New-York tribune., 1908-08-04
LAW BRAZENLY BROKEN
4TL4NTTC CITY CONTENT.
Officials and Judge Say Sunday
Closing Would Be Distastefa.

Atlantic CITY Aug s-The commission headed
BY Mayor Charles J. Fisk of Plainfeld which Is
investigating excise conditions throughout te
sat here to-day and took testimony to confirm thei
personal observation that Atlantic City Is "loe
omen on Sunday and every other day. The conol-
tion was frankly acknowledged by the city ana
col,nty officials
waller Holrjck. a patrolman while testIfyins.
summed up what appeared 10 be the general opin-
iou when he said that ''the people of TINS to"h OF
most Of Them want free rum. and IL VIII XIII tne
city TO close the saloons and the pennsylvania
Railroad won't stand for that.
Mayor Stoy admitted the saloons were open yes
serday and every other Sunday. and he thought 1t
hest for Atlantic City that it should be The
Mayor said that ninety out of every hundred resi-
dents are opposed to Sunday closing, and that IL
was the floating population that made the business
Isaac Bacharach. chairman of the police and
license committee of the Common Council ac-
knoxIedeed he had instructed liquor dealers how
they should arrange their screens He had per-
sonally instructed new applicants how to run
their places Sunday.
County Judge E. A Higbee said he had never
revoked license. He used his own judgment in
granting them. For twenty years he had known
saloons 10 be open Sundays. He had no recent
personal knowledge of Sunday violations because
since he had the bench he always drank
what he wanted at home he thought IL more
discreet The Judge doubted If IL would pos
sible to draw a grand fury in Atlantic County
that would End Indictment for Sunday selling
He said that az Soners Point. where he had
lived. things very much they were here.
and ne doubted the wisdom of trying enforce
the Law there
Smith z. Johnson. the present Sheriff, who ha&
been Sheriff four times since 1857. did think
his duty look for violations Of the law
He denied having any professional grand jurymen,
but said he had the right to draw whom he pleased
ana wlen he pleased.
Chief OF Police WOODBURY. admitted the town vas
wide open and said It was impossible to enforce
tn. excise law. He had presented positive evil
denoe TO the grand jury, but no indictments were
found Mr. Fisk suggested that should not pre-
vent arrests being made. 10 which the chief re-
eponded: What the use?'
Concerning disreputable resorts. the chief said;
IF YOU XIII them to-day. they come TO life again
tomorrow
The chiefs parting remark TO the commission
was: IF you Atlantic City closed on Sun
day. you've got TO get grand juries that want
the thing.
Prosecutor Ccldenberg of Atlantic County of
whom Governor Fort expected great things wheh
n. named him. said that outside of Atlantic City
the Bishops law being fairly well enforced
He said that in eighteen months there had been
sirtv arrests The cases went before three grand
surie. and he had personally presented six cases
10 tire last grand jury. The evidence was abso-
Iutely perfect
There had been indictments in eighteen
months he said Asked why he had taken no ac-
tion TO enforce the law here. the Prosecutor re-
piled Il would simply be fighting windmiils-
Mr. Goldenberg said the Republican organization
expressed the win Of the people here. He went
on 10 say that THE people getting just as good
government as they want and the kind Of govern
they voting for