Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-01-04
MORAN AFTER NEW EVIDENCE.
Does Not Like Action of Police Board
on Revoked Licenses.

Boston. Jan. 3.-TwO Boston hotels
acceded to the view of District AttOr-
ney John 3. Moran, who had held their
liquor licenses void on account of vio-
lations of the screen law" and We're
granted new licenses by the board OF
police, but third, the Hotel Essex, re-
sumed the sale of liquor today after
having closed it's bar for a week.
Immediately. the district attorney
sent his agents to the Hotel Essex to
collect evidence against the hotel, and
it is understood that ne will present
this before the grand jury, not only as
against the Essex hosiery, but also as
against the police board. on account
of it's failure to revoke the license of
Hotel Essex on account of violations
of the law by that hotel.
1t is likely that test case will be
made by the Essex and that the mat
ter will be carried to the supreme
court of the commonwealth. The
hotels which admitted Il possible il
legality in their old licenses were
Young's and the Parker House, and
two licenses We're issued to these at
the rate of $4,000 each.
After the bars had been opened the
police board issued a statement de-
claring that the hotels need never have
stopped selling liquor until it was
proved in Il court of law that they had
violated the statutes relating to OBJ
structions of the view. However, the
board said, Young's and Parker'S had
admitted unintentional violations and
therefore their licenses had become
and iccI
In commenting tonight upon the ac-
ton of the Hotel Essex management in
resumine the sale of liquor under its
ola license, District Attorney Moran
said:
"There are several courses which
could be pursued. I could personally or
by representatives. 90 to the hotel and
make purchase. then go to the court
house. make application for a warrant
to one of the judges of the municipal
court and prosecute the case. This
would be doing police business. The
duty of doing this is imposed by law
upon the police commissioners. I have
directed their attention to the fact that
the Hotel Essex license is void, that all
sales of liquor there are illegal. and I
have indicated to the board that the
police captain in charge of that dis
tr:ct will furnish the board. upon in
terrogation by them. with knowledge
that screens have been maintained in
the Hotel Essex.
"The police board. however. have
failed to act. Refusing to perform their
duties, they render themselves liable
therefor The conduct of the board is
notorious. Their failure to perform their
duties is known to every person who
reads the daily papers,"
District Attorney Moran then stated
that it was his intention to recommend
to the Legislature and to urge that the
present police commission in Boston be
abolished. In its place he would have a
single police commissioner to have en-
tire charge Of the police and a liquor
commission, consisting of three mem
bers. whose duty it would he to grant
liquor licenses. The two boards would
he entirely separate
Continuing Mr.. Moran said:
1.-THE present board refuses to di-
rect its police officers to enforce the
law because by so doing it will confess
that it, the board, has not performed
It's duty as liquor commissioners. The
board feels now that to enforce the law
now. as against the hotels. would be a
confession that it had been negligent in
the performance Of its own duties as a
liquor commission during the past six
months. This is the sole reason for the
boards present inactivity"