New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-03-12
PLAIN JOHN Smith
WOULD TILT LID
Member of Rockefeller BIZ
BILE Class Sees No Harm
in Fight al Jacks.
SPEAKS AT HEARING
ON NIGHT LICENSES
Many Restaurants Represented
and $50 A. M. Is Suggested
as Closing Hour.

Despite the commissions thrown by New
York restaurant owners and managers
whenever the o'clock closing law is men
toned. interest in the theme was at low
ebb yesterday at the first public hearing
before Mayor Nhtchers "curfew commit
tee" Herman Ridder. the chairman. had
TO issue half q dozen calls before any one
took the floor 20 argue the question.
Even members OF the "lid committee
were derelict in attendance. Herman
Ridder. the Rev Nehemiah Boynton,
Professor Franklin II. Giddings and Fred
sterry were on hand. and William b. ELI
SON Michael Furst and Thomas NJ. Mulry
were absent The committee expects TO
absorb all the available information on
the subject Of nocturnal deglutition and
inhibition. and Will then make its recon-
rnendetionS TO the Mayor.
Just as Mr. Ridder was beginning TO
think that there wasn't going to be any
meeting one John Henry Smith arose 10
state that he was a plain man with a
plain name. lie then proceeded to mako
himself so.
Mr.. Smith is q member OF John D.
Rockefeller, jr.'s. Bible class. but. for ali
that he couldn't see why a little thing
like a fight in restaurant-his reference
being 10 Jack's--was any reason why that
restaurants license should be amputated.
There are lots Of fights in New York"
ne declared.
Frank A. X. Boland, representing the
,1Iotel Mems Association. helped 10 keep
the conversational ball rolling my making
a pair Of recommendations: First. that
temporary alL-night licenses continue to
! be obtainable when large dinners are
being served; second, that hotel dining
rooms be permitted to stay open all night
Just as many Of the cheaper restaurants
are granted the privilege.
Mr.. Ridcer inquired what the speaker
thought Of ordering drinks before
o'clock and serving them about $3.50. Mr..
Boland hesitated and said he'd think It
over.
Alderman William Lane, representing
the Pekin, Toxic and other restaurants.
said he had noticed that the people liked
to scintillate from one place to another"
He advocated 2:30 o'clock as a reasonable
hour for turning of the music, cabaret
and liquor and $50 o'clock as a 1T clos
ing hour
Charles Fischer appeared for Reisen-
weber's. the Casino. and tho Hotel Shell
burne; John ]. Byrne put in a good word
for the United Liquor Dealers Assooia-
ton Of Kings County; Adolph Sueskind
spoke up for Terrace Garden. and AL
phonse G. Koelble backed him up with a
plea that the large German population OF
the city be not deprived of their beer. All
expressed satisfaction with the present
law. but indicated a willingness to well
come any little liberties that the COM
mittee might recommend.
Shut up the tango places" was tho
message OF Dr. Samuel O. Tracy. Let
q few good places stay open. so that noe
turnal workers will not be deprived Of a
place TO 60"
Miss Mary de q. Trenholm and Miss
IL k Graham addressed the committee.
Miss Trenholm. g settlement worker,
urged that public dance halls be made
TO abide by the liquor laws. Some OF
them. she declared. served drinks as late
as o'clock Sunday morning. Miss
Graham is general secretary of the Epis-
copal Churches Temperance Society and
an advocate of early closing.
After the hearing the committee bal
anced It's books and decided that some
people thought one way and some an
other So there will be another hearing
on Monday afternoon.
John Dunstan. proprietor OF Jacks,
called at the City Hall yesterday but did
not succeed IN seeing Mayor Mitchell. He
,rae rAfArred IN SECRETARY Woods and
was with him only a few minutes.
MI Woods said that Dunstan had In
qured the reason for revoking his IL
cense. and was told what the secretary's
investigation had disclosed.
He had not asked for a renewal OF the
license, sir. Woods said.