The Washington times., 1912-05-27
WHAT WAS SAID
ABOUT PRESENT
EXCISE BOARD
Testimony Offered Before
Senate Committee in Jones'
Works Hearings.
CONTINUED from First Page.)

ne to how far the board has exercised
its powers in the granting of licenses
as against the recommendations Of the
police. I have not treated that end,
perhaps, with the attention that /
should for want of time requiring my
going into another department. w"
have no transactions together beyond
TO the department. We make this re-
port and forward It to the Excise Board
for their action. The responsibility Is
then up to the Excise Beard to sec
what Is proper.
Senator Works-That strikes me as
being a very important feature of the
situation, that the police force, whose
duty Is to execute and enforce the laws,
the question Of granting of licenses,
with people whom they have become
familiar, and know their character and
their conduct.
Major ssyl,yyester-That is the way
The Chairman-Is it, or has II been,
the Dolicy of the Excise, Board to cali
upon the police force for a report when
license.
Major sylvester-Yes, sir: I think the
Excise Board has called upon the police
various questions which have arisen.
The Chairman-But what / want to
Know is whether 1t Is a settled policy
OF oorr,ts the Excise Board, whenever man
that before. acting upon 1t they cali
upon your force for a report?
csnti11ns, Ma1or syivester.Thst S.ss is; in an ex-
Senator Works-I should like to know
to what extent your department takes
That tos is ~srS importans sfGrnfOn %attsr to
me. r that Is a mere formal call upon
yhur department for information, that
1s not followed up by giving particulars
m, eh.
Mater Sylvsster-we not onlv give
larticu'ors and details and conditions,
Fight off the % Sat open We 6aTe n'fn en- is ieens snos
In that r.gard.
The Chairnan-you have made recon-
mendat.ms ia regard to places in south
Ior svlvester-Yes. N "
The .Ci'airman-Have those "econmen-
oatlons been followed or not?
Advice Not Followed.
Major Sylvestcr-The places are in ex-
istence today. L do not know the rea-
son. hnve not gone into that.
The Chsirman-You do net suppose
I'LL thnsc ,Elic''s are being conducted
Major Sylvsster--No, sir.
Tht Cha'rman-If you recommended
against them and the license was grant
ed. OF course they did not follow your
recommen,la tions?
Ijs Major syyiy.s.er7That Il is true:
senator Works-I suppose in your de-
your duties, major, to keep account
of the conduct Of the different saloon
.ksepers and the way in which they
conduct their business, with a view to
determining the question as to whether
or not their license should be renewed ?
Major Sylvester-Yes, sir; We keep
record of all places of that kind and
make report to the board when the
i, The Chairman-Is 1t your judgment
that II you had control, with reference
@ the renewals Of licenses in southwest
Washington, that you could bring about
Major Sylvester-Yes, sir; It stands to
reason that II you can control the sit
uation you can terce a man to live up
Senator works-what do you think
of a provision in the statute to the
effect that no license should be granted
against the report and direction of the
chief Of polics; ...,.,,o
] think all licenses should be granted
only an a full report Of the Police
Department.
The Chairman-or at least that none
should be granted on an unfavorable
Major sylvester-Yes, sir. -
Mr.. Shoemaker-Do you not think
there are too many saloons on Seventh
street?
Major sylvester-Yes; ] know of onc
or two too many.
The Chairman-That is. you have de-
cided views with reference to one or
two, anyhow?
Major sylvester-Yes, sir.
The Chairman-Have you expressed
those views to the excise board?
Major Sylvester-Yes, sir. As stated,
that pertains to the excise questionable
fore the police for report.
The Chairman-And yet the licenses
are issued?
Senator works-Dd you at any time
Vake up these matters personally-that
b, by word of mouth--with the excise
board2 Or do you simply make writ
ten ma IepsTf @ ssspset ssnt tS thsm n our writ
ten report and the members Of our
force report to the excise board to give
Information. to answer questions. to be
that may be under consideration.
Mr.. Shoemaker-Major, you have beer
especially active in reporting to the
excise board conditions In certain I.
precincts particularly, have you not?
Maj. Sylvester-Yes, sir.
Mr.. shoemaker-In the last two OIL
three years
Mr.. Shoemaker-Pointing out places
where music and entertainment were
given in connection with the sale OF
drinks?
Maj. Sylvester-Yes, sir.
Mr.. Shoemaker--Do you know that
the respective captains OF those two
precincts have reported against al
such places within their precincts?
Maj. Sylvester-Yes, sir.
Mr.. Shoemaker-Do you know whether
those adverse reports and recommenda-
,tions have influenced the excise board
in any particular case?
Maj. Sylvester-No, sir; I cannot re-
call that they have.
Mrs. Ellen Spencer Mussey. a member
OF the Board of Education, related the
following experiences:
/ am a, property owner and a tax
payer Of the District and long resi-
dent. l have found the conditions ex'
ceedingly difficult under the presen
law. AS a taxpayer / have attempted
to prevent a saloon continuing in bust
ness on the corner of Twenty-seconC
street and Pennsylvania avenue and
X street. I own property on X. stree
near there, and for some years I pad'
q habit of going before the excise
board and stating what had seer
and what believed to be the result o.
maintaining that place, but I was 81
harassed at these hearings that 4
finally gave II up In despair. I practic
alIu ahad nothing and DnN