Sunday Washington globe., 1902-03-30

Justice Scott, of the police court is no be-
lever in that exploded patriotic epgram IAN
Americans house is his castle" The mean
ing of which is that neither officer of the
law nor private citizen can invade the
sacred precincts of ones domicile without
a warrant in the hands of the officer and an
invitation in the pocket of the citizen. It is
the law as laid down by Judge Scott that
police officer in uniform and on duty at the
time can enter and march through a saloon
at his own sweet will without being invited
to enter by the proprietor. IF an officer can
enter and go through dress parade exercises
in a saloon, why not in jewery or shoe
store? And if the proprietors of these es
adjustments have nothing to say in the
matter but stand to attention while the blue
coat perambulates the store and critically
examines its patrons, what kind of a local
despOtsm do W live under any way2
A saloon is a licensed enterprise and is
entitled to the protection instead of the per-
secution of over Jealous or oficious police
men. Unless called in by the proprietor
they have no more legal right to enter his
saloon than they have his bedroom. Pro
vided, of course, there is neither assault
nor riot within the saloon. The saloon pro-
prietor equally with the owner of iewelry
store helps to pay the policemans salary
for protection and not persecution of his
business The law recognizes by the issu-
ance of license the legality of the saloon
Wherefore then, this assumption of extra
ordinary police surveillance and unwar-
ranted invasion of saloon premises?
A case in point was recently tried before
Justice Scott, in which it was shown that
an officer entered without invitation the
hotel bar of the Collins establishment on
the avenue, adjacent to the National Hotel
The proprietor of the place had at the time
several patrons (among whom were two
congressman quietly sitting at small tables
The officer was importuned by a discharged
employe to interfere in his behalf with the
proprietor of the place, Mr.. Stephen Col
Inns, and the officer assuming magisterial
functions, listened TO the voluble complaints
OF the ex-emplOye, much to the annoyance
of the guests and causing confusion and
disturbance in the quiet and ORDERLY con.
Quoted establishment. Finally the pro.
prietor requested the officer to leave as his
presence only created trouble by encourag.
ing the ex x.employe to shoot off his mouth
in loud and bOisterous tones, but the officer
declined to leave until he was ready"
He was admOnished several times to leave,
and finally ordered out, and on reaching
the door he addressed the proprietor with
the offensive admOnition to be "a man or
mouse" Mr. Collins naturally resented
this insult, and retorted that il the officer
was not in uniform and by himself outside
the District line he would give him bad
ten minutes, or words 10 that effect.
Whereupon the officer swore out warrant
charging Mr.. Collins with disorderly con-
duct, aud on a showing Of the facts before
Justice Scott, the man who helps TO pay the
salary of the officer and of the Judge was
hued twenty dullarsI
Mr.. Maurice Smith, the we'll known at.
torney, defendsd Mr.. Collins aud cited the
law aud he statutes to Justice Scott, but
that Doggberry like his Snasesperiau proto-
type preferred law of his own manufacture.
Now this may look on the face of things to
be trivial matter, but that there is a prin-
eipal at stake tile most superficial can
readily understand. If for any reason the
policeman on a beat, the sergeant or lieu
tenant Of the precinct in which the sal oon
is located, do not like or become hostile
towards the proprietor they can ruin aud
drive him out of business by persecution
Frequent visits to the saloon and autocratic
stares at the patrons thereof will drive
customers elsewhere and this both the
policeman and the saloon proprietor very
we'll know.
What is the consequence? Simply this
that in order to stand in" with the police
man on the beat and the sergeant or other
officer of the precinct the saloon keeper
must be not only amiable but GENERous
In other words if the officer desires TO wet
his whistle" the saloon keeper must be
ready 10 furnish the---water! Thus the
officer is led on to cultivate Al abnormal
thirst knowing that it will cost nothing to
quench the same. And it is herein where /
Justice Scott's fine aud peculiar kind of
justice becomes vicious, for they are an en-
couragement to the officers To exact as many
drinks as they desire and they intimidate
the saloon keeper into compliance or else
his arrest and fine, as in the case of Mr..
Collins on a charge which could not have
occurred If the officer had remained on his
beat and attended to his duty It is not
charged in the case of the officer who ar
rested Mr.. Collins that such were his mo-
tives, but it is simply given as an illustra-
ton Of the logical result of Mr. Justice |
ScOtts peculiar administration of the law |
There is now, we believe, a bill before /
Congress to give policemen the legal right /
to enter saloons without the invitation or
consent Of the proprietor. But Justice
Scott has decided this question by the fine
inflicted on Mr.. Collins, hence the enact
ment Of the law by Congress is superauous.
Justice Scott, not only administers, but en-
acts laws whereat ordinary mortals may be
excused from exclaiming: Upon what
meats doth this. our Caesar feed, that he
has grown so great}"