The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-08-06
LID IS ON TIGHT
IN BIRMINGHAM
Locker Clubs Went Out of
Business Yesterday
GAMBLING ROOMS DARK
Carmichael Law Is Expected To Pass
Senate Today and To Be
Signed by the Governor
at Once.

Last night dry-lipped man stood under
an arc light at a prominent street cor
ner and wistfully gazed at a handful
of membership cards to various and sun
dry social and literary clubs" Around
the square he walked and up each STAIR
way along the route he tried to pierce
the darkness with longing look But
his looking was in vain for pitch black
gloom greeted him at each one and with
faltering footsteps he returned from the
quest Birmingham was dry.
Probably never In the history of Bir-
mingham was the lid" fastened on as
securely as 1t was last night. With the
arrival of dark practically every locker
club in town had removed the stock of
vinous malt and spirituous liquors from
the lockers" of its respective members
and those thirsty mortals who had failed
to provide themselves private stock
found themselves lost In desert with
never an oasis in sight.
The process of clearing these clubs of
their liquid contents commenced early
yesterday morning. Drays were at a
premium and for one day public negro
draymen enjoyed prosperity. Barrels out
of the top of which projected broken
barrel heads, excelsior and apparently
trash were brought down from the Sec
ond floors and loaded upon wagons, and
then the drayman drove with them to
some place unknown to the general pub
lie Secretaries" of clubs were also no
ticed going and coming from their clubs
at frequent Intervals while the suitcases
they carried looked extremely heavy.
Carmichaels bill prohibiting the stor-
age of liquors in lockers or otherwise
caused a feeling of dismay for the time
being after It's successful passage through
the house. The locker club men are all
of the opinion that It is illegal, but they
generally conceded that it would pass
the senate today and that the governor
would sign 1t Immediately. They are
afraid 1t will be several months before
the supreme court will have the oppor-
tunity to knock 1t OUT and during
these few months they figured it would
prove rather expensive for them to re-
main open and be fighting new cases
each day to prove their innocence"
With the closing of the clubs the al
legged gambling establishments were diso
found to be dark. These places have
been using the clubs as an excuse for
keeping their doors locked. They cleared
out their stock of liquids for fear that
the bill might be rushed through and
declared law and they be arrested for
violating the prohibition laws. The fact
too. that the police instituted a vagrancy
campaign against members of the pro-
fession few nights ago, caused a shy
ness to develop among the gentry, and
the visits of the police to their regular
chambers last night resulted in the find
ing of nothing but darkened rooms.
The Southern, Country and Elks clubs
Joined with the social and literary at
fairs in taking time by the forelock and
by o'clock last night all lockers had
been cleared in their respective club
houses and the contents removed.
Along the sidewalks in the business
portion Of town last night men were to
be found standing around in groups or
sadly walking about. The lid was on
in Birmingham.