Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-19
OPPOSE THE LICENSE.
Citizens Want Hugh Harten's
Application Rejected.
HEARING WAS HELD TODAY
Before the Members of the Excise
Board.
MANY PROTESTANTS HEARD
attorney Shoemaker Conducts Cam
paign Against Brightwood
Saloonkeeper.
HEARING WAS HELD TODAY
MANY PROTESTANTs HEARD

have been injured by the presence of this
saloon on Brightwood avenue" said Attor-
ney Albert i. Shoemaker. representing the
Anti-Saloon League, when he appeared be-
fore the excise board this morning to take
charge Of the protests that had been filed
against the granting of "a liquor license to
Hugh Harten 'These citizens have VOL
unteered to protest and have presented
sufficient showing to cause You to deny
Ibis applicants license. Not one member
Of the excise board would be willing to live
next door to this saloon, added the attor-
ney "and are you going TO compel others
to live there
The hearing was opened with a state
ment by Mr.. Shoemaker telling of the pro-
test that was made against the place a
year ago He said that persons who had
asked that the license he granted at that
time had remained neutral this year He
was glad 10 have all the members of the
board present at today's hearing. he de-
clared. Mr.. Shoemaker referred to the fact
that the license had been rejected this year.
and that 1t had afterward been acted upon
and approved.
loon is located. he argued. is purely resi-
Dental section. and the people are uuar-
imous in their objection to continuance
OF the saloon business at the place that Is
known as the First and Last Chance
Letters of Protest.
from residents and owners of property in
the vicinity OF the saloon and Takoma
Park One letter was from Mr. j. II. Kin
near mayor of Takoma Park, in which the
writer told of the drunkenness in his town
that had been traced to the saloon conduct
ed by Harten. Others who sent letters or
signed the protests included the leading
residents of Montgomery cOunty-people
who own thousands OF acres of land and
who supply the people of this city with
produce and dairy products.
They supply a larger percentage Of pro-
duce and dairy products than the people
of any other section" declared Mr.. Shoe
maker and the professionals.
It was stated in one letter that the vile
and loud language along BrightwOod ave-
nue. at all hours of the night disturbs the
community. Drunken men, who come from
the direction of the saloon, il was stated,
cause much annoyance. Mrs. Bruce asked
the members Of the board in a letter of
protest. to think of the number of women
and children who are compelled to pass
the saloon.
Wipe out Harten's place" it was stated
land then you will make MOntcastle's place
at BrightWoOd the first and last chance.
Mr.. Shoemaker said it was not expected
that everything could be accomplished at
once and that attention might be directed
to other places later.
was stated that the people of Takoma Park
have endeavored to keep their community
respectable, and 1t seemed to him nothing
establishment should not be permitted on
its outskirts Mr.. Lewis Cass White sent
a letter of protest and appeared in person
TO relate the alleged Objectionable conduct
on the road in the vicinity of his premises.
lie said he had spent $4,000 upon his home,
hut he is willing to dispose of his property
If the saloon is to remain there He relat-
ed an incident that occurred upon the ROAD
only a short time ago, when several coiored
boys came along under the influence of
LIQUOR One of them fell i'll the gutter and
l. DC if,tn.
Then the party went down the road making
loud noises.
i cannot say that the boys got their
lauor at Mr. Harten's." said Mr.. White
but they came from the direction OF his
place"
Influence on Children.
Mr. White referred TO the Fact that mems
bers of his family have to pass the saloon
and told OF his grandsons having to wit
ness the evils resulting from the presence
of the drinking place in the neighborhoOd
He closed by saying he hoped they would
not do as another boy in the neighborhood
had done-get q bucket of beer and become
intoxicated.
Mr.. Arthur Stabler of Montgomery coun-
fy was present at the hearing to follow UP
the written protest he had sent to the
board. He took the petition containing the
names OF 10T real estate owners and resi-
dents OF the county. and explained that the
slgners were the highly respected and re-
sponsible men. He pointed out that they
owned large tracts of land, conducted farms
or other business and said they were all
more or less affected by the presence of the
saloon so near the District line. Mr.. Stab
Ter told Of the trouble experienced by peo-
pie On the county in the matter OF getting
help, and said that a drinking place so
near them IS calculated to put the help in
such condition as 10 cause trouble and
annoyance.
II think II is a very reasonable and mod
est request" he said, to ask the board to
release these people from the terrible
temptation near their homes Montgom-
cry county Is dry, and We hope it will al
ways remain so. As far back as 1897 the
legislators provided for local option within
two miles of the Sandy Spring meeting
mouse, and two years later a similar law
was passed 10 cover the section about the
Brookyille Academy. 1t was this nucleus
around which we worked until we got local
option for the entire county"
Mr.. Stabier said he had frequently noticed
in advertisements OF property for sale that
the property was near school, church or
mill, but he had never seen 1t stated that
such property was near saloon. Attorney
Henry D. Davis. Mr.. Allan Farquhar, MIR.
Norman r. Brainerd and others also told
OF the reasons why in their opinions. the
application OF Harten should be rejected.
MIR. Brainerd said he had built a home at
Takoma Park. but that he would have built
II near where the saloon is located If the
saloon had not been there.
Harten Had Nothing to Say
Mr.. Harten, the applicant. had nothing TO
say in opposition TO the protests. and At
tcrney Shoemaker proceeded with his arsu-
ment. Despite the action of the board In
passing upon the application u fow days
ago. he said. he would ask that the appli-
cation be rejected.
81 might charge that Harten has permit
ted his wife TO tend bar during the past
license year, said the attorney, but 1
have made no such charge 1t has come TO
knowledge that certain members of the ex-
else board were in the place and saw her
there"
DO you make any claim that the Sunday
law has been violated?" Mr. Darniele
asked
i have no evidence TO that effect" was
the response of the attorney.
Have You any witnesses here TO prove
Violations of the law during the past year?''
was the inquiry OF Mr.. Trimble.
Mr.. Shoemaker said that he had not at
tempted to show what was shown at the
hearing a year ago, but had confined the
objections to the lines as shown by the