The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-10-10
MAYOR SUSPENDS
 SALOON LICENSE Place Formerly Run by Mrs.
 Keenan Was Open WAS ORDERED CLOSED The Council Gave Trimmer and Hart License to Operate Saloon, and
 Mayor suspends It Pend
 ing Investigation.
WAS ORDERED CLOSED

One of the first official acts of Mayor Ward yesterday on his return from New York was the suspension of the permit granted Trimmer & Hart to operate a sa- loon at 931 Avenue B, the old stand of Mrs. Kate Keenan, whose license was re- gently revoked because of repeated vio- lations of the Sunday law. The petition for the reopening of the barroom was em- bodied in a report of the miscellaneous committee, which was passed by the Board of Aldermen at the meeting on Wednesday night, October f. The saloon was closed by the police as soon as re- quested to do so by the mayor. The following is his letter to Chief Wier;
 Birmingham, Ala, October g, 1905. "W E. Wier, Chief of Police, City:
 Dear Sir-Please close immediately the saloon on Avenue B and Tenth street, formerly occupied by Mrs. Keenan.
 At the last meeting of the board per- mission was granted for the re-opening of this place to Messrs. Trimmer and Hart.
 Acting on the authority vested in me under the charter the action of the board Is herewith suspended until next meeting.
 "Please see that this order is carried out today. Very truly
 GEORGE B. WARD. Mayor
 Received Letter.
 The first intimation the mayor had that the saloon was open was through an anonymous letter which told him of what the council had done The letter also in- formed him that the saloon was doing business at the old stand. The mayor sent to ascertain the truth of the letter. He was informed that it was correct and im- mediately communicated with the chief of police.
 Chief Wler detailed Policeman Nix to close the place up immediately. He was told that 1t would be closed, but that the mayors power would be tested The policeman remained at the place until it suspended business.
 Mayor Ward is at loss to know why the council granted Zmmer & Hart per- mission to open a place it had just ordered closed. He thinks there must be mis- take somewhere, and ordered the sus- pension in order to learn all the facts. Some of the members of the council say that even had they paid particular mo- | tice to the names. Zimmer and Hart, they l would not have recognized them as the successors of Mrs. Keenan, as the com mittee report in this instance contained no street number.
 The miscellaneous committee, which passed upon petitions for barroom licenses is composed of six aldermen, John w. O'Neill, chairman; John c. Forney, D. R. Copeland, Henry B. Gray, B. H. Cooper and John l.. Parker. Of these six only four were at the last meeting of the mis- cellaneous committee.
 Alderman Cooper was acting mayor, and says he was never aware that a saloon permit was being granted to any person, or persons, who contemplated opening at Mrs. Keenans old stand. He was pre- siding officer at the last meeting of the council, and was also present at the com mittee meeting.
 'I voted In favor of the petition" said i Alderman Forney last night, lat the re- | quest of the alderman of the Ninth ward. None of the other members of the com | mittee were seen. MT. Parker was in New York last week. MT. Copeland did not | attend the meeting, MT. Gray left for New York last night and MT. O'Neill was not | at home when called for.