Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-08-11

saloon license there would have also
been suspended for 10 day period.
Step up here and explain to this
commission why it was you were sell
ing liquor in your saloon at 1880 Sun
day morning. was the way in which
Mayor Schriver opened the way for
Mr. Schmidt to tell the body about the
charge OF Sunday selling
i don't know that anything was
solo, replied Mr.. Schmidt.
Heard Loud Voices
well. do know" returned the
mayor. When l came by your saloon
Sunday morning ut 1870. heard sew
eral loud voices. ! stopped for a
moment and then after walking 80
or 40 feet, the talking grew so loud
that | returned The curtains had
not been drawn back as required by
the ordinances but l could see from
one side several men around a table"
There was no one in the saloon
but myself and members of my fam
lily" explained Mr.. Schmidt II did
not sell a drop of liquor to any one"
There was someone in there beside
your family. I know" declared Mayor
Schriver. Was the tall man with
black hat and shirt a relative? Why
have you got your back windows
painted and why did you let people
into your saloon Sunday afternoon? 1
know you let three men out of your
place and they were seen coming down
the alley
Didn't Have Rap.
Officer Kinney was then asked by
the mayor to tell of his investigation
of the place at the instance of Chief
Brinn Sunday afternoon at 4:2O.
II found the back gate barricaded
with a big lot of bottles and / had to
climb over the fence" he said. There
was a couple of fellows there and
asked one If could get in. / raped
on the door and fellow answered
closed down, nothing doing 1 then
went around to the front and through
the lobby of the Illinoies theatre and
raped again. ] could hear voices in
side and the clicking OF glasses. There
was fellow trying 10 get in at the
door, too. but when my knock was not
answered he said, You haven't got the
right kind of rap guess saw one
man coming out of the place and
two inside"
at seems to be your invariable
practice to keep the curtains drawn
tight in violation of the ordinance"
the mayor.
There were no outsiders in the
s5'oon Sunday" again explained Mr..
Schmidt. 81 and my two sons and a
man who was repairing an automobile
and came in TO get a tool were all
that were there. No drinks were
served"
Regulations Ignored.
"I. would seem that after all the
trouble you have had, you would learn
by experience" lectured the mayor. |
When the commission took up the |
provisions of the saloon ordinance, !
we decided not to force you to in
stall . clear window in the place Of
your expensive frosted front glass, but |
made an agreement with you that the |
curtains at the front and rear should |
be pulled back at night, so as to give |
the police full view of the bar, but
i Stems our regulations have been |
ignored By you
Mr.. Schmidt can be prosecuted for /
falling to draw back the curtains" /
said Commissioner Hart, but / don't l
think there is enough direct evidence !
IF drinking in the saloon on Sunday !
% warrant a suspension of the license.
As long as l don't know the actual
'acts, l believe in giving the other
fellow the benefit of the doubt
You know and l know and every
nan within the sound of my voice
Knows that men are not in a saloon
It 1870 on Sunday morning without
drinking" replied the mayor. Il be-
ieve the license ought to be suspend
ID for 10 days. but from the express
lions of Commissioners Hart and
Bear / see a resolution TO that effect
ill not carry and there is no use to
introduce it
Mr.. Schmidt was then released with
he understanding that he appear in
,olics court this morning.