Omaha daily bee., 1907-12-16
Names of Two Thousand Citizens Are
Taken by Police.
GENERAL DESIRE TO TEST LAW
C. E. Fields Reavows His Determine
ton to GO the Limit.
THOMAS WILL HAVE REVENGE
Threatens TO IncreRse Pressure on
saloons to Get Even with sweep
inE order of Making All
Observe Law Alike.

Blue laws and blue coats did not civ,
Omaha gray sunday yesterday and tire
desires Of the people tbarring a thirsD
were promptly met.
But II the test" cases go against those
who have been listed by the police ind
II is decided they must pay fines for vio-
lation OF the sunday law, more than 1000
citizens Of Omaha will be arrested and
fined The minimum revenues to the city
from the fines will be $4,000 and the
maximum $4,000.
Only one actual arrest was made by the
police. John Kwelensky, a boy 16 Year,
of age, was caught in q cold-blooded acl
of shooting at an inanimate target in
his own backyard at 1909 william street
with a 22-caliber rife. He was ruth
lessly grabbed by the police and hurried
to the station, searched and sixteen Flo
bert cartridges recovered He was
charged with Sunday law violation ana
released on a bond fixed at 800 and
signed by downtown printer for wholL
he works. Young Kwelensky comes uns
der the section against sporting, riot
ing. quarreling, hunting fishing or shoot
ing" and he may be fined $40 or sent to
Jail for twenty days, "or both at the disc
erection of the court"
Police reported 1875 names to tina
captains at o'clock Sunday evening.
These were found at common labor" and
are subject TO fine of from 81 to S.
How city Is Divided.
The city was divided into six districts
by the police captains for the purpose OF
detailing men TO watch for Sunday law
violators, and each district was in charge
OF two extra detectives besides the regu-
lar patrolmen. These were to gather evi-
dence and submit reports.
Night editors and reporters, togethes
with heads of the mechanical depart
ment of the morning newspapers, ware
the first representatives Of a large class
of Sunday workers arrested. NewsboyT
were "pinched" at a. nj.
Then came the first signs of metropoli-
tan activity, when the trolley lines began
the sunrise song. The motormen and
conductors were, 'arrestedi by having
their names taken. The forefnen at the
| barns were also needed by the poliee1
When the police wanted to know the
name of the motorman of the first trolley
car bound for Council Bluffs the motor
man easily convinced the bluecoat that
he was engaged in interstate commerce
and could not be molested The driver of
the next car was listed.
List OF the victims.
One each of the men engaged in the fol-
lowing lines of business were reported
from the districts and the city prosecutor
will make out complaints Monday:
Automobile garage, passenger elevator
conductor, milkman cigar stand drugs.
pool room. bowling alley and names Of
those caught playing in bowling alleys
and billiard rooms, wood chopper, junk
gatherer. blacksmith. photographer, livery
stable proprietor caught greasing a car
riage, smelter employees, baggagemen, em-
ploye Of express company, telephone girl
(operator), bricklayer. carpenter plas-
terer, coal hauler, hod carrier. clothier,
managers of five theaters, bootblacks,
brick yard laborers, BARRIERS, two laun-
drymen tone Chinaman), clubmen en-
gagged about the club rooms.
Many names of cigar dealers, druggists
and pool room proprietors were taken
But this number by no means represents
the number who worked or who may lie
fined for violating the law yesterday. No
man, woman nor child knows how many
names were taken nor how many people
were taking them, and If the court holds
these distinguished by representing the
army of Sunday law vioiators, everyone
may be called to answer to the law.
As Fields Views II.
Charles E. Fields. editor of The Pro
tector, who made the demand for absolute
Sunday law enforcement. said after the
first day OF closing was over;
Every person who violated the law yes
terday may be fined. And they will bo
subject to another fine II they open their
places Of business next Sunday. This
means business II it means anything, and
those whose names were taken will not be
the only ones who viii suffer. My four
detectives only worked at the drug stores.
From what they report Chief Donahue
and his men certainly must have impressed
with great force the weight OF the law on
the minds of the druggists For while they
kept open their stores it was next TO inn
HpOssible to buy anything without a physic-
ian's prescription Such thing as getting
whisky was out Of the question. eau even
a bar Of soap could scarcely be bought
without a piece Of paper from doctor.
Three or four did sell candy"
Asked what he intended to do with his
list OF names Mr. Fields said;
II may have the names of many who
will be arrested by the police. / win wait
until after the police dispose Of their list
Monday and then file informstions against
all others before justices Of the peace.
There will be many arrests TO make. The
police court will have all 1t can do"
Did the police do their duty as you
would have them do?" Mr.. Fields was
asked.
They certainly did. could not ex-
pect them to do more than they did"
Thomas Cares Only for saloons.
Elmer z. Thomas. Civic Federation and
Anti Saloon league attorney, remained at
his home in Dundee yesterday. he did
not even go to the trouble OF coming down
TO the city. When called up by telephone
he said;
II am not interested in the Sunday clos
ing. My work is confined TO the saloons.
The action OF Mr.. Fields is entirely a re-
taliatory measure, and the Anti-SaloOn
league will do more now than ever TO
compel public oficers TO enforce the sa-
loon laws rigidly"
II any class Of business was unrepre-
sented among the Sunday law yiolatoTs