness has not been in prosperous condition
Yesterday, however, the tip seems to have
been communicated to the pToprietors of
these road houses. and as a consequence
no business of any character was trans
acted. The fact that no Interference has
yet been made with the resorts by The
county constabulary. seems evidence that
the word was passed to close I'D for the
day,
The onus of permitting the evils to con-
unue so long, and their existence in the
future is with the county officials
A former sheriff OF the county believes
that the laws of Maryland are sufficient 20
cope with the situation, both in respeo. to
the road houses al the Columbia terra nal
and the club house at Seat Pleasant.
1t is considered that the county off
Gals have sufficient legal authority 70 pre-
vent the pulling off of prize fights which
are scheduled for the 18th inst 1t re-
mains TO be seen whether they viii exer-
else such authority
Prince George county has extended
general and generous hospitality to gues-
tionable characters. Gambling is conduct
ed openly and without interference at a
number Of places within the county limits.
1t was only last year that race pooI-room
was discovered at Bladensburg The ar
rests made in connection with this affair
resulted in the escape OF many OF the prin-
cipals, owing to supposed flaws in the in
dictments.