The Washington times., 1912-05-18
WHAT WAS SAID
ON HOTELS AND
PALM GARDENS
More of the Testimony in
Excise Law Senate
Hearings.
Continued from First Page.)

here, lot of these hotels of the sarne
stamp. 1 have information that I can
not give the direct source Of that on a
recent Sunday so per cent OF the checks
that were passed through certain place
We're for liquors only. while about 10
only.
Mr.: Shoemaker-As a matter of fact,
Mr.. Wilson, the excise board is without
power to close the place under the pres
,ent law,
Mr.. Wilson-That is Just the situa-
uon. The other day.. only Tuesday OF
this week, the Merchants Hotel was
licensed, after license had onco been
refused the same applicant. Doubtless
the excise board would have been glad
70 refose IT again, but perhaps the law
trouble. II you raise the number OF
rooms required in these establishments
70 n1ty you VIII remove great number
or these places that are bad
The Chairman-You must give them
some discretion, even with fifty rooms.
Senator Works-You must give thom
the right to refuse II they see proper.
Mr.. Wilson-surely; they ought to
Mr.. Shoemaker-May observe that
the reason why the board wanted to re.
Jsct, apparently, the last application for
me me Merchants Hotel was because of
the reputed character of the applicant;
but the board has no discretion.
Have No Discretion.
The Chairman-Have any of the
courts held that they have no discretion
In those cases?
Mr.. Wilson-They have.
Senator WORKSHOP, yes.
Mr. Wilson-That is the trouble; the
excise board has no discretion, and that
Is what the courts have said.
las Memorial Church, said:
L want to speak now In regard to the
nrst section Of the bill, that hotels hav-
ing less than fifty rooms shall not be
licensed, Certainly 1t ought to be true
That only a bona fide hotel having
rooms which are considered absolutely
as hotels should be considered l want
TO say that there are so-called hotels
within the sound of my voice, If 1t were
not Tor the distractions of the room,
IN which there Is run a bar that are
hotels"
! Mrs. H. L. Monroe, representing the
Gospel Mission work, said:
Take the conditions as to Four-and-
a-haLf street; our mission is situated
at 2l6 Four-and-a-half street. The con-
dltlons around there should be amelo-
rated SO that it would be very difficult
on Sunday in that neighborhood by go
Ing to these so-called hotels and get
ting a room and loading up and then
coming out and being a nuisance. SO
1nat an increase of rooms will be in
some degree a benefit. That Is the
worst place of which know"
Albert e. Shoemaker. attorney for the
district sAnti-Saloon League, said:
There are certain beer gardens con-
Quoted entirely within the law, with the
possible exception of selling to minors,
that are doing an infinite amount of
harm, and are most dangerous. Some
OF them have been called to your at
tention. And there are other places
that are we'll within the law that are
some of these so-called low places that
are conducted in the 'disorderly way, be-
cause of the fact that these better class
OF places are patronized by the better
city, who there get their stast on the
''When Major Sylvester was here he
made statement that the recon-
mendations of the police were not al
ways followed by the Excise Board.
bring to your attention a blank form
OF report used by the police, upon which
the police report upon every application
for license. either for new place or
a renewal of license of an established
place
Police Reports.
II have here a copy of a report of the
police on an application for renewal,
fled last November. Under General
remarks the captain or the lieutenant
of the precinct Is invited to state what
he desires. In this particular case the
lieutenant states as follows:
This bar room is being conducted
about the same as 1t has been for
, some years, with large room over the
bar, where there is music and singing
for the entertainment of men and
women who assemble to drink and
q rood
tainment which causes the gathering
Of crowds under the circumstances Is a
detriment to any well regulated com
munity, and l recommend that this
license be not granted unless these
musical attractions are eliminated. The
place is also frequented by street walk
ers and prostitutes
This report is signed by the captain
and lieutenant of the First precinct, un-
der date of December Z. 1911"
Senator Works-What was done with
that application?
allowed.
similar reports were made in that
precinct as well as in arH the sixth pre- pre-
reports. just happened to come across
1t first. There are number of similar
ones, and they have been made three
years in succession, generally against
Mr. Harvey--It was discretionary with
the Excise Board to grant that license?
! Mr.. Shoemaker-Yes; 1t was discre-
tionary.
Senator Works-I think 1t was the
trouble with the law. If such report
as that came in they ought to be COM
PEELED to refus" H.
I During the testimony of Major Syl-
weston, Chief OF Police. the following
dialogues took place between him and
Mr. Shoemaker, representing the Anti
Saloon League. and Mr. Harvey, rep
resenting the liquor interests:
Mr.. Shoemaker--I should like to ask
the major his opinion of beer gardens
So Colled--palm gardens in winter and
beer gardens in summer.
Major Sylvester--T will not venture any
OF inion on that point. IL the chairman
will excuse me. I DO not wish to give
anv oninion. because anybody can so
aud see what they are.
Mr.. shoemaker But what is your
Judgment rs a police Ofn"ial?
Mr HurNey-Mr. Chairman, l thinli
Mr. Sh )emalSCr ought to ask direct
question. so that the major can answer
1t. He Is asking his opinion.
Bad Place For Young Folks.
Major sylvester The young people
patronize these gardens. l know that.
say we are getting right back to the
root OF The difficulty. That is the way
] fcuI about it. raised a good big
family, and l should hate to see my
,I ED,,f