The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-23

Attorney Henry Greenstein issued a
 statement today based upon the de-
 cision of Judge Carl Foster of the
 city court, in which he clearly out
 lines his attitude on the question o1
 the sales of liquors in club rooms.
 He holds the threat of arrest over
 the various clubs, if they continue the
 sale of liquor as at present practiced
 This includes all the clubs of the city,
 for none of them, according to MT. Greenstein. holds liquor license. And even if club is licensed to sell li- quors, it can't sell on Sunday
 Though MT. Greenstein does not in- clude the names of the clubs he may proceed against it is a matter of com mon knowledge that every one of the large clubs in the city except the Sea- side club maintains a bar.
 The Algonquin club, the Bridgeport club, the Bridgeport Yacht club. the University club, fraternaI organiza- tions which maintain bars besides the score of smaller clubs of more or less legitimate status as clubs, stand in danger of a visit from the police if the practice of selling liquors is not at once suspended. And besides these clubs, those more numerous clubs which have sprung up within the last few months as Sunday liquor dispens- ing resorts are put out of business.
 Prosecutor Greenstein's raids of last Sunday were made with search war rants bearing the signature of Judge Foster. Such warrants as these em- power the police to batter down doors and gratings if necessary to force their way into places suspected of maintaining illegal liquor traffic. But MT. Greenstein is confident that such drastic methods will not be necessary that the mere announcement of just what the law is construed to mean, will suffice to bring about its obser- vance.
 Here is Greenstein's statement:
 ''Now that the law on the question of the right of clubs to dispense H- quor has been clearly and decisively passed upon, I shall make it my duty as liquor prosecutor to see that it shall be vigorously enforced.
 Under Judge Fosters ruling no club, no matter how legitimate may be Its purpose, has the right to dis pense liquor on Sunday or on any other day in the year. There can be no doubt but that this is sound law, as Section 27O? of the General Statutes clearly reads that any person convict ed of keeping or exposing liquor with the intent to sell, without a license, shall be subject to pay penalty not exceeding $200.
 'It is to be much regretted that this club question has not been passed upon years ago and the general inn pression has grown up among clubs that the dispensing of liquor is legally incidental to it. But whatever may have been the condition of affairs in the past, today all clubs are put upon notice that the dispensing of liquor to members is illegal and unless this practice ceases immediately those who violate the law will be prosecuted re- gardiess of fear ar favor.''
 Attorney Greenstein will not discuss upon by the court.
 A prominent attorney said today that in his opinion the law was clear. The court must find that the prosecu- tions were brought either in good faith or in bad faith. If the court finds they were brought in bad faith he may refuse to allow fees. But if the court finds them to have been brought in good faith-as the convictions would necessarily imply-the court, accord ing to this attorney, had no choice in the matter but must allow the full fee of $1O for each case.
 court Saturday to make a statement to Judge Foster who was not at city court today, about his fees in connec- tion with the 53 convictions secured