The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-04-07
Police Unusually Active in En-
forcing tho Closing Law.
RAINES' HOTELS WERE OPEN.
furnished Drinks 10 Those Who Had Money
10 Pay for Sandwiches Over 100
Arrests Were Made.

.NtW lOlhs <AlIli 80 ne Dpiltt anu TIC
liquor dealers gave greater New York
IA dry Sunday" yesterday. There were,
however degrees OF dryness, so to speak.
in different sections OF the metropolis.
IL not dry as dust" the day has had
no equal In respect of the suspension
OF the liquor traffic since five years ago.
when superintendent Byrnes closed the
saloons tight one memorable Sunday.
on that day those seeking spirtuous.
malt or vineous refreshment We're COM
PEELED TO resort 10 places outside OF
chief Byrne's sphere of influence 10 OBJ
tain what they sought His task, how
ever. is said 10 have been easier than that
which confronted the police OF today
for he had no Raines law hotels with their
sandwiches TO contend with.
These hotels must be taken into consid-
alton, therefore, when the word dry"
is used In connection with the events
OF yesterday, for the man fortunate
enough TO possess the cash 20 buy a
sandwich and a drink had small difficulty
i'm shaking his thirst. Few were the liquor
dealers who had the temerity 20 keep
open and serve drink alone. and of those
who did, the majority were requested TO
pay visit 10 the nearest police station,
there to remain until "A bondsman APP
pearcd.
DRYEsT SECTION
Unquestionably, the dryest part OF New
York was that section where last sun
DAY the second platoon" OF police made
so many arrests. This is known as the
West Thirty-seventh street police pre-
cinct. Only one alleged violator of the
Excise law was found by the lynx-eyed
officers and only two or three Raines law
hotels opened their doors. and the pro-
prietors saw that the law was closely
observed.
In the "renderloln," now known as the
White Light" district with its multi
tuxe of dram shops, liquor was sold.
but only under conditions which proved
drawbacks 10 many of the thirsty.
In many OF the saloons the shades
were drawn in the barrooms, but i'm
provised bars were established I'm up
stairs rooms and there those known TO
the lookouts were admitted and served.
In one or two places the proprietors
established what IL known as a "Kan-
sas Speak Easy or Blind Pig" This
consisted OF circular opening in a wood
en- partition, into which was fitted a
round board fitted so as 10 swing about.
On each side of the round door was a
shelf on which the bartender could serve
drinks 10 the waiter without being seen
and even if the police had succeeded i'm
getting In they could not have arrested
the bartender, as no one could see him.
The customer simply placed his change
on the little shelf and then raped. at
the same time calling out his order. A
moment later, the little door would
swing around. and on the shelf on the
reverse. side of the circular door the
customer would find the desired drink.
IN THE HOTELS
Drinks were served all day at all OF
the big Broadway and Fifth avenue ho-
tells i'm the dining rooms, and although
they were sold within the prescribed
hours. no attempt was made 20 interfere
with them. No one, however, was per-
mitted 10 sit down and order a drink
even though he ordered sandwich at
the same time The hotel folk insisted
that something akin 10 a substantial
meal be ordered at least.
For the first time In many years the
saloons i'm the residence section in upper
Harlem were all closed. Despite all the
excise excitement I'm the city from time
to time the liquor dealers i'm that sec
tion have kept open.
on the Bowery IL was exceedingly hard
10 get drink. The saloon keepers were
not ready 10 take chances of arrest and
for the most part kept their doors locked.
over I'm Brooklyn the closing law was
generally observed and in Queens the
saloons closed, leaving the trade to the
hotels. which served drinks with meals
This applied as we'll TO Richmond bor-
ough
The afternoon. was rainy and this kept
the crowds at Coney Island TO n low fig
ure. The saloons proper closed sfer the
most part and the hotel keepers II they
sold liquor did II on the quiet.
no ASSISTANCE.
Hugh Dolan. President of tho LIQUOR
Dealers association OF the state OF New
York, said the association would fur
nish no assistance TO those saloon keep
ers. who had been arrested, as all had
been instructed 10 close.
The police also compelled the small
shop keepers throughout the city to close
except that the groceries and delicatessen
shops were permitted TO keep open until
10 o'clock as. provided by law For the
first time I'm years the small dry goods
shops I'm the upper part OF the city had
their doors locked and stationery stores
and news stands were also compelled TO
close up I'm many sections OF the cities
and I'm some instances the police even
ordered the confoc uonery stores 20 close
Seventy-nne arrests for violation of the
Excise law were made in Manhattan and
the Bronx between the hours OF mid
night Sunday and n o'clock last night
There were I'm these two boroughs "A
arrests for viola tions OF other Sunday
closing laws. In Brooklyn the police re-
ported q arrests for Violations OF the
Excise laws. There was one i'm Rfch