The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-06-21

There will pe few if any revocations
of liquor licenses. The hearings on the
rules 20 revoke are scheduled to take
place today, but thanks to the leinency
of the representatives of the Mems
union. the cases will in all probability
be continued, with the understanding
that III due time they will he dropped
If the dealers whose licenses are at
tackled obey the law religiously.
1--WE are not dcsirous of prosecuting
anybody" said one of the leading men
of the union, in conversation with a
| Tribane reporter yesterday. "All we
want is that the law should be obeyed.
If we can attain that end without i'm
| posing any hardships we would prefer
it, our purpose, however, will be at
| tanned, and the sooner that is appre-
Ciatel the better it viii be all around.
These dealers whose licenses we have
asked court to revoke scarcely deserve
leinency at our hands, as we are firm
in the opinion that some of them, at
least, nterfered irreguarly to defeat
the ENDS of justice when they secured
their acquittal before the grand jury,
and If the testimony were repeated in
open court, as our programme content
plated. the judges wouli he convinced
of what We claim.
"Our attorneys have peen instructed
| to agree TO a continuance in a number
| of the cases, and court, / expect, will
concur In several Instances a definite
| decision in regard to agreeing to a
| continuance has not as yet been
reached. These continuances do not
necessarily mean that we propose to
| let UP on the accused. 1t is simply
| placing them on probation till next
September. If by that time we are
convinced of their sincerity to observe
the law in all it's details the matter
of dropping the cases will be taken up
for consideration"
Those who have applied to the Mems
union to have their cases continued.
and who have had their petitions
granted, were required to sign q sworn
| agreement 70 keep closed on Sunday
! and otherwise strictly obey the law.
| and besides TO give their assistance in
| requiring others to do likewise.
SENTENCES IMPOSED.
The court also showed a disposition
| to be lenient in dealing with the par
! ties who were convicted last week of
selling liquor without license and
| whose sentences We're set over till yes
| terday.
In the cases of Mary Masterson, Of
North Scranton, Bridget Cook, of
Mineral street, and John Clark, of
! Scranton street, sentence was sus-
pended John Raines, of Boulevard
avenue, who was convicted Of selling
without n license and on Sunday, was
! given the minimum penalty, and Dan
| iel Lynch, Of Fell township, convicted
of selling at wholesale without author
| ity OF the state. escaped with the
least sentence the law will allow a
judge to impose.
Attorney Joseph O'Brien made q
plea Cor mercy in Mrs. Masterson's
case, telling that she was a widow
and the only support of four small
children, and pointing out the great
hardship that would ensue if she was
sent to jail.
In granting the petition, Judge Ed
wards said he did not want the i'm
preston to SO out that widows with
dependent children could disobey the
law with impunity. II was no excuse
for violation of the law, ana court
it such. The circumstances. he said,
! moved him to be merciful and in view
of the NCman's condition and her
promise to violate the law no more
he would suspend sentence till the
next term Of court. His future action
would depend on circumstances.
In the Cook case, Judge Archibald
gave expression to similar sentiments.
The fact that court suspends sentence
in these cases was not to be taken as
an indication of what it would do in
future cases.
HE WAS MISINFORMED.
Judge Archibald also dealt with the
Clark case. Clark stated, through his
attorney, George s. Horn, that while
it was true he sold liquor without a
license. he did SO unwittinely. He
purchased the McDonough hotel on
Scranton street. which had been Ii
censed for years, and which he sup
posed was still licensed, the former
proprietor having assured him that It
was and that the license would be
transferred to him. Clark engaged an
attorney to look after the transfer ard
before the attorney made a report to
MN tne agents OF lne mems union
came down upon him.
The Mems union attorneys did not
offer any contradiction to this state
ment, and Judge Archibald allowed
Clark TO go under suspension of sem
tenca.
The case Of John Raines offered few
if any eXtenuating circumstances,
Judge Archibald said. The prisoner
had been clearly guilty Of selling with
out n license, selling on Sunday and
might also have been convicted of SELL
ing tC minors. In the race of the over
whelming evidence against him the
defendant went on the stand and
swore he sold only ice cream, soda
water and the like. However, the min
imum sentence was imposed. That is,
he was given a $500 fine and three
months Imprisonment for selling
without a license, and a fine of $50 and
twenty days Imprisonment for selling
| on Sunday, the two TO run concurrent.
Lynch was convicted before Judge
Cameron, but failed to appear for SEN
| tence Saturday. Judge Cameron dele
gated TO Judge Archibald the imposi-
tion Of the sentence, making 1t the