Perth Amboy evening news., 1914-04-28
Alleged "Speak Easy" SXooped
Down on by Chief Burke
This Morning.
EIGHT women ARE NABBED
Fined This Morning in Court for
Selling Liquor Without
License; 3 Charges.
SPENDING DAY IN THE JAIL
Raid Conducted NoiseleSsIy,
Women Falling Into Clutches
of Police; No Trouble.

In a determined effort to clean
out all the speak easies" that may
exist in the city, Chief of Police Pat
rick ]. Burke began his campaign
against such disreputable places by
raiding a blind tiger" at 609 State
street, which is alleged to have been
conducted for the past three months
or more by two women who give
their names as Mrs. Rose Karoni
and Mrs. Sas.
Taking the proprietresses by sur
prise policemen lead by Roundman
Morris, surrounded the house short
ly after IL o'clock, waited until the
house had been filled with patrons,
and Just before l O'Clock this morn
ing swooped down on their prey. So
noiselessly was the raid conducted,
that two women and six witnesses
fell into the clutches of the officers.
When the women were arraign-
ed this morning before Acting
Recorder Somogyi on three sep
arate charges of selling liquor
without license, Friday, Sunday and
Monday they were fined $40 apiece
on each charge, or a total of $120.
In default of the amount OF the fines,
TIE convicted dive keepers are
spending the day in Jail.
Through his patrolmen who have
reported suspicious happenings at
500 State street, which was appar-
emily d restaurant, Chief Burke had
the place on his "bla ok list" for about
three months. A nun. er of times he
started to raid the place, but every
thing was not exactly opportune. The
chief desired to take the dive by sur
prise, and apprehending his prey in
the act of violating the excise ordi-
nance.
An ignominious brawl occurred at
the place, according to the police,
early Sunday morning, which prob
act last night. Members OF the
squad going on duty at II o'clock
and members Of those going off duty
at that time were instructed to sur
round the place and when the dives
business was at his height to swoop
down on the "speak-easy."
Roundsman Morris and Patrolmen
MEgray, Muska and Rymarczk were
selected, to conduct the raid and they
3 rroundSd the dive shortly after II
o'clock. fHhey obscured themselves
in the viciGity and watched the
patrons walk in. When six or more
had entered, at a given signal,
Roundsman Morris and a patrolman
entered the rear of the place and the
other two patrolman came In at the
front door. The officers found the
customers sitting at two tables, one
of which bore five cups of coffee
mixed with whiskey, and on another
table were three cups of coffee mixed
with whiskey or rum. The patrons
made no effort to get away and with
the accused women were hustled into
the patrol wagon. In the hallway
the officers found four bottles of
Rheingold beer, and In a closet a
one-half gallon jug of whiskey.
The witnesses were paroled at the
police station for a hearing this
morning, and the two women were
released In 500 bail each. This
morning the arraignment was delay
ed for an hour by the non-appear-
ance of Mrs. Karoni, and the patrol
was sent for her. She declared that
she misunderstood the time of court
and was getting ready to come down.
She pleaded not to be compelled to
ride in the patrol, and walked to
headquarters, arriving shortly after
9 o'clock.
The police have been informed
that whiskey and coffee or rum and
coffee is favorite Hungarian drink,
and that this was a speciality at the
so-called restaurant. Mrs. Karoni
claimed that she had the beer and
,11r
nesses testified that she sold the
liquor intermixed with coffee, and
beer also, Independent of meals. The
two women we're fined for violating
Section 1 of the excise ordinance.