The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-07-07

For another six months term at least
Mr.. j. S. Sneeden Will be
found conducting the saloon bus
mess at the same old stand"
No. 115 South Front street,
unless some one of the laws or alder
manic rules pertaining to saloons are
violated. This was decided by the
board of county commissioners yeSter-
day afternoon and shortly thereafter
Mr.. Sneeden's saloon. which had been
closed awaiting the action of the COM
missioners, was open for business as of
yore.
The Antl-Saloon League made a
strong fight mot Furlong-Bellamy) be-
fore the commissioners in OPPOSITION to
the granting OF the license, and Mr..
Sneeden made a strong light for the
granting. The vote resulted in two to
one in favor of the license. ConmlS
sioners H. l.. VOllers and Gabriel
Holmes voted in the affirmative and
COMMISSIONS w. F. Alexander voted
in the negative. Chairman D. Nc
Eachern could not vote as there was
not a tie and Commissioner w. T.
Robertson was absent, being in Fay
etteville on a business trip.
The meeting of the commissioners
was held for the express purpose of
consideration of the Sneeden applica-
ton for license, which was granted by
the board of aldermen, after scenes of
turmoil and strife Tuesday night. All
Of the members of the board were
present except Commissioner Robert
son.
The meeting was also attended by
Mr.. Sneeden and his counsel, Hon.
John D. BeIlamy, and three represen-
tatives Of the Anti-Saloon League,
Messrs. c. H. Cooper, w. H. Sprunt and
I. w. Wood. These gentlemen were
also attended by counsel, Marsden
Bellamy, Esq. Several aldermen and
a number of other citizens were also in
attendance.
The meeting was called to order by
Chairman McEachern, who stated It's
object and invited the representatives
of both sides present to speak if they
SO desired.
Marsden Bethany. Esq. of the oppo-
sition, SO to speak, addressed the board
and asked that the license be not
granted Mr.. Sneeden. He said that he
spoke III behalf of good citizens who
had no personal feeling in the matter,
but who We're interested in the gOo0
government and society of Wilmington
L IIV NdlIIN ~ > "llNlIblOII IL
the written statement made by United
States Commissioner S. 2. Collier
which was presented to the aldermen
and which statement showed that Mr.
Sneeden had admitted in the United
States court that Il negro, Ben Jones
had sold Whiskey on Sunday under his
(Sneeden'S) license. According to the
law, he c~Ontended. that the commits
sioners had a right to refuse to grant
a license to a person who had been
convicted Of a violation of the liquor
law, regardless of the fact that his ap-
plication was IN due form, being sign
ed by the allotted number of freehOld-
ers; that while Mr.. Sneeden had not
been indicted or convicted in a court
Of justice he was morally guilty and
that his voluntary admission before
| Commissioner Collier was worse than q
conviction. He then spoke about the
| location Of the Sneeden saloon, saying
that ii was in a locality totally insult
ed to it, as to the south there was IN
| alley inhabited by the lowest of the
low negro women, whom. he under
stood. frequented the Sneeden saloon
Hon. John D. Bellamy replied to the
argument and cOntended that Mr.
| Sneeden'S license SHOULD certainly be
| granted, especially as others had been
granted licenses in the same locality
He stated hat Mr.. Sneeden was a man
Of good character and that no man
would come nearer conforming to the
law than he: that Mr.. Sneeden had
never been convicted and had never
| confessed his guilt of any violation of
the liquor law. and hat an arrest for
a crimina offence had never been made
IN his saloon. He then lead the petit
tons presented to the board of alder
men. He referred extensively to the
cases Of selling liquor on Sunday
against the negro Ben Jones and re-
quested Mr.. Sneeden to make d state
ment abou the matter.
Mr.. Sneeden stated that the negro
| Ben Jones worked in a own
eG by him at his saloon and that he
served drinks in the restaurant, but not
OF Sunday: that the Saturday pre-
VIouS 10 the Sabbath in question he sold
the negro twenty half pintS of WhiS-
key, for, as he thought, 10 be given to
d negro band. Of which Jones was the
leader. He further stated that he had
never made an admission to Commits
sioner Collier that Jones sold whiskey
under his license on Sunday.
Mr.. Pellamy next called upon Mr.
Buck Bordeaux to speak in Mr.. Snee-
den's behalf.
Mr.. Bordeaux stated that his place
of business was located near Mr.. Snee-
den's saloon. which he had personally
visited and which he considered a very
orderly one.
Marsden Bethany. Esq. made a brief
T%ejOiner urging the board not TO grant
the license.
Upon conclusion of the speeches., on
motion made by Commissioner Nollers,
seconded by Commissioner Holmes the
license was granted. These two mem
berS voted in the and Com
missioner Alexander in the negative.
Chairman McEachern Informed Mr.
Sneeden that should any lnfractlon OF
the Iiuuor law occur at his saloon the
commissioners would revoke his license.
This. ne SAID. would aoDly TO every
! cn1oan koanor in the cnnnty