The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-12-03
LIQUOR STILL
 SOLD IN THE FREMONT HOTEL

Following the publication exclusive i ly in the Farmer yes~-uay of the ad- ministratfon muddle which caused the arrest of Henry O'Rourke,, proprietor of the Fremont hotel on Middle street. the utmost confusion has reigned with in political circles with the result tG- day that while Mayor Wilson an nounces that both the Hotel Auto and the Fremont Hotel are forever clos ed, liquor is being sold at the Ire mont as of yore, and in the city court | today Prosecuting Attorney Albert J. Merritt and Attorney Henry Green stein for the arrested hotel keeper, consented to a mutual postponement of the case pending inquiry as to who actually owns the license for the place.
 Henry ORourke was arraigned be- fore Judge Coughlin in the city court, charged with violating the liquor laws in selling without. a license. George A. Stappers, the bartender, was sim ilarly arraigned. Both asked for a continuance through counsel. The case was continued until Decem Der soth under bonds already fixed. In a statement made to the press after court, Attorney Greenstein in | timated that the continuance had been l wfths consent of the prosecuting at torney, as the ownership of the li- cense had to be settled probaB1y in l missioners. It was further irrtimat- ed that the final question would de- volve upon the identity and ownership of the man who is alleged to have sworn the license was his.
 The mayor Issued statements to the press that both the Hotel Fremont and the Auto Hotel were closed and would so remain. It is known that upon legal advice given O'Rourke liquor is today being sold as usual, at the Fremont, 1 though the Auto is closed apparently. | Mayor Wilson referring to the clos | ing of the Hotel Auto in Water street and the Fremont hotel in Middle street said today:
 s.The closing of these places is but a continuance of the crusade which | was begun by this administration two years ago to clean up Bridgeport. The raid on the Auto hotel was made at my suggestion. = personally was ready to file remonstrances against granting | renewals of the licenses of both places. "I have been assured by representa- | tfVes Of MT and Mrs. Ernest Meyen5 | who conduct the Auto hotel that if l they were permitted to take out their | liquor license they would dispose of it l to some one else and leave town at once. In the meantime no liquor will l be sold at the Auto hotel and have | their promise to close their place and keep it closed until they leave town.
  | & Anderson that Henry O'Rourke will close his place and keep it closed un- til the license is disposed of. Liquor will never be sold under license in either of these places again.
 q sincerely trust that liquor prose cutting agents will vigorously prose cute any violations of the liquor laws. I believe in times gone by, the pros ecutors have been little too ready ! to sign certificates on first convic- | tice discontinued and an adherence to a cleaner city and a better place to live in.''
 Mayor Wilson today sent the fol- Liquor Agents, A. J. Merritt and A. M Comley: 'I am writing to sug- gest, that in order to insure better l observance of the liquor laws, it is my opinion that if the prosecuting liquor agents would refrain from signing cer- tfficates, as has been the custom in the past on the first conviction. it would work to the good order of the city. There is excuse for willfuI violation of these laws. They should be rigidly enforced and I believe the city at large as we'll as most of the liquor dealers would heartily favor the rigid enforcement of these laws. I would appreciate your co-opera ton along these lines.
 'I understand there are a few E- uuor cases now pending and I would suggest that this policy be given pub