Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-06-05
Police Set to Work.

Commissioner Johnston saw that the
police got busy. He sent the letter to
Maj. Sylvester. The head of the police
had the matter referred to Capts. Byrnes
and Hollinberger, commanding officers
OF the sixth and first precincts. for in
veStigation and report. The letter point
ed out hotels in those two precincts in
which it declared the law was violated.
Under the excise law any established
hotel or tavern having twenty sleeping
rooms for lodging guests has the right to
obtain license for barroOm on COM
plying with the provisions of the license
act. the application to be made by the
owner or lessee of the hotel. The law
specifies. however. that sales made on
Sundays are to be made to bona fide
registered guests i'm the hotel at meals or
in the rooms of guests.
1t is claimed by the writer Of the letter
sent to Commissioner Johnston that at
certain hotels mentioned in his letter the
sales were not made i'm accordance with
the provisions of law: that sales made to
purchasers of a sandwich deviled crab or
other cheap dish does not constitute the
meal mentioned in the law. nor does the
law permit the sale of bottled liquors. ii
is claimed, to be taken from the hotel.
Warrants Against w. T. Burdine.
Following the receipt of the letter and
its reference to the police department
the police of the first precinct started an
investigation. which resulted i'm the issu-
ance Of three warrants against w. r.
Burdine. 900 u street northwest, alleg-
ing sales on many Sundays. The war
rants were issued at the instance of Pre-
cinct Detective Howes, and were served
last week
At the Burdine Hotel more than two
hundred names. it is alleged, were regis
tered each Sunday mentioned in the
charges. while considerably less than
fifty were registered week days. The
Burdine permitted patrons to purchase
bottles of liquor and take them from the
hotel.
Hotel men Interested in Sunday sales
say there is nothing unusual in the fact
that there are so many more persons who
register Sundays than other days. Pa
irons of the hotels. they say, who take
their meals in them every day in the
on Sundays, the law making the Sunday
exception.
Burdine Denies Charges.
In the case of the alleged violations of
the law at the Burdine Hotel, IT is stated,
the defendant denies that he served pa
irons in any way other than that spe
officially stated in the law. The charges
filed against him by the precinct detec-
tive, however, will have to be heard.
Judge Pugh may be called upon to con-
strue the liquor law.
When Judge Pugh was prosecuting
attorney he gave the police his views
of the law, pointing out just what the
police should expect of hotel propri-
etors in the matter Of serving meals
and furnishing drinks on Sundays. He
recently took occasion to state that
nothing has since occurred to change
his views.
William T. Burdine was in Judge
Pugh's court Friday to answer the
charges. He entered plea Of not guilty
in each case, and gave notice that he
wanted the cases tried by jury.
Bond was given In the usual way. The
cases We're continued to await such time
as the assistant corporation counsel fixes
for their trial.
The police will not rest content with
having obtained the three warrants
against the one hotel proprietor, how
ever, but will continue their efforts to
obtain evidence against all places i'll
which it is suspected that the law is
being violated.