The Detroit times., 1912-07-12
'INDISCRININATE SALE OF
\ WHISKY AT ISLAND CASINO
IS CONCEALED IN TEA CUPS
Women Patrons Have Beer Bot
ties in Front of Them, While
Men Sip From Dainty China
VIOLATION OF CONTRACT
Lease Limits Strength oil
Liquors TO Be Sold to Beer
and Light Wines

whisky Is sold in charming little
tea.cups AZ the Belle Isle casino
Not tia, the use OF pretty. china
tea-cups fer the serving OF whisky Is
TOO Tar out OF the natural order and
fitness az things, but because Lessee
Paul Kobe las a contract which pro-
hibits the sale OF whisky In the casino,
whether dispensed in glasses, cups,
bottles or jugs.
When Kobe decided TO violate the
terms there was the question OF
secrecy. concealment 10 be considered
IN dispensing the whisky.
A happy inspiration dawned on the
proprietor; he would serve II in tea
cups.
Chronic booze-fghters. when they
step up TO a bar. sometimes call for
n "leetle tea"-with knowing squint
and they get whisky,
Swiftly the imagination speeds 10 a
group OF men, seated In the casino,
for a little tea party" with marry q
suspicion on the part OF the unsophis-
ticated that the genial gentlemen are
not enjoying an innocent cup of the
fragrant Oolong.
The only discernible difference be-
tween the casino and barroom is that
in a barroom a drinker calls for tea
and knows he is going 10 get whisky,
and IN the casino he calls for whisky
an gets it--in tea-cup.
Served in a tea-cup the whisky can
not be told by appearance from tea,
and Kobe might have gone on for
ever with his clever little scheme
had some one who knew the rules not
got suspicious.
No Discrimination Shown.
Kobe sells whisky in the Belle Isle
casino 10 whoever asks for II. He is
violating his contract with the city in
doing So The Times has received re-
ports TO this effect and The Times
verified them. Furthermore, there Is
good reason for believing that the Of
ficials OF the park department have
heard OF the breach OF the rules, be-
cause the violation has been so open
and fragrant
A patron of the casino sat him
down at a table, Wednesday after
noon, and said TO the waiter who came
for his order:
let me have drink of whisky"
Without the slightest hesitation the
waiter straightway departed and re-
turned promptly with the whisky in
the little, china tea-cup. placing II
upon saucer daintily as though he
was serving at an afternoon tea
And, beside II. be placed glass OF
ice-water, which, on second thought
might have appealed to him as rather
extraordinary-a glass OF ice water
along side of cup Of tea.
Now here was the remarkable coin
cidence OF the affair: While good
many women were seated at the
tables on the second floor OF the
casino, and while the weather was
stormy without, none OF the women
were drinking from tea-cups, while in
the far corners sat two men imbibing
from tea-cups. The women were
drinking beer,
The sale OF beer and light wines, .
and these only, Is permitted by the
terms OF Mr.. Kolbe's contract. The
men were drinking whisky
AS the waiter brought the whisky,
as ordered, the patron feigned sur
prise.
ITS the way we serve 1t here, Mis-
tab" said the waiter in explanation.
mot supposed to sell It." And smile
wreathed the Ethiopian's face.
Say" pursued the patron, I'm
thinking of bringing a party over here
In a few days. There won't be any
trouble in getting all this stun We
want, will there?"
Indeed, not" replied the waiter
We've got everything you want in