Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-03-04

| distance. particularly at CRAFTS saloon.
No 222 9TH street southeast, where by
square cornered measurement. even
around a parking which he himself con.
structed evidently for the purpose OF
| making the distance farther. the saloon
| is still within 400 feet Of the Eastern
i High School,
Also at Shriner's place. 730 14th
street northwest, which by square
cornered or other measurements is 10
Gated within 400 feet of the New YORK
Avenue Presbyterian Church. In one
instance. at Mergner's place. AIS East
Capitol street, an iron fence was per
mitted to be constructed even across
a sidewalk close to the building IN
order to throw the measurement ny
Il course of travel around the parking,
to make the distance more than SOY
feet from public school at 70 9TH
street southeast.
Several other barrooms have been
granted licenses within 400 feet OF
public schoolhouses, churches and col
leges.
I'VE submit herewith plats made at
our request by the District surveyor,
giving the measurements at the above
and other places, and showing tne uis-
tances between saloons and churches,
schoolhouses and colleges by the snort
est course of travel to be IN many IN
stances less than 500 feet.
10. In this connection attention is
called to the fact that wherever !. build
or school purposes the board contends that
it is not a house of religious Worship
or a school or college within the mean
ing of the excise law. 1t has. therefore, in
many instances, permitted the saloons to
be operated within 400 feet of buildings
where large schools are conducted. or
where large congregations carry on re-
ligious worship.
IL. We direct attention to that clause
of the law which requires that no license
shall be granted any hotel the character
of which. the character of the pro-
prietor or manager of which. is shown to
be objectionable to said board
Notable Law Violation.
The most notable instance of vio-
lation of this clause is as follows: The
proprietor of the Grand Hotel, which
occupies government premises. was
granted a license. notwithstanding he
had been convicted of dispensing liquor
to a minor girl. and his license for
merry Cancelled, and notwithstanding it
was shown he had organized corpora
ton. which he controlled and i'll the
name of which he was applying for
license. and that Il strong report was
made against him by the police. At
the hearings conducted by the board
on the question of giving him re
neWal of license in October. 1914, the
police report was as follows:
The manager, Edward L. Gardner.
conducts garden in the basement of
this hotel. where they have music and
singing. Dancing is allowed on a plat
form set aside for that purpose This
is a resort for street walkers and
women of questionable character, and
the result Is meeting place for men
and women. In my opinion these con-
ditions are objectionable, in connec-
ton with bar, and should be elimi-
mated.
L. Sprinkle, acting captain. first precinct.
This testimony was corroborated by
Sergeant Cats of the vice squad of the
District police. both at the hearings be-
fore the excise board on the question of
renewing Gardner's license and before
our committee.
1T also developed in the testimony be-
fore our committee that cases are now
pending against the proprietor Of this
hotel Gardner, for selling liquor to
minor.
The testimony before this committee
will also show that other hotels We're
granted licenses which had been con-
Quoted in a disreputable manner
Law-Abiding Refused License.
az. The excise board has refused Ii
censes to properly conducted barrooms
and has granted them to disreputable
places in the same neighborhood over
strong protests. A saloon on the north
side of Pennsylvania avenue had been
carried on for many years by Mr..
Hurdle. No complaint had been made
against him. He was refused a IL
cense. or transfer of a license, and
across the street, the Philadelphia
House, which was clearly shown by
the most disgraceful and disreputable
resorts in this or any other city, was