The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-12
TAKE AWAYST REGIS LICENSE!
FIFTH AVE. RESIDENTS APPEAL
TO EXCISE DEPARTMENT.
AileBe That the Hotel IL Too Near Church
and That Enough Consents weren't
Securcd-"Some Ones Sore" says
Proprietor Ham and Bets His Boots.

Securcd--"Some Ones Sore" says
Proprietor Ham and Bets His Boots.
Residents OF Fifth avenue who live near
the Hotel st. Regis at Fifty-flfth street,
have signed and sent a petition TO Deputy
Excise Commissioner Patrick W. Cullinan
at Albany asking that the license Of the
hotel be revoked On Tuesday Edward
Lauterhach Of Hoadley Lauterbach 4 John
son. attorneys for the petitioners. sent II
to the Commissioner. Mr. Cullinan is ex-
peoted to take action in the matter very
shortly. Mr. Lauterbach says.
Recently William Rockefeller had work
stopped on the extension the st. Regis was
building in East Fifty-ffth street. He
was backed in the fight against the hotel
by Henry S. Redmond. Levi +. Morton
and others who live within a block of the
St. Regis. That victory did not satisfy
Fifth avenue householders who object to
Manager Hams much advertised hosiery.
They had Mr, Lauterbach go over the
liquor law OF New York State and the
attorney decided that the st. Regis was
guilty Of two violations. either OF which
is sufficient, IN his opinion, to require the
Excise Commissioner to revoke its license.
In the first place. the attorney found
that the hotel is built within 200 feet of the
Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church. which
is at the mort Invest corner OF Fifty-ffth
street and Fifth avenue. directly across the
street from the st Regis. In the second
place. Mr.. Lauterbach sets forth in the
petition the builders OF the hotel did not
secure the consent Of two-thirds OF the
property owners nearby as the law re-
qlires. 1t was stated by Henry S. Red
mond that the consents OF only seven out
OF twenty-three property owners were got
by the builders. In the petition, the pro-
visions OF the liquor law which it ia alleged
the st. Regis violated are set forth.
Mr. Lauterbaoh had this TO say about
the petition and the attitude OF his clients
when men invest large sums in quiet
and restricted neighborhOod for homes
they do not like TO be disturbed by such
noise and turmoil as the intrusion OF
large hotel brings with il. They desire
peace and quiet the privilege of unbroken
rest, undisturbed privacy. They had il
before the ST. Regis was opened. After
that it was lost. Brilliant illumination Of
the hotel all through the night, the racket
OF carriages traversing Fifth avenue and
blocking the Cross streets whenever any
function was going on, the Gala Of coach
men and other things disturbed these
residents. Naturally they object.
1t would not be proper for me TO give
out the text Of the petition until the Com
missioner makes 1t public. 1t is based on
what we believe TO be two violations OF the
liquor law. The hotel il within 200 feet of
the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, and
the consent Of two-thlrds Of the nearby
property owners was not obtained.
~leHpect the Commissioner to take prompt
action. II relief he not secured through
him. the Supreme Court which has power
20 ast in such cases will be appealed to. In
any event the fight will be carried to the
end
Msnager Kaon the sorely troubled the
victim Of too much advert Using hrd this 10
say:
The hotel IL not within 200 feet OF any
church and the consent of wo-thrds of the
property owners was obtained when the
hotel vas erected. There is something
peculiar about the bitter fight that has
been made on the hotel. There II some thing
personal in IL Somebody is sore. know
what am talking about, but won't say
any more. But this IL true. the st, Regis
will continue TO do business and the liquor
license will not be revoked, you can bet
your boots on that
Mr. Ham said that the hotel had not
chosen counsel 10 represent 1t in probable !
forthcoming legal battles,
Nitnin block of the St Regis lives |
William Rockefeller Henry 5. Redmond. I
H Nick. Twombey Levi p. Morton. Wood I
bury Langdon. DR.. l.. p. Chippell, DR. /
Robert F Weir and Henry NJ f1sgler (
One of these gentlemen, who would not /
permit the use Of his name, had this 10 say
about the st Regis
1t is an unnitigated nuisance What
is the Use u spending a fortune for quiet !
homes in restricted districts when hotels with
all their racket ard roar may come in and
spoil comfort and peace Of mindi l under
stand that the owner Of the hotel (John
Jacob Astorj has a great amount invested
in the enterprise and no doubt will fight
against closing IT, but the
residents are no less determined and are
prepared 10 keep on until the hotel il shut
up That part Of Fifth avenue is no place
for it
Tho same man said that he had conferred
with William Rockefeller recently and that
MIR Rockefeller believed a successful fight
a gainst tho maintenance Of tho hotel was
possible
One Of the reasons he residents Of that
part OF Fifth avenue are no exercised Rainst
the ~ Regis IL because they believe the
hotel Is hut an entering wedge by which
worse things may creep in. They call ntten-
ton to the purchase by an Unknown
person of an English basement brown
stone house in East Fifty-ffth street not
TAR from the 81 Regis house under sus-
ocion believed 10 be fashionable gam
bling resort. one that the police have been
watching closely