The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-10-29
Calmly Declares that Each Week
For the Last Seven Years He
Has Outraged the
Law
rTS SIMPLY TO PROTECT
MY TRADE" HE DECLARES
Says Seven Other Places in His
NeighbOrhOOd Are Also Per-
sistent Law. ViOlatOrs


sustain the mayors veto or the YER
nor dance hall ordinance. boasts that
his saloon, No. ITO Jefferson'ave., is
open every Sunday in defiance OF the
state law.
MY saloon was open last Sunday
from 2 q. m. to p. m, and 1t has
been every Sunday for the last seven
years." said the alderman In the
mayors office, Tuesday morning,
The police received a complaint
last Sunday that Rutters saloon was
open, but the officers sent to investi-
gate, said that they found no evidence
of the law being violated.
Il know absolutely nothing about
the police investigation" said AID.
Rutter. Il was not in my place or
business last Sunday. and ! did not
know anything about the complaint
until read the story in the newspa'
pers the following day. The state
ment to the effect that | denied my
saloon was open Sunday is not true,
because that question was never put
TO me.
al suppose | could make grand
stand play and say that my saloon
was not open Sunday, but thai IS not
my style. The saloon was open, ana
| am willing to admit 1t. Fortunate
ny. perhaps, have very little TO 40
with the conduct of my place OF busi'
ness. and spend very little OF my
time in the saloon. | allow others 10
run the place for me. My business
produces handsome profit without
nv personal attention. could, pos
sibly, double the profits II gave It
my strict personal attention, but as
long as have enough TO comfort
ably take care OF my family, ] am sat
isfed.-
MY saloon is open on Sunday mere
~ as an accommodation to a select
number of customers. IL ! closed on
Sunday, as would like to do. II would
mean the loss Of most of my trade.
don't take In more than $50 on Sun
day, and II certainly la not worth
while keeping open for the sake Of
32O-it's simply to protect my trade.
Any number OF saloonkeepers in De
troit will tell you the same story
The alderman went on to explain
how competition In the saloon bust
ness actually forced saloonkeepers
who would like to be law-abiding. to
break the law. lie said that seven
saloons were located near his place
and that they kept open on Sunday.
why, some Of these saloons are
open "a hours In the day, Sunday in
cluded," said the alderman. Il know
of one place In particular where the
key Is never turned in the lock from
one months end to the other.
1T 10 because l am an alderman
that my place is watched more closely
than the others. II l attempted to
run my place wide open l would get
good and proper.
Some of the saloons near me, count
Sunday as the biggest day of the
week. II the Sunday closing law
could be enforced so that all saloons
would close tight for the day, 1t
would be good thing for a great
many saloonkeepers who would like
to spend one day a week with their
families. but competition forces them
to swing the doors on the seventh
day"
Aid. Barnett, proprietor of the
Dresden cafe, who was listening to
Rutter's statement. smiled and said
why not be like mi. Bob? never
open my place on Sunday"
Don't your" asked Rutter in sur
prise.
Nope" replied Barnett. You
see I am fixed so that l can make
enough during the week TO keep me
over Sunday without kicking. But
OF course with you 1t Is different
your business Is in a location where
A fellow has to keep Open"
Police Commissioners Gillespie con-
tinues to refuse to talk for publ
cation on saloon matters or on any
other matter concerning his depart
ment.