The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-02-18
NELLIS SAW IT.
The Fourth Ward Councilman
Makes Revelation.
Three Drinks Of Whisky Sold
Before His Eyes.
THE BILLIARD HALLS.
Says That All Have Joints in
Connection.
Mr.. HoWo's Plan of Reform
Voted Down.
THE BILLIARD HALLS.

The attention of Chief of Police Nc
Collum is respectfully invited to Coun-
Gilman Luther NJ. Nellis, who an
nounced to the council at the meeting
last night that he went into the Throop
hotel joint the other day and saw three
drinks of whisky sold and saw the
money paid over. This is mighty good
evidence.
Mr. Nellis dropped several other hints
which might be of service to the chief.
He stated that in a room next to the
Copeland hotel billiard hall he was
creditably informed that beer was be-
ing sold. He also asserted positively
that joint was being run in connection
with every billiard hall in town. Mr..
Nellis seems to possess q lot of fnfor-
nation which would be of use to the
chief, and the two should get together
and talk 1t over.
All of the important disclosures by
the junior member from the Fourth
ward were made in connection with a
heated argument concerning the license
on billiard tables. Nellis is very radi-
cal on this subject He wants to license
\ the billiard halls out of existence. and
did his best in this line a few months
| ago by presenting and advocating an
ordinance which was so strict that the
district court landed one on its jaw
in the first round which completely dis
qualified it for further use as an or
dinance of the city of Topeka
Last night Councilman Kutz of the
First ward introduced a new billiard
hall ordinance providing for a miIder
schedule of licenses. 1t was drawn up
by License Collector Page, and ap
proved by the license committee. It
provided for a monthly tax of $1-5e on
each billiard table, with a yearly rate
of SIS, and no license to be issued for
less than three months.
| Il move to amend this ordinance"
said Councilman NelliS at the first op-
portunity, making the license SIS per
! year, and no license to be issued for
less than II months Every billiard
hall in this town has a joint IN connec-
ton, and I believe we should treat the
matter accordingly"
Not all of the billiard halls have
JOINTS corrected Councilman Griley.
We'll, most of them do said Mr..
NelIis. Just the other day I was in
the Hotel Throop joint, and saw three
drinks of whisky sold and the money
paid over. And at the Copeland hotel,
| they have a billiard hall, and a joint
in the next room, and a friend of mine
tells me that he has bought beer there
since January l."
Mr.. Nellfs decided. on the advice of
friends, to make his amendments to
the ordinance one at a time He first
moved that the license be made s1S a
year, straight, no discount for cash.
| Some of the councilmen thought that
it would be wise to adopt the sugges-
tions of the license collector without
any changes, and make it SIS a year
Councilman Kutz, who introduced the
ordinance, thought so. I'VE don't want
to run any risk of having this ordin-
ance knocked out by the district court,
he said
ed, and Kutz. Griley, Snyder, Nell and
Weber voted to sustain the committee s
ordinance for d SIS license, while Wolf,
Nellis, Howe, Sinner, SwendSon and
Tincher voted for the SIS amendment,
carrying it
Then Mr.. NeIlis. to make it as costly
as possible for the billiard hall men.
moved that no license be issued for less
than year.
Why. up in Jewell City" said Mel lei.
first billiard table put in
Guess they don't have any billiard
tables said Councilman Weber
mo, you bet they don't" assented
Mr.. NelIis.
The council would not stand for the
year limit, however, and it was decided
to make six months the minimum
The last section of the ordinance
provided for a fine of from IS to $500
as penalty for violating the ordinance
This was regarded as rather too steep,
and the maximum was cut down TO
$50 In this form the ordinance was
passed, and it is likely that the city
VIII now D6SIu 10 get q AAlNtC
from billiard halls, which, as a result
of Councilman Nellis' mistake policy
of exorbftant licenses, have been pay
ing nothing for the past six months.
APPROPRIATION SYSTEM
ADOPTED.
Although united in the general sup
port of the proposed system of financial
reform proposed by Councilman s T.
Howe of the Fifth ward, there was some
difference Of opinion among the mem
bers of the council as to how the thing
should be carried out. and as a result
Mr. Howe's proposed scheme was
changed considerably.
ITS all right" said Mr.. Howe after
. the council had finished shooting holes
in his plan. What I was after was
the adoption of this appropriation sys-
tenn. and as got that am satisfied"
The council decided that the work OF
making the appropriations for the vari-
Gus departments shall be done by the
ways and means committee, assisted by
the mayor and city clerk, instead Of by
a special committee of three, as Mr.
Howe suggested, to be known as the
appropriation committee Some of the
| counciInen seemed to think that every
ward should have representative on
the committee, and when that plan was