Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1903-11-19
stagser This Murder shop With a
Blow Quick!
From The Detroit Times

49, ioSS, al L Psiluutl fUdQ came
this city with his wife for O day Q
|, recreation in commemoration OF a
event that had interviewed thei
lives.
such was his purpose in comm,
: mere, at any rate, but subs Ga uen
event may possibly indicate tina
there was far greater purpose
purpose OF which he could have ha,
no knowledge-that caused him I,
come to Detroit on day that h,
and mis- wife expected to be day o
gladness.
That subsequent event was hi!
death in Gaffneys notorious saloor
at 63 Michigan ave.-brutally muir
dered as he was by persons whose
identity can only be suspected.
| And whatever may have been the
real purpose of his coming, his tragic
death at least throws light on the
ever-present question: How car
we make this a Greater DetrOit?"
The authorities that are charged
with the duty OF executing the la v
In this city can make this a greater
Detroit by crushing out Gaffney s
saloon and every other place like it
III there be others anywhere near
~ so bad.
They can make this safer Detroit
and Therefore a greater Detroit by
crushing out of existence this motor
ious place as REMORSELESSLY.
as SPEEDILY and as LEGALLY
as they would crush the head OF a
rattlesnake raised from the earth
to strike an unsuspecting foe.
The authorities can and SHOULD
wipe this miserable place from the
map because it is as deadly as any
rattler and even more dangerous
because while the RATHER only raises
its head at intervals to strike, the
ugly head OF Gaffney's is always
poised for attack, the management
OF the resort evidently caring moth
ing either for tie laws providing for
Sunday and after midnight closing
or for the authorities whose duties
1t is to enforce them.
1t is a resort for gamblers, thieves
blacklegs and murderers.
1t is place where the poor and
the luckless are melted to crime by
the crimes that are committed
against them by the management.
1t ~ place where such persons
are "razed with the vilest LIQUOR.
swindled with a device called "Klon
dixie, and not infrequently drugyed.
robbed or brutally beaten as was the
man from Ypsilanti who was kicked
in The chest and thrown into an alley
TO die as humane man would MOI
Kick and crush mad dog.
Yet Gaffney's place is not a gamb
ling resort, if the decision of our
honorable courts can be believed.
because to gamble carries with it
the Implication that one is PLAYING a
game in which he has a chance To
wln-and in "Klondike," the man
who is playing against the "house"
never has chance to do anything |
out lose from the time he hazards |
the first greasy nickel until the last
dollar in his possession is thrown
into the till behind the bar.
THE SELLING OF LIQUOR.
w e REGRET TO SAY, is ALE.
5ALlZED BUSINESS IN DE.
lROlT. la its capacity as a liquor
store, no proceedings can therefore
De brought against the place run by
he Gaffneys.
But as we understand it, no license
% swindle, rob and murder has ever
been LEGALLY granted to any
u the proprietors or patrons of
his saloon.
And inasmuch as men have fire.
Iuantly been brutally beaten or
murdered outright in Gaffney's and
liner hundreds have been swim.
led there, according to the courts
ecision that held "Klondike" not
o be gambling, it would seem as if
o more pressing duty devolved upon
ne authorities than TO revoke the II
license under which this concern
'resumes 10 do business and shut il
p.
Or course an effort will be made
0 discover and punish those who
murdered the Ypsilanti man, but
Venglng the death OF dead man is
OF enough.
LIVE MEN should be protected
roofing out the place that men
,es their lives.
The criminals who crushed the
hest of the last poor victim and
eaved him into dark alley to die,
lould no longer be permitted to
I'VE this resort for a rendezvous.
THERE is ALWAYS A GER
AIN PERCENTAGE OF HUMAN
EINGS so WEAK IN CHAR.
CTER AND IN PURPOSE that
icy will drift into such places il
ey exist and 1t will be more to the
edit of Detroit IL it can say to the
Drld: I'VE have here no human
iughter houses masquerading as
looms" than it would be to say:
)ur trade with the northern pen
sula has doubled during the last
months, but il you come here to
y goods, keep on your guard or
U will 20 back homo 10 the bag
ge car"
This city will be Greater Detroit
moment Gaffney's saloon Is out