New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-04-24
LIQUOR DR0UTH IS HERE DEAD IN DOWNTOWN FIRE
Gaynor's New Excise Squad
Spreads Terror, Over Town.
GREEN "COPS" ON WATCH
Tipplers Warned That the City
Will Be a Sahara and Stock
Up in Advance.

The saloons chalicelike doors will re-
main obdurate TO the knock of the hu-
man bee to-day: it's fiery nectar will
hug the bulblike kegs. Like spring
flower nipped by a late frost. its deli
cate petals sucked together and its sap
receding to the roots. even so will the
Sunday liquor dispensary respond to the
Mayors icy touch.
So much for the poetry of the situa-
ton. unless il is added that many
rum blossom" will blush unseen at
home, for that is where the half pints
and the bottled beer. so generously pro-
vided at the barrooms last night. will
be consumed All over the city the sa-
loon proprietors gave their customers to
understand that to-day would be extra
dry" They took the cue and stocked up.
Hundreds of green policemen in plain
clothes are to be scattered throughout
the boroughs 10 look for excise viola
tions. The saloonkeepers won't know
them and will refuse to take chances.
Saloons which in the memory Of the old
est inhabitant always have done merry
business on the Sabbath will be closed
tight. No political pull will be consid-
cred effective against this army of pry-
ing strangers.
IL was reported that Chief Inspector
Schmittberger visited the 18th Regiment
Arrnory. in Brooklyn. on Friday. where
a great body of new patrOlmen were
drilling. and selected two hundred OF
them for special Sunday duty in Man
haitian. These men. il is understood. are
to put on the clothes of the common peO-
rle and wander nonchalantly from sa-
loon TO barron and back to saloon
again. buying liquor where the law is
being violated. but never revealing their
identity.
Such at least is the tip which has been
passed along among the liquor frater-
nity. In Brooklyn they say a hundred
such plainclOthes men are TO do the
same thing. over there it is said that
the boss himself will be at the cor
ner" and that the watchers and look
outs at the side doors will let in only
those whom they have known since early
childhood. But just as brisk trade
in half pints and bottled beer went on
on that side of the East River last night
AS on this side. so it is conjectured that
the Sunday drouth would be of equal
intensity.
The green cops" who form the Cay
nor excise squad reported for duty
promptly at midnight. when the Sunday
embargo went into effect. They were
told not to make any arrests, but, i'm
mediately upon making a case against
a vioIator of the law. 20 go 10 the station
house of the precinct where they are
working and make a complete affidavit
of the facts.
Plainclothes men by the hundred. in
Guiding many wardmen. all of whom are
known To the saloonkeepers, have lost
their soft berths on both sides OF the
river and last night were seen pound
ing the pavements" To add insult 10
injury, from their point of view. the
work of the Gaynor squad is to be
checked by them and the other regular
patrolmen.
They are expected to watch the saloons
from the outside and report all cases
where the bars are not exposed TO view
from the street. The Corporation Coun-
sci has yet To decide. however. just what
constitutes a proper exposure for in
spection from the sidewalk.
BY a great shifting about the Mayor
and Commissioner Baker hope to keep
the flow of plainclOthes men In any ore
precinct fresh. Each precinct is 10 have
two members OF the new excise squad
stationed In il each Sunday, but care Will
be taken that the same pair OF excise
detectives do not work two Sundays in
the same precinct And when detectives
are assigned to excise duty II VIII never
be in the precinct To which they are reg
ularly attached