The Washington times., 1912-07-23
l8.yEAR old GIRL
HAD NO TROUBLE
BUYING LIQUOR
Jury Finds Proprietor of
Grand Hotel Guilty of
the Sale. .
CONTINUED from Firs. Page.)

(Continued from First Page1
o. W. H. Weaver, manager of the hotel,
who swore that he had asked Lillian
Sears her age when she first came
there and on later occasions.
Yes, asked her in the winter rath-
skellar last March," said Mr.. Weaver
..ASid And she said she was of age?"
She said she was twenty-one"
1t Is the custom of the place." con-
tinued Weaver, ito ask every woman
or girl who looks to be twenty-fiv
years or under how old she is"
There was no doubt In your mind
about this girls age? inquired Prosecu-
tor George.
YES"
Took the Girls Word. p
."And you took her word for 1t that
she was over twenty-one?
Yes"
you believed it?'
Yes" .'.
III she had said she was forty would
you have believed that, too?"
William Miller, twenty-five years old.
was next put on by the defense. He
swore that he had kept company with
Miss Sears and that he had asked her
II she was Of age. She said she was,
according to the witness
Michael Leland, a watchman at the
hotel, swore that he had heard Weaver
ask the girl II she was of age and
that she had said she WIS.
Defendant on the Stand.
The defendant next appeared on the
stand.
'I noticed the girl when she first
came In last March," said Gardiner,
"and 1 asked her her age. She said
she was more than twenty-one years
oold and believed her.
"One night a little later I asked her
again. She had on a different dress
and l was not certain at first that II
was the same girl. She must have been
In the place fifty times or So After
] had asked her twice l was perfectly
satisfied. 1t Is our custom to ask all
those about whom there might be
doubt and we turn down fifty or more
every MONTH"
Prosecutor George asked questions on
cross-eXamination intending to show
that Gardiner was easily satisfied in the
matter.
"You had doubt or you would not
have asked her?"
Yes
"And when she said she was twenty
one or more you believed 1t in spite OF
her youthful looks?'
Objects to Word youthful"
Attorney scherer objected to the word
youthful" and the question was re-
peated with this word omitted.
Gardiner professed himself entirely
convinced that the girl was twenty-one
In the brief address which was made
to the jury, Prosecutor George said:
This Is the clearest sort of a case.
The law forbids the dispensing OF
liquor to minors and you have here the
evidence of the girl herself that she is
under twenty-one and was under twen-
ty-one, nor does the defense deny that
he hA nf
THE case is clear absolutely so. 1t
Is your duty, your most important duty,
to return verdict Of guilty. 1t Is your
minors; TO stop the sale Of hquoT to
young girls in places like this. 1t is
your duty so far as 1t lies within your
power, to prevent the ruination of girls
by furnishing them liquor, and ver-
dict OF guilty Is expected at your
hands"
Attorney Scherer, in summing up,
dwelt upon the evidence adduced by the
defense that inquiry had been made of
the girl.
Judge Pugh, in summing up, dismissed
one Information against Mr.. Gardiner,
that of selling liquor.
Frequent Rulings Made.
The information charging the dis
pensing of liquor was the one that
actually went to the jury. Judge
Pugh told the jury that "the law with
respect to the selling of liquors has
become clear because of frequent rul-
tngs and 1t Is to be strictly inter-
preted.
"The law holds that the doubt in the
case is to be resolved in favor Of
youth. That the law Is broken when
liquor Is sold or served to minors,
unless the circumstances actually
warrant the belief by the vendor that
the minor receiving the liquor was of
age"