New-York tribune., 1908-07-14
LOOK INTO PATERSON
Er.ise Commissioners Find Mang
Saloons Ran by Brerers.
especial Correspondents Of The Tribune.l

rs,ecial Correspondence Of The Tribunel
,..o-son July lS-The State Excise Commission
,.,.ed this city to-day and Incidentally delved into
70 conditions in the city Of Passaic and
-, County. All of the commissioners Were
-, with the exception of Mayor Appleby of
e.,-r Park and kearner Rice Mayor Fisk
-an,hea of in a line CT questioning to-day.
r,rv MANY Of the witnesses if they favored local
80 or il they thought their constituents ia
yored IT,
- testimony showed that there 194 saloons
po,erson and that II not uncommon for
rs n brexfng company to buy licenses in lots of 100.
- .ne- interesting thing brought out that of
30 ,oa retail licenses issued 1876 belonged to one
h-er1ng concern
-, NcNulty proved a good witness for Pater-
The dean has been ardent supporter Of
So saloons on Sunday, and he gave it his
80, that excise conditions in Paterson were
f- better than since the passage Of the Bishops
re had lot Of confidence in Chief os Police
on who he said had taken his job Of closing
-l,ons on Sunday away from him
c+, Controller John Donahue Of Paterson told
,asying q check for $4,000 from one brewing
,any This. he said. was to pay for one hun
- y,censes at $500 each. Recorder James Carroll
Is that rintty-six convictions for Sunday selling
- ,snetv-two for selling without license had
- ~ +ound before him He tried these cases. he
pee se- a city ordinance and had fixed fine.
o1,irg on Sunday il SO, and selling with
out license 'ost SSV-
-.,ef Rirlson said that the Bishops law was
-o-eI,y enforced. although he was somewhat
eenrered IL its enforcement by the Board of Al
s-,sn who dismissed complaints made by him
~. -s,ef thought Paterson would be better off
a., -en-er saloons. One TO a thousand inhabi-
,ts in his opinion. would be enough.
Tosec,,,or Ernest Koester OF Bergen County
=. he had considerable trouble with beer arks
ZINC from other counties. The Court Of Com
= pleas grants all licenses in the county, with
- - .xoerrion Of those at Englewood- There are
49, ssl.o,s in Bergen-aboGt one to S39 inhabi-
-. Mr. Koester said licenses were granted
.ss- she inn and tavern act If they were granted
-. the Bishops law, he said, most of the Ber-
- County hotels would be wiped out He said
e snd Judge DeTnarest had almost decided to
- ssjoons close az 10 O'Clock Mr. Koester did
~, think saloons a necessity. They did not ac-
,r,odate the travelling public and were merely
-loces where men congregated. He did not think
:, .s duty 10 protest against the granting Of a
license IN answer TO a question by Ny Backes, he
ss,a The beer arks evaded the law by pretending
- deliver beer ordered in advance.
o,a NJ he best witnesses to appear before The
.ar,,issjon was Thomas R. Watson city clerk Of
p.ssaic Passaic he said. had l02 saloons. and the
roerse fee Wss 500. The number Of saloons was
limited bv ordinance, and the Common Council
-srsr revoked q license, Fifty-ene powers OF at
,,-,ev were held by brewing companies. twenty
eight az which belonged TO the company which had
me Paterson monopoly. lie thought no one would
~ .riured If licenses were reduced 10 one TO a
,bousaud In reply to question by Mayor FISK,
bs said that II vote local option was taken the
rftr would go wei there was not much pro-
bfbitjon sentiment in the city
William g. Ratenan president Of the common
Council said il would be unfair TO put any OF the
Ip saloons out OF business unless the owners were
reimbursed for their loss He admitted, though
that fewer saloons would be better for Passalc-
Josepb spitz chairman of the license committee
ssis he represented the liberal element of Passalc
When a saloonkeeper is convicted Of violating the
risbo.s Law he is fined S25. The case never went
IA the grand jury. nor was the license revoked
ssid Mr Spltz because he considered further pun
ishment an injustice, regardless OF what 'he ID"
provided
Jotr I Welsh a member Of the license commit |
zee Eas an amusing witness. He looked like a
dead game sport, although he declared he hau
uerer seen q game of poker played in his ife- he
did not believe in a closed Sunday AT thls point /
Earor Fisk remarked: Don't be afraid to answer
we're not trying 10 put any one in a hole n ou /
Couldn't If you wanted to-" responded Welsh. lie /
sid the sentiment in Passaic was against the en-
fncement Of the Bishops law, because the Peopie |
wanted places open Sunday where they eouIu !
.ske drink without danger OF arrest aithoush l'e
next moment he said no saloons We're open IN faS-
sic On Sunday. Mr Welsh is a saloonkeeper-
Chief az Police 9endry Of Passaic said he had /
a force Of twenty-six men for a populaton ol /
Sea Saloons were closed Sunday aIthongh |
there might be some violations. once caSe
Was presented 70 the grand jury, he salo'' 'Id'
was the end Of it. The Chief asserted that IL was /
much easier 10 get liquor III Bergen County Oh /
Sunday than IN Passaic, and he thought that Sixty
saloons were enough for his city. He said he re-
fered all complaints TO the license commute
and denied that there "a man mgher up /
Gr Backes then gave the Chief a feW poiiUeiS o
his duties under the Bishops law II a saloon
keeper is convicted Of violating the law, MI
Backes said. the police chief must first see that ne
Pays fine. next have his license revoked anu
then have the cilprit indicted by the grand jury
! P. Kirwin chairman Of the license conlihl'uee
a Paterson. denied that he was elected on conoi-
Ton that he would grant any licenses that the
ksKerE asked for He thought 40 saloons neces-
Easy for Paterson. otherwise they could not exist
Just before the commission adjourned. M SpIlz'
q Passaic. told the commission that siV'v" "as
derived from liquor revenue yearly, and that III
ths wiped out the burdens Of the taxpayers
Eouic iDcrea Is q cent.