The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-04-23

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Commissioner Crouls confidential
communication to the council COM
mittee on liquor regulation is guard
ed zealously from publicity this year
az in the past, and 80 the public is
left to guess as to the Official status
OF many saloonkeepers applying Tor
renewal Of licenses. Nothing unusu-
ally Objectionable might be found II
the committee limits its considera-
ton to the barrooms OF some OF the
places, but In a number Of conspicu-
Gus instances the barrooms do only
portion Of the business. The real
evil In these places Is to be found In
the halls attached to the barrooms,
where women and girls OF unenviable
reputation congregate and drink with
men. The proprietors Of these places
are careful to keep their barrooms,
exposed to public gaze, fairly decent,
while all kinds of improprieties are
tolerated in the "cafes" or drinking
halls.
Across the front OF a twostory
building on Griswold-st. facing Capt.
tol.sQ. park, Is great, cleaning
sign, Saratoga" The barroom, just
OF the street. has nothing to distin-
guish II from the ordinary saloon, but
the cafe upstairs has reputation all
it's own. People passing the place or
waiting nearby for street cars notice
young girls and women enter the
place, singly or In groups, many un-
accompanied by men. Pushing open
a side door, they ascend a narrow
stairway TO the room above the sa-
loon, into an atmosphere hazy with
tobacco smoke and reeking with the
fumes OF liquor.
A hundred men and women were
crowded into the room Saturday
night, as n the usual custom, all seat
ed at round tables, drinking beer,
whisky and fancy drinks. Little there
was to amuse them, save their own
presence and an air of forced mirth
and jollity. Two young men dashed
up the stairway, and, pushing into the
room, looked about for chairs. As
they did so two women having a ia
BILE Just back Of the entrance way
smiled and motioned them TO take
chairs at their table. Men and wom-
en- sat In company at very nearly all
the tables in the room, while over In
one corner sat q man pounding away
at q piano, his husky voice now and
then lifted In song. doing his best. APP
parently, to drown out the converse
ton and laughter. Men and women
would drink and leave the place, 9TH
ers coming and taking their chairs.
Two or three girls would look In for
a few minutes, make pretense or
drinking small glasses Of beer, and
look over the company. II they could
attract some of the men to their Ia
bles they would stay awhile; IL not.
they would go out, and presently re-
appear and repeat the performance.
but always looking for men, young
men, well-dressed men.
Laughter Is hysterical In the place,
decorum thrown to the winds. A girl
seated at one table would scan the
faces OF the men in the room, smile
bewitchingly at each and every one
who would smile In return. her escort
sometimes leaving her, while man
from q distant table would join her.
This IL the continuous performance In
the Saratoga, men meeting women,
women coming to the place to meet
mep, all strangers, but all out for
Across the park and facing the Sar-
atoga IL the Rowland, saloon ana
cafe run by william F. McMaster.
This place IL also conspicuous for the
number OF girls and women who visit
Il. Business men and others In the
vicinity have frequently commented
on the number OF young girls that
hang out" at the place. II Is not an
uncommon sight to see them enter
the hallway at the side OF the saloon
In the early hours OF the afternoon,
while at night the place has the pat
ronage OF q nickel theater, young men
and girls constantly walking in and
out. II is a rendezvous for women
of the street.
McMaster's cafe Is perhaps 100 feet
back from the sidewalk, and Is reach
ed either through q long. narrow pas
sageway, "the side door," or through
the barroom. The room Is lighted
with an arc light. There are perhaps
so or more tables In the place, COW
cred with soiled linen. Meals are
served during the day, but at night
the tables are given over to drinking
PARTIES, while a half dozen Negro
walters run back and forth between
the barroom and cafe with drinks. A
piano player and banjo player try to
amuse the crowd. Two girls were
seated at q table Saturday night. A
young man entered through the bar
room, q waiter pointing out the table.
He seated himself and began TO
Josh" the girls.
80 long, Bess," one Of the girls
said to her companion, leaving the
table for another.
Waiter, another bottle" the man
ordered.
The couple drank the liquor and
left the place as though they were
old-time friends.
Presently Bess' companion struck
up an acquaintance with a young
man, and after drinks had been serv-
ed they left the place.
Some Of the women who enter these
places have gone the pace; others are
Just starting. The latter class is rep
resented In the young girls whose re-
speciality, judging from appear
-ances. would not be brought into ques-