The San Francisco call., 1907-03-29
INTERVENTION OF MAYOR
SAVES THIRTEEN cafe"
MEN THEIR LICENSES
Liquor Sellers Along Lurid
Trail of Vice Know
Things About Him
WOMEN ENTER BARS
One Firm Found Guilty, but
It's Permit Is Not
Taken Away
WOMEN ENTER BARS

Mayor schnaitz came TO the rescue
Yesterday OF the thirteen saloon men
whose licenses are in jeopardy before
the Board Of Police Commissioners be-
cause the liquor sellers had panoereo
10 female patronage along the lurio
path OF folly that winds up Golden Gate
avenue TO Fillmore street Their cases
were slated to come up for trial at the
meeting yesterday afternoon. There
were two new Commissioners, Wallen
and Finn. and so clamorous had been
the claims on Schmitz Of the hitherto
protected cafe" men that the Mayor
dared not disregard them. Many Of
them have boasted openly Of municipal
protection They are In position 10
do the Mayor, whose cloud of troubles
6eepens at every turn abundant harm.
He knows st: they know it, and that
is why the Mayor was on hand at the
meeting Of the Commissioners yester-
day afternoon TO intercede for them.
The session was scheduled TO open at
40 o'clock in the City Hall. on Eddy
street II was 4 o'clock before the
Commissioners fled out OF the secre-
farv-s room and took their chairs
around the table. For two hours and a
half the Mayor had been importuning
them. Once or twice during the meet
ing as George B. Keane, Ruef's hench-
man, passed quickly in or out Of the
room where the deliberations were in
progress, the Mayor, worried and
harassed, arguing with his Commission
ers. might be seen; but every ones lips
were sealed and the Police Board had
nothing to say about the long session
before the Commissioners meeting. The
captains Of police awaited their coming
impatjently and the crowded meeting
room grew dark with smoke and com
ing twilight
sCHMITZ HELPING FRIENDS
As public servants, the Commission
ers decided that their employers, the
people. should not know what had
trsnspired during that long talk, but
echoes came from the room Schmitz
was fixing the saloon mems case. He
was caring for his friends, whose
licenses, according to the municipal or
dsnances which Mayor and Commission
ers are bound by oath to enforce,
should have been revoked They were
not and II is not likely they viii be-
The session was a poor farce and
should be put on at Davis hretrap the
ater.
1t was funny TO hear doc" Leahy
and Commissioner Hagerty argue as 10
what constituted respectabilty in
women, and plan test methods TO de-
termine that point in the admission Of
women to saloons. Hagerty was op
pressed with an abiding horror at the
thought that some lady might be over
come with thirst along the new ten
deriOin and be unable 10 get a glass Of
soda pop at Pratt & Tierney's or Cas-
serlys or some other resort convenient
FOR the consumption Of such beverage
Captain Mooney was called 70 testify
80 the character, or lack OF II. Of the
patrons Of the saloons in question. II
was bad. said that officer. Attorney
Frank J. Murphy for the saloon pro-
prietors, crosS-examiDed the captain
and got him mad The captain said:
I don't believe any decent woman.
or one with a shred Of self-respect.
would enter any Of these saloons. In
my opinion ali saloons OF this class
are nothing but assignation houses. and
J base this opinion not on my code Of
morals, but on my experience as an
officer in this district"
And so the wrapgie went on and the
Commissioners argued with each other
as though they meant IL
only one case was brought UP. II
was that Of Samuel & Cohn. 632 Golden
Gate avenue, who were cited 70 appear
and show cause why their license
should not be revoked.
Evidence was adduced proving that
the saloon was supplied with partitions
sn defiance OF the law, but the pro-
prietors were on hand 70 state that
they would fix everything to the Com
nissioners' 1iking. After much discus
sion the board decided they had been
guilty OF violating the ordinance regu-
lating saloons and had catered to
women patronage. Hagerty demurred
10 finding them guilty, but finally voted
with the others and the saloon men
were found so.
LICENSE NOT REVOKED
r-to, fo1for-cF Toab.-s- v,7o44or ~ 80
woke the license More argument, and
more eloouence from Hagerty, who
said. I'VE want TO eliminate women
from saloons in the residential section,
but we DO not want TO do any invest
ing saloon man any harm. These men
have put thousands OF dollars into
1hese Places. His solicitude was beau
tiful and so charmed Thomas Finn, the
new Commissioners, that when the mat
Ter Of revocation was voted on. the
tally stood TO and Jeahy's motion
was lost The license was not revoked.
thanks TO Hagerty and Finn, but the
reputation OF the Commissioners was
Fsved, because two had voted for the
revocation.
And so Il happened ct the end OF the
session that matters stood just where
they did at the opening and Mayor
Schmitz gained breathing time.
On Sunday these licenses expire. II
was agreed that the saloons in question
should be run as before. only without
the gracious presence OF the fair sex,
about whose thirst Hagerty is so much
concerned. Monday morning the board
viii meet again and will take up the
other cases, as II did that of Samuel
g. Cohn.
Meantime the cafe proprietors fee
safe in the arms OF Schmitz.