Gloucester County Democrat., 1908-05-28
LICENSE COURT. NEW ORDER

i Prosecutor Rogers started the criminal
machinery OF the Court working on
| Thursday morning by calling the Pauls-
boio case which proved to be free-for-
all fight among lot of foreigners. The
Jury found a verdict of not guilty.
The Rambone shooting case from
franklin Township was next called.
After volume of contradictory testi-
mony, the case was given to the jury on
Friday morning and verdict of simple
assault returned in the afternoon.
The License Court on Monday after
noon attracted more than ordinary in
terest. Judge Starr, at the opening of
Court, told the hotel proprietors that the
minimum fee would be raised from 500
to $3.50, which means several hundred
dollars increase in the revenues from
licenses.
After informing applicants for licenses
that they must obey the bishops law,
furnish meals at all reasonable hours and
not allow tippling, Judge Starr said:
''It has been brought to the attention
OF the Court that gambling in the way Of
raffles and the like has been carried on
in some places. This is not iusti6able,
nor will it be tolerated. Hotel keepers
must not sell to intoxicated persons, nor
where such money is known to be needed
| in the family"
In refusing to granta wholesale license
to Henry Finger, Jr. of Franklinville,
Judge Starr took occasion to give the
hotel men timely warning. He said:
In view of the practice heretofore estab-
lished by the Court some explanation is
probably due for the refusal TO grant the
application OF Henry Finger, Jr., who ap-
piled for wholesale license.
In 1906 the Legislature passed a law
making it misdemeanor for any person to
furnish money or other valuable thing to
/ purchase food, drink, etc, or proyidssslter-
tainment for the purpose of influencing yot-
ers. Under this law several persons were
indicted. During the trial it was testified.
under oath, that Immediately prior to the
! primary election in the fall Of I90z, a person
applied to Finger, who is a licensed hotel
keeper in Franklin Township, and made
arrangement for the delivery of sixty half
pints of whiskeY the next day. This whis-
/ key was furnished to voters the next day,
which was general election. The purpose
in providing this character of entertainment
was perfectly manifest. It was to influence
or have some effect upon the exercise of the
! free elective franchise Of some of the yot-
ers of that Township.
The explanations made by Mr.. Finger
were somewhat indefinite. At first it was
alleged that the whiskey was sold. II this
/ is the fact it is clear violation of the law,
because he had no right to sell intoxicants
in quantities from one qnart TO five gallons.
/ II as claimed on the other hand it was a
contribution to the election of the particu-
| lar candidate for which it was subsequently,
used, the conduct Of Finger is clearly re-
prehensibls.
The practice of licensee Of 5his Court to
make contributions of any kind to any
political party or participate in pernicious
manner in party politics is not to be toler-
ated The holder of a license should so con-
duct himself not onay in his private life but
public affairs as NOS to become Objectionable
TO his neighbors.
The people of any community should be
permitted TO exercise free and unrestricted
judgement upon all questions of policy and
party politics without any attempt on the
part Of the keeper of the hotel Of the COM
munity to control or influence that judge
ment.
In this connection there is another mat er
OF very great importance, about which de-
sire to speak. The other day there came TO
my notice a letter which had been written by
the Seer tarY Of the Organized State Liquor
Dealers Association to the County Clerk Of
this County, requesting to be furnished
with list OF persons who had received IL
censes from this Court. The purpose OF OBJ
4 tanning this information was not apparent
4 from the letter itself and | do NOS know
i Just exactly What it means. 1t may, how
ever, have some connection with the report
published in the public press some time ago,
that there was to be an organized attempt
on the part of the liquor interests in this
i State and Philadelphia and New York TO
7 raise a large sum of money to be placed in
the counties at the lower end of the State
i where the temperance or local option senti-
ment seemed to be prevalent in an attempt
to thereby corrupt the voters. Whether
or not this is the purpose Of the letter the
Court has no information, but even the
suggestion that this sort of thing is to be
attempted should receive the seyerest con-
idemnation I have too much confidence in
the integrity and honesty OF the hotel keep
ers in this County as class to believe that
!, either individually OF collectively they
would become a party to such bold at
tempt to corruptly influence the popular
will in relation TO such questions. The
voters of this county are ensitled to a fair,
honest and impartial expression Of opinion
upon all questions relating to excise matters
and she election Of candidates for public
office which may be directly or indirectly
involved, and any attempt to peryert popu-
lar will, by the use of money, will not be
tolerated for an instant
This Court Of course has no control oyer
foreign organizations which might have the
inclination to indulge in such practice, bat