Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1906-03-13
ONE PLEADED GUILTY.

On Friday six girls ranging in age
from fourteen to sixteen years were
examined in municipal court and gave
evidence which caused warrants to be
issued for the arrest of VIM. Schuett,
Ed Schmidt, Nj. G. Thorn and VIM.
Degner, all proprietors of dance halls
with which bar rooms are run in con-
nections. They were arrested under
chapter l03, laws of 1905, which pro-
vides that keeper of public place
wherein dances are held and where
liquor is sold shall not harbor girls
under seventeen years of age, unless
they are accompanied by their parents
or guardian.
Upon information furnished to the
Law and Order league, six girls were
brought into municipal court, as
stated above, and these made sworn
statements to the fact that they had
visited the places of the above named
defendants and had been served with
liquor upon the premises. According
ly warrants were issued and served.
The case was called Saturday morning
at eleven o'clock, the defendants not
being represented by attorney. They
all entered a plea of not guilty and
then asked for time to secure an
attorney, which was granted They
employed Nj. B. Rosenberg and the
case was set for three o'clock in the
afternoon. When that time arrived
Mr.. Rosenberg stated that VIM.
Schuett desired to withdraw his plea of
not guilty and enter a plea of guilty,
and the same was granted. Mr..
Rosenberg then said he would enter a
writ of demurrer in the other cases.
His reason for so doing he said was
that he had not been given sufficient
time to look up the complaints, also
the provisions of the law, which is
new one. Accordingly an adjourn
ment was taken to March 10Th.
The court then sentenced VIM.
Schuett to pay fine of $50, together
with So costs, and the defendant i'm
mediately paid.
The law is very plain on this subject
and reads as follows;
Any keeper of any saloon, shop or
place of any name whatsoever for the
sale of any strong spirituous or malt
liquors to be drank on the premises in
any quantity less than one gallon who
shall permit or allow any girl or young
woman, under the age of seventeen
years, unaccompanied by her father or
mother, to be present at or participate
in any ball or dance held in such
saloon, shop or place, or in the same
or an adjoining building, shop or place,
or in any place where liquors are sold
or dispensed, or any place adjoining
the same, under his license, or who
shall permit or allow any such girl or
young woman to linger in or frequent
such saloon, shop or place, shall be
punished by fine of not less than
5000 nor more than $4,000, or by i'm
prisonment in the county Jail not to
exceed six months, or by both such fine
and Imprisonment. And upon convic-
ton his license shall be revoked as is |
provided in section 1868 of the said |
statutes of 1898, and proof of such con-
viction shall be conclusive proof that |
such keeper maintains disorderly and
improper house as such terms are used
in said section 1868.
The PILOT has been informed that
there have been many fragrant viola
tons of this law of late, as the same
misdemeanors have been carried on in
the past. The results which follow
visits to such places by immature girls
are too apparent to need any mention
here. If their parents will not protect
them, they must be protected by law.
We also learn that this is but the first
of a general movement to change
existing conditions.