The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-02-25
SAYS EXCISEMEN
VIOLATED Laws
Attorney Shoemaker Ayers
Board Wrongfully Granted
License to Grand Hotel.
MARKS HOTEL SCORED
4 =.
Numerous Other Charges of Partially
Made by Lawyer Before Senate
Investigating Committee.

Charges that the District Excise Board
grossly violated the spirit of the excise
law in granting liquor licenses to the
Grand Hotel, Pennsylvania avenue and
Fifteenth street northwest. an Mark S
Hotel. Tenth and streets northwest,
were laid before the Senate investiga-
ting committee yesterday by Albert Z.
Shoemaker. attorney for the District
Anti-saloon League.
Attorney Shoemaker raked the Excise
Board fore and aft. but he concentrated
his fire on the action of the board in
licensing the two hotels to sell liquor
in the face of adverse police reports
about the resorts Mr.. Shoemaker gave
particular attention TO the Grand Hotel.
sometime known both as the Bucket
O. Blood" and the Tub o. Blood
The exercise board granted a liquor
license to the Grand Hotel. said Attor-
ney Shoemaker" in the face of a report
from Acting Capt. Sprinkle. 81 the First
Police Precinct, setting forth that the
hotel was resort for street walkers and
women of questionable character and a
meeting and drinking place for men and
women.
Acting Capt Sprinkle reported that
in view of conditions in the hotel ii
was bjeCtionable to have a bar in con-
nection with 1t. But the license was re-
newed
Sold Liquor to Minors.
There now are two cases pending in
the police court against the management
on charges that it sold liquor to minors.
The majority of the stock in the COM
pany is owned by Edward Gardner. who
is manager and treasurer of the corpora
ton
Mr.. Shoemaker told of things he saw
at Marks Hotel when he visited the
place one night with Lieut.. Cats and
Detective Howes, both of the vice
squad.
The vice squad reports Marks Hotel
one OF the worst places in Washing
ton" declared Attorney Shoemaker.
while 1 was there the policemen
pointed out a number of women who
were driven into the streets when the
Kenyon red light law went into effect.
Most of the habitues of the resort are
characters well known to the police"
Attorney Shoemaker related the Incl
dents OF visit to the Philadelphia
House in Pennsylvania avenue between
Third and Four-and-a-Half streets.
THE dining-room was packed with
young men and women and they were
jammed in there like sardines." he said.
was serving liquor to
women without food in direct viola
ton OF the law.
"A woman was pushing her way up and
down the room through the crowd. sing
ing that song, This Is the Life and
the piano was going" asserted Mr.. Shoe
maker.
Some life that observed Senator
Sheppard. You say Mr.. Bride. member
Of the Excise Board. was with you Did
he Join in singing This Is the Life" >"
NO replied Attorney Shoemaker.
but Gen. Smith. chairman Of the Ex-
else Board, turned to me and said: Shoe
maker, 1 guess we've got to hand 1t to
you In this case / interpreted that to
mean the board would heed my protest
and refuse to renew the license to the
Philadelphia House. I was much sur
prised when the license was granted
within the next few days" =
Violated Wholesale Regulations.
Attorney Shoemaker charged that The
Excise Board had violated the excise
law in its rule governing wholesale liquor
places. saying: THE board ruled that
wholesale place may be established in
residence section IL not more than five
gallons of liquor Is sold in a lot. That Is
not the excise law. That Is an arbitrary
ruling Of the board"
The Excise Board also violated the
law, charged Mr.. Shoemaker. by allowing
saloons to open before g. m. He said:
The Excise Board ruled that q saloon
may open at e:l5. not to sell liquor. but
to clean up and get ready to sell, 10 they
won't lose Q minute when o'clock ar
rives."
Senator Jones: well. the board seems
to BE- technically within the law on that
point, but II seems mighty solicitous
about the liquor interests.
Attorney Shoemaker: Numerous COM
plants have been made to me that sa-
looms take advantage Of the SIS o'clock
opening and sell liquor before o'clock"
Senator Jones: 1T IL pretty safe to
.ay that II they are open before o'clock
hey are doing something they ought not
10 DO"
''Ths Excise Board svadsd the Law by
granting restaurant licenses to hotels
With less than my bedrooms" said BAR.
''rhe hotels I have In mind
arc Gus Bessicr's, ~ ennsyivania eve
nus; De Alleys. iA1 Pennsylvania I've
aus; NaAs'a - Hsansylvaaia avenue;
Ps1sasa,A ~ xAistssath strset; Gus