The age-herald., 1902-03-20
NEGRO DEF|ES
 THE COUNCIL Runs Saloon Without the FOr- na|iy of Getting "a License MANY PETITIONS ID BOARD Each Time John Reed Has a New Lawyer, Each Time Request Is
 Denied, But Business
 Continues.
MANY PETITIONS 10 BOARD

John Reed Is a negro who believes in the old adage that if at first you don't succeed try again. John runs a saloon on the east side of Eighteenth street, be- tween Second and Third avenues, just north of the alley. The City Council has several times refused to grant him a H. cense, and he has. as was stated in the Council last week, been ordered several times to move, but somehow John man. ages to keep on doing business at the same old stand. John has presented vari- ous petitions to the Council for a license and has had various lawyers to represent him before that august body.
 Some months ago he was represented by Attorney John Mcqueen. but the Council at that meeting declined to grant him a license, as objection had been made to a. negro saloon being run in that locality It Is next to the office of the Peoples Telephone Company where many young ladies on their way to work have to pass and repass his shop daily.
 Gets a New Lawyer.
 John then filed another petition and backed this up with another lawyer This time Judge B. M. Allen appeared before the board and argued that John having leased the property before objection was made to his having a license should be allowed to continue there in business. The Council thought otherwise and again John was ordered to shut up shop. He took out license then to run a saloon at the corner of First alley and Four teenth street but it is said he has never opened up business there. Instead. he probably decided to try another petition to the Council, and last night Attorney John G. Moore appeared before the board and argued again that John should be al- lowed to stay where he was. As John seems to be doing business all right with out a license it was not made very clear why he was so anxious to have one.
 Alderman Ward opposed the granting of the license and said that John was really a flgurehead for Meyer Marx & Co.,, who had in fact leased the building and owned the shop. Alderman Jones ex' pressed surprise when he learned that John had not been closed up in view of the past action of the board.
 MIX in the Cocoanut.
 Alderman Ward replied that the reason he had not been was because when MT. Gambill, the license collector, went there to do this he was presented with a peti- tion signed by ten Aldermen asking that the matter be carried over to this meet ing.
 Alderman Linnehan then arose and gravely said he was willing to let John remain two or three months if he would give a guarantee that he would get away at the end of that time. Alderman Jones wanted to know if things had come to such a pass that the board had to get guarantee from a negro that he wouldn't bother them. The petition to allow John to remain was finally disallowed. and he was given until April to get out. John may consider this a little April fools joke of the board and may carry out Alderman Altman's gloomy propnecy, who said when discussing the matter last night that he would vote aye. but he didn't think 1t necessary, as John would prob- ably be there Christmas.