Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-14
VERY BLUE IN BOSTON
Lid Down and 1t Isn't Safe to
Breathe Hard.
MANY CITIZENS ARE HOT
Milk is the Only Thing Allowed to BE
Delivered.
HUNDREDS OF ARRESTS MADE
Angry Citizens to Appeal to Legisla-
ture for Relief From the
Drastic Measures.
HUNDREDS OF ARRESTS MADE

BOSTON, January 14.-Boston's lid" is
down hard and tight. The blue laws"
| have been resurrected and put in full
| force.
1t all happened because of a clash be-
tween District Attorney John B. Moran,
| late candidate for governor of Massachu-
! sets, and Stephen O'Meara, police COM
| missioner and former editor of the Boston
| Journal Moran elected by the people
of Suffolk county to carry out the laws
and prosecute the violators. O'Meara was
chosen police commissioner by Gov. Guild.
The midnight chimes had barely stopped
| ringing two Sundays ago when patrolmen
sailed forth with notebook and pencil. 1t
was to be a bloodless campaign, but one
of terrible destruction to the poor.
Other policemen along their routes took
a sudden interest in things once the hour
had struck In one of the squares where
the people gather while waiting for cars
there were a couple of "hot-dog" men.
They had no thought of fear. But duty
was duty, and when one of the men sold a
weary waiter hot dog" at just 12:U1 80
Sunday morn the patrolman had his book
out and took the name and address of the
seller.
In the rear of a theater men were hus-
Ting with scenery to get it out and aboard
a train for another town. Up sailed a
policeman, ana as nicely as possible dSheO
each man his name ana address.
Along came couple of men walking In
the middle of the road one dropping sand
on the street car tracks. the other oiling
the switches. Legitimate prey for the
policeman, and their names were taken.
! Did Allow Milk to Pass.
Teams rolling across the city were held
up Those with milk were allowed to pro-
coed. Ones carrying ice cream bread, bag
,~,i1I cd md
more names and addresses taken In the
day it was the same. Bootblacks were
watched, and the minute it had passed
IL if one had not finished a shine and con-
tinued he was named Stores We're in
vaded and sales We're watched.
/ A Chinaman who gave man a collar
that had been lost out of bundle of laun-
dry the night before was among the others.
The man who swept the sidewalk OF the
post office got some fame by being asked to
give his pedigree. Three fellows washing
windows were put on the list. A man driv-
ing an undertakers wagon with casket in
which to place a body was held up. A
young man driving motor car also fell
into the net because he said he joked with
an officer about the law
No arrests were made, but the names
were tabulated and bright and early Mon
day morning the police courts were lined
with the men in blue. One after another
they stepped up to the judge. told their
tales, gave names and o..enses. SUM-
| mOnSeS were issued III 1udHy cases. UeSe
We're served and the rest of the week was
spent in chasing up the persons and bring
ing them into court.
More Trouble Starts.
The first Sunday resulted in very close
to / 600 persons being brought under the
ban. Then came more trouble. In one
court a man was fined, and in some other
sections of the city for the same offense
other man was discharged. 1t appeared as
if chaos was bound to result.
Not so, according to Police Commissioner
OMeara. He kept account of the offenses
where convictions were secured. Those
where fines were not levied he noted, too,
and the following Saturday he issued
proclamation telling what was lawful and
what was not.
The United States stepped in when its
Waterman was arrested for sweeping
sidewalk and a federal district attorney
was sent to act as his attorney. He was
on federal property, and it was maintained
that the city and state had no jurisdiction
over him. But he was fined and appealed.
Now there is clash between state and ma
ton.
The ink-slinging> campaign began two
weeks ago, when District Attorney Moran
sent a communication to the police that the
Sunday law being broken by con-
tractors who were digging on the subway.
1t nice, long letter. At the same
citadel, which faces the breastworks behind
which the police department takes refuge,
manifold copies were given to the press
O'Meara Full of Ginger.
The police commissioner returned the
fire.
In nice, long declaration, partly sar-
castle partly humorous and partly earn
est but all well written in clear, concise
English. the sentences well turned, Mr..
O'Meara replied to the attack.
At this stage of the fight the transit COM
missioners stepped in and declared that
the subway work could go on. The con-
tractors appealed to the district attorney.
He quoted them the law that forbade all
but work of necessity and charity. When
they tried to get permit from the police
commissioner he replied that he gave no
permits. and sent them to the other camp
Back and forth the non-combatants went,
only to be denied protection from hostili-
| ties. They were told to go ahead at their
peril. And most of them did not.
Just about when every one was wonder
| ing what was next in order another broad
side hurled from Gen. O'Meara up
holding the police. Then. instead of re-
plying. Gen. Moran sent a letter to Super
intendent Pierce of the police department
calling his attention to the fact that there
were a number of disordery houses in
Boston that should be suppressed. He
gave the addresses of dozen The fol-
| lowing day he sent across second COM
munication, with the addresses of several
more.
The commissioner, though ignored took
UP the cudgel for the police department
and explained why these houses were not
| closed up tightly. Then outside of each
house for the next week there was sta
toned police officer day and night
Every one entering was asked his name,
and he was told the nature of the house.
Another Blue Sunday.
The second Sunday found the people
| Tuning and swearing. What appeared at
first as a joke and farce was becoming
reality in grim earnest. with the victims
the people themselves, who>are supposed
to make the laws.
Howls of protest went up, but the police
commissioner continued on his way in a
dignified manner. leaving it all to the vigil