The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1908-02-05
REVOKE LICENSE
FOUNTAIN SALOON
COUNCIL Furnishes PROPRIETOR
FOR SELLING LIQUOR TO :,
MINORS.

For the third time within the past
year or so, the. liquor license of the
Fountain saloon, East Main street,
was revoked by the city council yes
terday evening, the action having been
taken at the instance of Councilman
Stack, who felt that the council was in
duty bound to take some action in the
matter. Councilman Whiteman fell in
readily with his colleagues views, and
made his initial speech before the
council, setting forth facts intended to
show why the license should be re-
voked at once-immediately.
1t was only after the council had la
bored through piles of routine business,
until the calendar was as clean as it
was ever known to be, that Council
man Stack caused saloon quotations to
drop several points by suggesting that
the council was in duty bound to take
drastic action because of the fragrant
violation of law by the Fountain, in
no personal fight with the liquor deal
ers as long as the law was being OBJ
served, but, like Councilman White
man, he could not stand by and see
Walla Walla's young men drawn down
to perdition through the wilful disre-
gard of law.
Councilman Mexican, while he did
not wish to go on record as upholding
a man who had knowingly violated the
law and sold liquor to minors, advo-
Gated the plea of extenuating circum-
stances and recited the fact that bar
tenders in the Fountain had been given
strict instructions to refuse liquor to
boys under age. That one of them had
made mis-step in the absence of the
proprietor. he argued, should not be
charged up against the owner, and to
take a mans business from him on
such grounds would be working a
hardship.
Whiteman's Mastery Effort.
Councilman Whiteman took sides on
the case, and soon after Mr.. Stack had
called the attention Of the council to
its duty, he arose, drew long breath.
glasses, and opened his mouth from
which flowed in eloquent terms his
views on the case. These were followed
by motion that the license of the
faiY h., I'M, ok
not sooner. Upon explanation of the
hardship such a course would work on
the owner. Mr.. Whiteman gracefully |
the time limit to March 1,
and later extended it to May 1. Coun-
Gilman Tausick seconded Mr.. White
mans motion
Mayor Kellough, in a few remarks, |
said that the case of Mr.. Degn, pro- |
prietor of. the Fountain. had no COM
parison with other saloons of the city, |
because Mr.. Degn, being a resident of /
Pendleton. should have secured the |
services of a bartender whom he could |
trust; that the mistake of a bartender |
in this case was different than in Il
saloon where the violation had been |
made while the proprietor had stepped |
put for moment on the street.
After considerable discussion, both |
pro and CON- the question was put to !
a vote, resulting as follows: Tausicl1, |
Stack, Whiteman, in favor Of |
revolving the license; Mexican and
Bachtold opposed the revoking of the
license. Councilman Bridges was alb
sent.
Always Nuisance.
That the Fountain saloon has caused
more trouble for the council: has been
the cause of more complaints of viola
ton of law than any other place in the
city, seemed to be the opinion of a
number of councilmen last night, al
though they did not directly say SO,
and a relief will probably be felt when
finally the doors are closed.