Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-08-23
INVESTIGATION IS
RIDICULOUS FARCE
Council Probe OF Saloon Cases
Does Not Go Very
Deep.
NO LICENSES ARE REVOKED
Three Cases Considered and After
Much ADO the defendants" All Go
without Even Warning.

Cross questions and crooked answers
In the councilmanic investigation court
Monday night failed q convince and al
three ~ the saloon prop ietois WIN
were charged with having kept their
| doors open after midnight were d -
| charged with taelr licenses untlu o. ed.
| The whole matter was really a farce:
for one thing every witness examined
| except one was In some manner an em-
p.oye OF the particular saloon involN ed
! and the other was policeman.
Councilmen Hall and Fernstrom. who
| led Tor the prosecution" saw that It
was hopeless 10 try 10 convict the men,
| and furthermore that IL would be uu-
just 10 take one mans license away
when all IN his business were equally
guilty.
At pm. saloon votaries and pro-
prietoTs swarmed in the gallery, and
with Councilman Davis in the chair
the minutes were read and then with
out further ado the improvised court be-
gan its session with city Atty, Dininny
as cross examiner I'm chief and A. j.
Weber, attorney for the gentlemen u
the round Ia BILE.
The James Tedesco case was called
first and G.. Pagan, the colored Saltair
waiter who was In the saloon at First
South and Fourth West street when
the murder OF the bartender occurred,
was the first TO be examined. He said
that he took the last car home on the
night of July 20 when Leonard PRO was
killed; and that he rooms above the
Tedesco saloon. He stopped in at the
bar a minute and the bartender. Pro,
who was afterward shot, gave him a
drink. This was about $50 am. BY
the use OF leading questions, A. J.
Weber said for the witness that PRO
had a broom in his hand at the time
and was cleaning up.
James Tedesco. who speaks brokel
English. was next sworn and said that
the bartender. PRO. was supposed TO
go on duty at IL pm. serve at tho bar
for an hour and then clean up. city
Atty Dininny could not understand the
witness very well and Mr. Weber said
that the reason was THAI Mr. Dlninny
used too high toned English"
DAVIS PUTS LID ON.
Councilman Mulvey moved that a de
tision be rendered at once; but Coun
Gilman Hall wanted 10 hear from the
police department on the saloon closing
hour as a whole Davis. however would
not entertain such a proposition saying
the matter would be out of order Coun-
Gilman Fernstrom objected. saying that
nothing would be out of order II the
council wanted To have IL and agreed
with Mr.. Hal. MIR Fernstrom said that
some friends Of his had been around
after midnight and found % saloons
open after midnight in five blocks. Then
came the tin between Mulvey and the
councilman from the Third ward.
Councilman Hall said that the saloon
mon generally understood that they
could remain open after midnight and
that being so, he would not punish the
IN Ffa
Kinney showed the foolishness u this
view by saying that by such logic the
state would refuse to punish Thornc
and Riley for the murder Of Fassen
merely because the third murderer.
Morgan. could not be found The fol-
lowing voted not to revoke Tedesco's
license: Hall. Hoiley. Hodgson, More
ton, Mulvey, o'Donnell. Reedall. Reed
and Davis: those who voted to revoke
II were Fernstrom. Lees and Mckinney.
The Heidelberg case was next, Harry
Gilmer. the walter. being called. He
said that on the night Of Aug. when
Tim Patten was shot he was given an
elaborate order for luncheon with
drinks. but on account OF the time re
uuired TO prepare II II was not serva1
until after midnight. There were ei@ht
or ten men in the saloon at 1880 no
said having supper and drinks.
OFFICER Patterson was called and said
shot and rushed 10 the saloon, bull
never noticed anything hut the murder
and its participants. He said that when
on his beat he never saw saloons open
after midnight. but that when OF his
beat he saw dozens Of them.
William Murphy, might bartender.
said that ne did not serve anything
after 10 and in fact never did and
Kari Mayer the proprietor said that
he tried to keep respectable place
and 10 close on time,
HEIDELBERG CASE
The evidence was so clear that Coun-
Gilman Mckinney moved that the
license be revoked Mr. Fernstrom read
the ordinance which says that an blinds
must be drawn and all doors locked In
saloons after midnight. and that II was
inomaterial whether the drinks were
served or not a. the place was open
doing business the same as the Te-
desco place had been. He said the po-
licemen see the saloons open when not
on duty and that the police force OF
Salt Lake city Is the scandal Of Amer
lea" Councilman Hall again said that
IL was evident that the council intended
20 acquit guilty or not guilty. and that
he could not consciontiously vote To-
take one mans license away when the
council would not permit him TO revoke
the license OF every offender. This time
becoming weared with useless quibhie,
everyone voted not 10 revoke the
license. except Councilman Mckinney
When the Bank bar case was called,
u was SO evident that the Investigation
was q farce, and that the members ~
the council who really desired 10 up
hold the law were helpless. Councilman
Fernstrom moved that the action be
dismissed Councilman Mckinney said
II was clear that the council intended to
20 n ed
dence. and therefore he seconded
the motion The motion carried. the
only exception TO the unanimous vote
being Councilman Davis who, merely
to clear his conscience when he knew
no harm could be done. voted that the
investigation he continued. He had the
last vote and the question was already
decided
Regular petitions were then called
and the triumphant saloonmen fled
from the mock courtroom