Los Angeles herald., 1906-01-30
SOUNDS KNELL
OF ROAD HOUSES
LICENSE OF ANOTHER VILLA
is TAKEN UP
County Board Refuses TO Grant
Further Grace to Smith, Who
VIII Now Go to the
KIondlke

The doom OF all Los Angeles county
road houses and small country villas
Of questionable reputation was sounded
yesterday, when the county board of
supervisors by unanimous vote revoked
the license of Charles Smiths Suburban
Villa, one of the best known. or rather
worst known, villas on the coast.
Smith Is known TO many business
men of Los Angeles as good sort of
a fellow, and in spite of the many
rumors about the Suburban Villa no
one has ever alleged that young girls
were allowed In the place.
When the license Of the Canary cot
tage was revoked week ago, 1t was
understood that the Suburban Villa
would undergo the same fate this week,
but one weeks reprieve was allowed
Smith in which to make his defense.
Too Much Drinking
The chief charge against him was
that he allowed his guests TO tmbihe
TOO freely in liquor and although 1t was
further alleged that he had several
transient bedrooms in the establish
ment, very little proof Of the fact was
brought out.
When the Smith case was called yes
terday, Attorney Jones appeared for the
landlord and asked that one more week
of grace be allowed his client.
I'VE have nothing to say regarding
these charges brought against Smith
by the district attorney" said Attorney
Jones. "In the first place there are
no specific charges against my client.
only vague rumors Of men and their
wives who went to the place and were
assigned rooms when they asked for
them. They were served with drinks,
but don't know of any law in Cali
fornia that would forbid any man from
drinking with his wife IN a private
dining room.
However, we have nothing to say to
these charges. Since last week the place
has been entirely remodeled and there
are now no bedrooms in the place. In
stead there are three or four private
dining rooms and regular restaurant
room besides the bar.
Going to Alaska
Smith intends to go to Alaska. For
the past few months he has been MAX
ing arrangements to go to Klondike
with his wife, and all that I ask of the
board is to allow him to transfer the
liquor licenses and the property to his
friend
Two petitions of transfer were then
presented to the members of the board,
in which Smith asked that his two
liquor licenses be transferred to Will
liam Moss of Rivera. Moss is the son
of Billy Moss one Of the best known
men in Los Angeles county. In the
petition 1t was stated that Moss in
tended turning the road house into a
regular rural dining parlor, where food
and drink only would be served.
The board, however, refused to make
the transfers.
IF Moss desires to open the place as
q restaurant and decent one, it will
be easy enough for him to come be-
fore us and prove his right to liquor
license" said Chairman Patterson.
HAS Smith anything to say about
this charge against him." said Super
visor Brady, in whose district the road
house is situated.
my client has nothing to say" an
swered Attorney Jones.
Then by the unanimous vote of the
board both licenses were revoked.
The revocation of the liquor license
practically means the closing of the
villa. Since the same fate was meted
out to the Canary cottage last week,
and Ward. the proprietor of road
house inside the city limits, was fined
5000 several days ago on a similar
charge the road house business of the
county is practically at a standstill