The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1901-08-15
SH0UAD BE SUPPRESSED If RE-
SORTS ARE DISREPUTABLE.
The Excise Board Should Cooper
ate with Police where They
Know Such Places to Exist
And Refuse License.
WASHINGTON. AUGUST IA.

extraordinary opinion Of the attorney |
for the District OF Columbia, that
the Excise Board cannot refuse a |
barroom license TO a hotel which has |
not violated the excise laws, even
though IL be known 20 have bad |
reputation, TO be a resort OF disreput- |
able characters, and TO allow unmar-
ried couples TO register as man and
wife, with full knowledge OF the
proprietor that they are not. The
argument submitted to the district
commissioners leaves no doubt that
such hotel is an immoral house, and
an immoral house is disorderly
house and not legally entitled TO a
barroom license.
The following clause from Mr..
Shoemaker's argument show, conclu-
sively, in my opinion, that the Ex>
else Board would fail in its duty to
the community il it granted barroom
licenses to houses OF the sort TO
which this hotel admittedly he.
longs:
The Excise Board should cooper.
ate with the police department in so
Tar as may be in their power in the
task Of suppressing disorderly houses
such as a house used primarily and
regularly as place Of assignment or
a bawdY house with the full knowl.
edge Of the proprietor, and to this
end they should refuse to issue IL
quor license to them"
The disposition OF this case is
awaited with much interest, and IL
Will have an Important bearing upon
the moral welfare of Washington, by
either increasing or decreasing the
number OF such "hotels." II the de-
cislon be that these "hotels" cannot
be legally denied liquor licenses un.
der the present law, a movement is
likely TO be At once started TO i'm.
press Congress with the need for an
amendment TO the law, at its next
session.
The court martials for drunken.
ness, one OF Major Charles A. Doyen
OF the U. S. Marine Corps, and one
OF Major Francis Z. Eltonhead, OF
the Fourteenth Infantry, both re.
sulting in verdict OF guilty, were
officially cted upon by tue govern
ment this week.
! With these cases before the public
it is idle to deny the prevalence OF
drunkenness among the officers. as
well as the men, OF both the army
! and navy.
This is not a pleasant subject tC
write about, and it is only done with
the hope that publicity may result il
aiding TO increase public sentiment
against drunkenness and in favor OF
more strict regulations in the army
and navy against the use Of intoxl.
cants.
In the case OF Major Eltonhead,
who was convicted Of having been
drunk on duty, the sentence was dis
missal from the army, but, in view
Of the recommendation OF the court
for clemency, and his good military
record in Cuba and In the PHILIPPINES
the President comuted the sentence
TO placing the officer at the foot OF
the list OF majors OF infaptry, there
10 remain for five years.
In the case of Major Doyen. who
was convicted OF having been drunk
and unfit for duty, the court sentenc,
ed him to lose two numbers and be
publicly reprimanded, The sentence
was approved, and this week Acting
Secretary Of the Navy Hackett issued
the following general order:
can officer should be deeply morti'
fed by the publication Of an order
announcing TO the service the fact oil
his trial by general court-martial
and finding that he had been in
capaci,ated for the performance OF
duty by reason OF indulging in alco
hoiic stimulants. Such publication
will be regarded as sufficient per-
Torrance OF the duty imposed upon
: the department by the court, viz
"rhat Major Doyen be reprimanded
. by the Secretary OF the navy"