The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-22
NEAR BEER SALOON
ON BARROOM BASIS
Old Excise Laws Govern the
New Places
ARE TOO MANY NOTARIES
Judge PendIeton of Atlanta Superior
Court Says Many of Them do not
Understand Their Duties
Any Too Well
ARE TOO MANY NOTARIE;

Atlanta, August 21.-(Special)- AT
lanta has about completed the work of
getting the near-beer saloon back on
the ld-time barroom basis, so far as
| city ordinances are concerned.
| First, there was the license which
was proportionately high; then the
closing hours were fixed at about tho
same time as the barrooms were COM
PEELED to observe before prohibition
went into effect; along with that came
the prohibition against any near-beer
saloon proprietor entering his place Of
business during the close hours at
night. other regulations followed such
as compelling them to have restau-
rant license before they were allowed
| to furnish lunches, and then to charge
something for each lunch when 1t was
served. Nominal compliance with this
requirement Is had by charge of l
cent for each free" lunch, which the
man who drinks the beer may pay or
| not, as he sees fit They were also
| required to remove the screens just in
side the door and in front of the bar.
In other words, the near-beer saloons
| are exactly the same basis today
as were the straight barrooms of three
| years ago.
To cap the climax. council has just
made 1t penal offense for any near
beer saloon to sell beer, not only to a
minor or to an intoxicated person, but
to any person who, as the result OF
habitual intoxication. has been put on
probation by the recorders court
Atlanta has an officer. ]. S. Coogler
to watch the probationers, whether they
are put on probation as drunkards or
half
through the prohibition against sell
Ing to probationers a good many re-
forms may be wrought among those
who have heretofore come frequently
before the court on the charge Of
drunkenness and disorderly conduct.
In some instances this may be ac-
complish ed, but 1t Is becoming more
and more a matter of ease to secure
intoxicants in Atlanta, and, though for
time the blind tigers were vigorous
ly prosecuted. there has been q sort of
let-up of late, and the man who really
wants something stronger to drink has
little trouble in getting 1t.
That there are too many notaries
public and that there is an amazing
amount of carelessness on the part of
many of them in administering the du-
ties which devolve upon them. is the
Z
the superior court. as the result of dis
closures in a case brought before him
a day or two ago.
In certain case brought before him
the question was raised as to whether
the papers had been properly sworn
to, and 1t resulted In a summons to
the notary to appear before him and
answer some pertinent questions 1t
developed in the course of the examt-
=, n 90 h.
ply asked the plaintiffs: You swear to
the contents of this paper" they re-
piled Yes" and the papers were
signed as properly sworn to- The
notary admitted that he had not re-
CURED the parties taking the oath to
hold up their right hands, nor had he
used the phrase I'm the name of God"
He said 1t was his usual custom to adj
minister oaths in this way, and that
1t was so with other notaries public
whom he had seen administer oaths.
Don't you know that you ought not
administer an oath in any such loose
way as that" inquired Judge Pendle-
ton. why, 1t is no oath at all I'M
less there Is some appeal to the AL
mighty in 1t. l really ought to abolish
your commission; 1t would serve as
warning to others"
Judge Pendleton decided, however,
Hot 10 Jake away MS commission, as
he did not belivee he had done an in
territorial wrong. but he said a man who
doesn't know any more than that about
the duties of the office has no right to
be notary public.
Continuing, Judge Pendleton said:
There are entirely too many Qotaries
public in Georgia anyhow. IT. seems
to me there is one of them for almost
every square yard of territory in the
state. and there are a whole lot of
them who do not understand their du-
ties"
There are notaries in every lawyers
onice, and 1t Is now common practice
among all of the larger business con-
Germs to have notary public among
their employees.