The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-05-11
TELLS PIT|FUL Tale
OF EFFORT TO SAVE
SON FROM SALOON
Mrs. William Willer Says She Has
Pleaded in Vain With ]. M. Kava-
naugh Not To Ruin Lad by
Selling Him Liquor.
Woman Once Wrecked Bar-room and
Now She'll See II Courts Can
Give Redress.

Il don't know why saloonkeepers are
allowed 10 ruin young boys" said Mrs.
William Willer, No. 436 Congress-st.
east, discussing a suit for $4,000
which she and her husband have
brought against Saloonkeeper j. NJ.
Kayanaugh, No. 221 Franklin-st., whom
they accuse OF selling liquor To their
son. Harvey. and enticing him from
home
Il have pleaded with Mr.. Kavan-
augh time after time. and he has
promised that he would not sell liquor
10 the boy said the mother. But
have found Harvey living there again.
This spring | smashed the saloon
trent. No one offered TO arrest me,
but 1t did not entirely stop his selling
To- my boy. If persuasion won't do
any good, I'm going to try TO see what
the courts can do"
Mrs. Willer is a slight woman, still
in her thirties. and looks too young
TO he the mother OF boy who for
two years has been hanging around a
saloon.
Harvey was only Is when he com
menced TO go there" said Mrs. Willer.
He was working steadily In labora
tory across the river. and was bring
ing his money home. Then | noticed
that he did not have as much money
as he used TO. and that he was out
nights and was not looking as well
dressed as formerly. Then some one
told me that he was hanging around
Kayanaugh's. | learned that he was
led there by another boy who used
TO go there regularly. | went TO Mr..
Kavanaugh, and he said he would not
sell Harvey any more liquor, but he
broke his word continually, and, nm
ally, the boy left home and stayed at
the saloon all the time, working
around the place. He came home
sometimes. but spent most Of his time
In the saloon.
"One day his friend came to the
house and said that Harvey wanted
me TO come to see him.
Why, where is he-in the hos
pital?' asked.
"'No, he's in JAIL the other boy
told me- Ii seemed that Harvey and
some companions had been making
trouble around q Syrian store, and the
Syrian had had them arrested. Tho
parents OF the other boys bailed them
out, but no one came to see me. My
husband and went TO the jail and
carried Harvey some clothes. and
when he appeared In court the next
morning Justice Jeffries told him TO
go home TO his parents.
He worked all right for time. but
Kavanaugh got hold OF him again. l
found he was In the saloon, and called
a policeman and went there. but Kav'
anaugh coached the boy To say that he
was more than II, and could not be
arrested without a warrant. | knew
the boy had been playing slot ma
chine in Kavanaugh's place. and the
policeman took the machine away.
Kavanaugh was very angry, and his
wife held big knife and dared me
to come into the kitchen.
"Once my boy went TO Toledo with
two Of the Kavanaugh saloon crowd,
and was arrested for stealing ride
ON the train aHd-eHee he went TO Chi
cago. think at the advice of Kavan-
augh. who was afraid ! would make
trouble over his being around the
the place.
II went to Attorney +. w. Smith,
the former police commissioner, and
tried 10 have him get warrant fo-
Kavanaugh, but he said he could not
do IL. | don't know why. Finally this
spring. | went to the police authori-
ties with a letter from the prosecuting