Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-15
EUREKA CAFE
LOSES PERMIT
RESTAURANT LIQUOR LICENSE
is REVOKED
CASE AGAINST SPANISH KITCHEN
FALLS DOWN
Police Commission Acts on Testimony
of Summing Party-Saddle-
rock Case to Be Heard
Tonight

The restaurant liquor permit of the
Eureka cafe. conducted by Helm
Schmidt at 2421a South Main street.
was revoked by the police commits
sion last night. But the revocation
of his permit will not seriously handt-
cap Schmidt, as he can still sell IL
quors in any quantities he pleases in
his restaurant, with or without meals,
because he also holds a retail liquor
permit and conducts a soloon immedi-
ately adjoining the cafe. The only
time he will feel the loss of his res
taurant permit is on Sundays and al
ter l o'clock in the morning, when his
saloon must close. On the other hand
he saves SIS a month that he has been
paying for his restaurant license.
The case against the Eureka was
one of several that have been brought
by D. NJ. Gandier assistant superin-
tendent of the Anti-Saloon league.
Late Saturday night and early Sunday
morning, September Is and 19. Mr..
Gandier, with a party of four others,
visited a number of restaurants to
determine whether the liquor laws
were being violated. He found his eX-
pectations realized in several instances
and preferred charges against the
places. AS a result of his charges
the permit of the New York kitchen
was revoked by the police commits
sion Wednesday night.
No Food Ordered
The Eureka cafe was next on the
list. Mr.. Gandier and G. B. Harrison
and Mrs. Hester 7. Griffith, two of
the members of the Stunning" party,
testified last night that they had been
served with glasses of beer at the Eu-
reka. They had not ordered any food,
but plates of sauerkraut and wiener
wursts were set in front of them.
Frank W. Cherry, who lives in the
rooming house above the Eureka, was
the most important witness in this
case. He testified that when friends
of his came down from San Francisco
and insisted on seeing the sights" the
first place he took theme to was the
Eureka cafe. He characterized Il as
den of vice, declared he had seen
women pick the pockets of men in
this place, that he had seen girls of
15 years in the cafe, unescorted and
that young boys had become intoXi-
Gated there. He said that nearly every
restaurant and that knives were used
and blood shed.
Then he hurled something down the
commissions throat that they did not
like, and may have had some effect
in their subsequent action. He de-
clared it was the common talk of the
district in which he lived that Schmidt
was such powerful politician that
the commission dared not take away
his permit. The commission showed.
that it dare by doing so.
Major ]. T. Jones, who defended
Schmidt, did not put a single witness
on the stand or make an address to
the commission. He rested his case as
soon as the prosecution had finished.
Spanish Kitchen Safe
Matters were different with the
Spanish Kitchen, conducted by Tony
Ramirez at 1251a North Broadway This
was one of the cases brought by Mr..
Gandier and he, Mrs. Griffith and
George B. Harrison testified for the
prosecution. Mr.. Harrison made a
than he did for the side that called
him and it was largely on his evidence
that the charges were dismissed when
the prosecution had rested. The testi-
mony showed that the party had gone
to the SPANS Kitchen after o'clock
Sunday morning, just as the place was
being closed, that bottle of beer was
placed on the table and two enchaladas
served to two members Of the party.
The witnesses did not seem very clear
on the point of whether the food had
been ordered, and If 1t had been paid
for or was thrown in with the beer.
Commissioner Trask declared that it
was not fair test, because the acts
complained Of had not taken place
in the regular order of business and
the commission unanimiusly dismissed
the charges. Even City Prosecutor
Guy Eddie, who conducted the prose-
cution, declared that the case was a
weak one.
The Saddlerock will be on trial to-
night and an interesting case is prom
ised.