The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1902-09-12
LICENSE
LAID OVER
Application for Washington Hotel
Meets With Opposition.

a rlare's Nest. Atmosphere Also
Effects Patient of DIR. McCarroii
BOarders and Residents of Vicinity
Testify Favorably as to Manage
ment of Hostelry.
Never before in the history of the Ex-
else Board have so many people assemo-
led in the Aldermanic Chambers as gath
cred there Wednesday evening, when
remonstrance against the Washington
Hotel on Morris Street, conducted by
Robert R Johnston, was presented. After
hearing the case the license was laid
over by the Commissioners until the
next meeting, which will be held on
Wednesday evening, October 8. Law
yer Johu M. Mills ably represented Mr..
Johnston, while Rev. S. q. Batten spoke
for the remonstrants.
First to speak against the place was
James Clark, who resides just across
the street. Mr.. Clark talked at length
upon various fights and brawls, which
he said had taken place in the bar room
and vicinity. He further said that some
evenings he had been kept awake half
the night, although no other tenants in
his row of flats spoke of such an expert
ence. Mrs Clark was the next to take
the stand. Her testimony was in accor-
dance with her husbands. She SAID
that on the evening of Labor Day, she
saw John Murphy, who met his death in
the open culvelt on Morris street, come
from the hotel; when asked by Mr.
Mills if she knew the said John Murphy
she acknowledged that she did not.
Mrs. Clark even went so far as to assert
''that Mr.. Murphy met his death
through the bar at the hotel"
Mrs. T. Olney Hill, who resides in the
old Drake place, next to the Clark row,
said THAT she had been SO disturbed by
the noise from the vicinity of the hotel
that at times she had been obliged to
close the windows of her house. when
| first occupied the house in the spring"
said Mrs. Hill, 81 visited at DR.. Fl. B.
McCarrolrs on Elm street several even
ings of each week. In so doing it was
necessary for me to pass the Washington
Hotel. For some time I noticed moth
ing, then drunkenness became so sppar-
ept that was afraid (and I might add,
that am not easily scared) to pass the
place on my return. Accordingly the
Doctor was obliged to send me home in
his carriage" Mrs. Hill also said that
her serv ant, upon coming down in the
morning had, on several occasions,
picked up bottles upon her front steps
and lawn.
Hobart Garfield, who resides on the
corner of Morris street and Lafayette
Place, said that for the past three years
both himself and Mrs. Garfield had been
kept awake on several occasions by in
toxieated persons talking boisterously
upon the corner.
Aldus HI. Pierson, who resides in Oil
phant Park, stated that he passed the
hotel several times day, and on these
occasions had seen people drinking in
the rear of the place. Upon being asked
what they were drinking. he acknow-
lodged he did not know. "Are you a
total abstainerg7 asked Mr.. Mills. 81
am" said Mr.. Pierson, land / don't
know the difference between buttermilk
and beer"
When Mr.. Johnstons side of the
matter was presented, he produced in
Vulnerable letters from boarders at the
hotel, all testifying that the place was
run in a decent and orderly manner.
Many of these boarders are occupying
the hotel with their families, and not
one has ever been kept awake by brawls
such as was described by the remon-
strants.
Following the summing up by Rev. S.
q. Batten and Mr.. Mills, the commission
withdrew to an adjoining room. After
a brief consultation in an adjoining room
it decided to lay the matter over for a
month.
Many who are familiar with the
matter agree that the Washington Hotel
is conducted in accordance with all the
provisions of the law under which it was
licensed. 1t is largely family house,
and both present boarders and others
who spent the summer there, are will
ing to testify as to its being well and
quietly conducted.