The Republican journal., 1903-07-16
RUM SITUATION IN pENoBscor
Many Doing Business Despite Practical Ger
tainty of imprisonment. Open Bars Reap
ing Rich Harvest.

Many Doing Business Despite Practical Ger
tainty of imprisonment. Open Bars Reap.
ing Rich Harvest.
BANGOR, Me-, July 7. The local
liquor situation continues to be of alb
sorbing interest. With the expiration
of their U. S. internal revenue stamps
on June 30, nearly half of the $50 places
in the city went out of business, or at
least quit the sale of intoxicants and
confined their business to three percent
beer.
There was something of backslid-
ing, however, with the temptation of the
July trade, which is always enormous,
and quite number reopened for the
day and the day before. Monday, how
ever more places than ever were closed.
During the summer in the past the
five or six wholesalers and bOttlers have
done a good business. Three of the
largest concerns have closed their
places, leaving the wholesale trade in
the hands of two firms. These are
nearly swamped with orders and have
hard work to keep the city and out-of-
town trade supplied. All are using
extra help and vehicles, and at that
cannot get supplies from Boston fast
enough.
1t is the same with those who are still
doing business in the retail line. Their
places are crowded night and day and
even Sundays, the trade being concen-
trated in comparatively small quarters.
The native has no trouble whatever in
buying any kind of drinks over bar
and the stranger has but to hunt around
little There is no attempt at conceal
ment.
More than keeping sharp watch and
complete record of the places which
have been open since the first of the
month, the police are doing nothing,
although it has been intimated that
they are ready at any time to serve
warrants or investigate any complaints.
The same can be said of the sheriff,
but no warrants come. No one seems
anxious to make any more trouble for
the liquor dealers than seems to be
coming to them at the next term of
court in August.
How those who are still in the bust
ness, all of whom have been indicted
many times before, expect to steer clear
of Jail sentence, is question which
they won't or can't answer
The dealers who are now making a
mint of money were told at the last
term of court that if they came up
again OH the same charge they would
be sent to Jail, but this does not seem
to deter them in the least.
The druggists seem to be holding to
the letter of their agreement, and none
will sell alcohol or anything of the kind
under any condition. The hotels have
! closed their bars tight enough, but a
number of them are serving guests in
their rooms. Just how they expect to
escape the penalty with the rest, is
matter of conjecture, although the ho-
tel men seem to have an idea that they
will be exempt if the bars are closed,
Another question which causes con-
siderable anxiety in relation to the in
dictments which are sure to come, is
whether the courts will go beyond July
for their evidence.
If they go back so far practically
every druggist, every hotel proprietor
and every saloon-keeper in the county
viii be booked for jail. Nearly all con-
tinued in business after the February
term of court, at which term they were
given warning that another indictment
would mean jail All are on record as
holding L. S. stamps up to the first day
of July, and have been liable to indict-
ment at any time since February.
There seems to be general under
standing, although upon what grounds
it is based no one seems to know, that
all who have gone out of the business
previous to July will be immune.
County Atty. Smith is silent upon the
matter, and will give out absolutely