Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-14
PASS LIQUOR AND
GAMING MEASURES
WOMEN BARRED FROM SERVING
AFTER 9 O'CLOCK
PROVISION TO EXCLUDE WOMEN
is DEFEATED
BY New Gambling Ordinance a Con-
viction May Be Secured on First
Offense-Former Measure
Useless

"Iegislating in favor of fallen wom-
en-" was the harsh term Councilman
Wallace applied to the actions OF the
city council yesterday, when the coun-
Gil threatened unfavorable action on
an ordinance presented by Prosecut-
ing Attorney Guy Eddie. Wallace was
attempting to have the ordnance
passed and leading plainly hopeless
cause. when his generalship came TO
his assistance, and he hurled this de-
nunciation at his colleagues.
No member of the council cared TO
face this indictment, and Wallace won
delay, if nothing more, for the por-
tion of the ordinance in question was
laid over until a committee can re-
port on it.
The ordinance was one prohibiting
women from going to restaurants,
where liquor is sold after 8 o'clock az
night, unless attended by male es-
cort over q years of age. In pre-
senting this ordinance Mr.. Eddie de-
clared it was for the purpose OF pre-
venting a most deplorable condition of
affairs that now exist in Los Angeles
He said that since the disorderiy
houses had been closed their former
occupants now frequent liquor-seiling
restaurants, where they have come
to be known as "sitters." These sit
ters accost men who enter these
places, and as they induce these men
to purchase liquors freely, they are
welcomed by the restaurant men. Mr.
Eddie declared that many of these res
taurants had attained the position OF
veritable dives through these "sitters,
but there was no way to regulate IT,
as there is no law against it. 1t was
to keep this class of women out of
restaurants that the provision pro-
hibiting any women from attending
liquor-selling restaurant after y
o'clock without an escort was intended.
Wren Leads Opposition
Opposition to the passage of the or
dinance was led by Councilman Wren,
who said that such law would pro-
hibit theater parties, composed en-
tirely of women. from going to Levy 9,
the Alexandria or other places for
after-theater suppers, and that in this
way it would work a hardship, Ii
was opposed by Clampitt. Lyon, Healy
and Yonkin, who didn't want it to
pass, although they had no very clear
ideas on the subject. Clampitt thought
1t would put some poor restaurant
man out of business, although he failed
to explain why he thought so. But
OlduDlll ulu SOullQ NllC MY AAOhS u
why Lyon, Healy and Yonkin objected
to the passage Of the ordinance when
he said:
ELECTION is coming on pretty soon
and we should leave something for the
next council to do" Lyon, Healy and
Yonkin are candidates for reelection,
but a little bird whispered word Of
counsel in Clampitt's ear and he is not.
Councilman Dromgold was the only
fa,. Of who nnanlV
sided with Wallace in his fight for
the passage of this ordinance. Drom-
gold said that if the council refused
to pass ordinances that the prosecut-
ing attorney demanded in order to as
sist in enforcing the city's laws, it was
putting the prosecutor over barrel
A compromise was reached when the
clause relating to women in restaur-
ants after 8 o'clock was stricken from
the ordinance and referred to a COM
mittee, composed of Blanchard, Wren
and Dromgold, to frame a measure
along this line that will be satisfac-
tory.
There were two clauses in this ordi-
nance. One prohibited women en-
ployed in restaurants and other places,
where liquor is sold, from serving the
liquor. Mr.. Eddie declared that some
of the Los Angeles restaurants are
reverting to the English barmaid in
order to secure trade. This section of
the ordinance was passed unani-
mously.
Pass Gambling Ordinance
Another ordinance presented by Mr.
Eddie was also passed with the full
council consenting. This relates to
gambling and eliminates the necessity
of the police establishing the "busi-
ness" of gambling before "a convic-
tion can be secured.
Under the ordinance now in force 1t
would be possible for a faro dealer to
set up his stand on Broadway, with
the entire police force looking on, and
nothing could be done about it. He
could do it a second time and still
nothing could be done to prevent him
or punish him for his presumption,
but If he did it a third time then the
courts would agree he was in the
business of gambling, and there would
be hope of conviction.
Mr.. Eddie said there are a dozen
well known games running in Los An
geles but it is impossible for the po-
lice to arrest the gamblers, for they
must have evidence three times be-
fore a warrant will be issued. The
new ordinance eliminates this ridicu-
lous situation and makes 1t possible
to secure conviction on one offense.