The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-11-16
POLICE CLOSE Up BREEN'SS S
SALOONj ARREST OWNER
Ex-Convict Charged With Max
ing False Affidavit When
Securing License.

Prosecutor Hugh Shepherd,
Thursday morning, released
David Breen, saloonkeeper, ar
rested, Wednesday afternoon, on
a charge Of perjury In connection
with a declaration he made In
connection with his application
for renewal Of his license.
Breen Is not to be prosecuted on
the charge Of perjury, but his
saloon, which was closed by the
police at the time of his arrest,
will be kept closed, Mr.. shep-
herd says.
David Breen, saloonkeeper at No
80 Grand River-ave., was locked UP
In the central station, Wednesday
evening, charged with perjury. Pros
ecuting Attorney Shepherd will ask
for a warrant, charging Breen with
making a false affidavit in securing
his liquor license, when he swore
that he had never been convicted of
breaking any of the state laws. Breen
was sentenced to Jackson prison,
April 10, 1897, for Is years, for rob
bing David McAllister, shoe dealer at
No. 2S3 Michigan-ave. He served 10
years and was paroled.
Lieut.. Higgins. Sergt. Kinney and
Detectives Wilson and Black walked
into Breen's saloon at o'clock, We'd
nesday evening, closed up the place,
took the liquor license off the wall,
and told BreeH that he was under ar
rest. He demanded a warrant, but
the officers told him they had none,
but that perjury was the charge
Breen was staggered for moment,
but quickly recovered his composnre.
80, I'm the goat of test on this
proposition, am I?" he asked. There
are any number of other saloonkeeD-
ers In my fix. Why did they have 10
pick me out? / wouldn't mind " so
much, but my wife is in st. Mary s
hospital They say she Is dying. MY
two girls are there with her, now. II
she hears of this, II will probably Kill
her"
Prosecutor Shepherd says that the
case against Breen will be pushed
vigorously. Breen was one OF Com
missioner Croul's "undesirables' and
when his application was before the
license committee, the police furnished
his record to the committee. But
Breen made affidavit that he had
never been convicted OF crime, and the
license was issued.
II Breen had not become q persist
ent violator OF the night and Sunday
closing laws, he might have gone I'M
molested. But he has repeatedly de
fed the police. and, recently, OBJ
structed an officer who was trying "a
make an arrest, so that the wanted
man got away.
Aid. George u. Ellis, chairman OF
the council committee on liquor regu
lation, had poor memory about the
issuing OF Breen's license. He didn't
remember whether the police fur'
nished the committee with Breen
record or not, but be said that as
Breen made an affidavit, the commit
tee couldn't go behind that.
Breen pointedly asks: III II was
against the law for me to get IL
cense, why did the common council
grant my application? I've been IN
business here for years, and now they
won't let me live down my past.
Prosecutor Shepherd wants to- find
out whether the clause In the warner
Cramton law, referring TO licenses
can be enforced TO the letter. ana II II
can't -wlll mean that fully 100 sa-
loonkeepers, with police rcSolds, and
many OF whom are running undesir-
able places. can be put ont OF busi'
ness