New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-04-11
HIST! SPEAK EASY, NOW!
Some Walked Several Blocks for
a Drink Yesterday.
ONLY ONE EXCISE ARREST
Doors Were Guarded, but the
Old Password Relieved
Parched Threats.

There MAS only one excise arrest in this
city YESTERDAY II was made. not because
&c saluonkeeper sold liquor on Sunday.
but because he had 40 liquor license.
Unwilling to be good saloonkeepers were
discreet Referred to AZ the first dry sun
day Manhattan had experienced for years,
the day. nevertheless. contained no terrors
for the sincerely thirsty. II the person who
wanted a drink wore rubber heels or an
engaging front the sentries were not al
ways imperative GbOut the countersign.
The countersign was: Hist, Speak easy
now" Contrary to the custom usually fol-
lowed where passwords are employed. il is
believed that there will be no change. but
that yesterdays cOuntersign will continue
10 be honored for while. Even though
Sundays may come that will be known as
extra dry" The old charm. it is said. will
still attach to the formula successfully
used for 50 long.
ANY person could get a drink in q saloon
in New York yesterday, but the trouble
some thing about it was that one could not
always be sure just which saloon TO enter
To those who did not like delay it vas dry
work to be compelled to try one, or maybe
two. places before negotiation could be
effected. hut no one had TO travel any
Eskimau willingly walks for gumdrop.
That ii was necessary to travel at all In
Manhattan was the reason there was com
ment
For instance. in the new Tenderloin,
VIII ca embraces the district north OF Long
Acre Square to Columbus Circle. there was
a veritabie drouth The old Tenderloin ly-
ing north OF l4th street. on the west side
az a,-f.1
OF pretence at obeying the excise laws. but
did not show the same regard for them
it, heir. The district was. nevertheless,
drier than il has ever been since the days
OF Police Commissioner Roosevelt Many
OF the saloons were closed throughout the
DAY. while those that had back rooms open
for business admitted no strangers. Look
outs lounged about the side doors alert for
plainclothes men. No person was admitted
To- such places except at a signal from the
sentry.
Chinatown was wide open, the Bowery
looked not after the fastening down Of its
lid. and HelTs Kitchen cared not for Mayor
GaynoT or conCedlment. The lower East
SIDE denied itself the pleasures that so with
growing or rushing the can" conse-
Quently the back rooms were well filled and.
money being at hand, no one needed TO feel
thirsty long
On the upper East Side. north of 42d
street there were plenty Of saloons with
side doors aiar. Harlem also did a large
business on the side. In the Washington
Heights section any person who could fall
of a log without practice had an easy time
buying a drink. There was no formality
a bout il except having the required deposit
Below Fulton street, where prospective
patrons were comparatively few, there were
chains on saloon doors. and the lookout"
viewed the applicant with a practised eye.
II the visitor was recognized as a 'regu-
lar he was admitted.
All attempts TO obtain figures as 10 the
number Of afidavits secured by the police
gainst saloonkeepers failed. In many pre-
Cincts the lieutenants on the desks refused
4 absolutely TO give any information on the
subject.