Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-03-21
CAN'T BUY BOTTLED
BEER IN COATESVTLLE
License Court at West Chester
Hears Plea for Permit to
Supply Demand


WEST CHESTER, Pa March 2i-Res.
idents of Coatesville and West chester are
annoyed because they cannot buy bottled
beer in their city. y score of them testified
TO this annoyance in the License Court
here today when the application of Joseph
NJ. Koris, manager Of the Speakman House.
for a bottliuE license was continued.
The indignant ones from Coatcsville
said that in order to get beer in bottles
they had been forced to send TO points
out Of town and this had been lncouvent-
ent and Troublesome
The West Chester ones whose ire had
been aroused were negroes They asked
the Court TO grant a license for a hotel
in their part Of the town. the East End
where they could get drink when they
wanted 1t without submitting to insults
from bartenders or waiting until white
people had been served.
The negroes said. too, that they wanted
20 drink cocktails, but the white barteud.
ers in the three saloons now existing in
West Chester would not serve them fancy
drinks, The attitude of the Judges was
that stronger need for negro saloon
would have TO be shown before they
would grant a new license.
The case was taken under udvlsement
but the general feeling is that no new
licenses will be granted by the Court,
A. s. Jackson, special agent for the
said that Koris, OF the Speakman House
bar, sometimes abused men in his bar
q room and had been accused of short
changing foreigners. The NO-LiCeuse Com.
mittee summoned nearly a score of wit
nesses TO combat the testimony of those
in favor of u wholesale license.
The next petition considered was that
of Aubrey Smith Of Cheyney, Delaware
County, who asked the Court to allow him
TO sell liquor at the Magnolia House,
which was closed five or six years ago be.
cause of alleged violations of the law.
This was the fourth application made
by Smith in as many years, and in order
10 show the need for saloon. his attOr-
ney, Thomas w, Pierce, summoned about
Is indignant negroes They said that fire.
quently they had been left TO stand before
the bars I'm the three West Chester Hotels
for 10 minutes before the bartenders would
serve them; that they had been treated
with cOntumely and contempt. their feel
ings thereby being greatly injured.
The applications Of four more men who
want 10 sell liquor in the county were
heard this afternoon, and in all the cases
argument was deferred In three of them
no opposition was offered, these being
the applications Of Norris Sellers Turks
Head Inn, and Charles WeInEaTtner,
Green Tree Inn, of this place, and the
Wholesale application Of William II. Stoll,
of PhOeniXvlle.
Sometimes you have to hunt for a
place 10 get a drink" said John Will
liams with considerable feeling.
II was never refused, but the drinks
come awful slow" said John II. Reed,
causing a litter In the courtroom.
II was testified that there are many
fraternal orders among the negroes and
that when lodge brothers came to town the
hosts We're unable 10 find suitable accom-
mediation for them or got them anything
TO drink with much difficulty.
An effort was made by Mr.. Pierce 10
show that negroes could not get lodgings
at any of the hotels, but Judge Butler
ruled that the need for a negro lodging
house did not show a need for another
saloon.
The picturesque type of the negro in
Prince Albert coat and gray beard the
type of the church deacon fashion, was
much in evidence. one Of them, Edlu-
boro COggins, caused amusement through
a fire red belt, which peeped from under
his gray vest. Other witnesses testified
that there has been less drunkenness and
less disorder in the negro section OF West
Chester since the license for the Magnolia
House had been revoked.