Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-02-08
GUILTY PLEA GETS
RYAN NEW PERMIT
AND "kATY-DiDMT"
FEATURES or SALOON SQUAD
ELE CLOSED WHEN PROPRiE-
TOR ADMITS FORD TOLD TRO r
ONCE.

katy.did and Katy-didnt features
that have marked the episodes iead-
ing up to the Ryan saloon controversy
in the city council. were eliminated
this morning when the commissioners
10y vote of three to two decideE -
permit Ryan to reopen his place ol
business at SOL West Main street, by
regranting him his license.
Not until all the preliminaries had
been thoroly threghed cut by Commis'
sinnev Palmer in an exhaustive lnNeH-
tigation, was there any pretense ut
STRENGTHENING out the conglomerate
mess Of aihdayts that had been 1led
by George F. Ford, and Ryan hln'
self. BY going before Squire George
Koenig and pleading guilty to charte
of having violated the law ana keep
ing his place open on Sunday, Jana-
1rv 2l. when Ford said he did, later
said he didn't and in the next breath
said he did again-Ryan put an eh.
10 the suuabble and found he was
mingling in the did and didn't class
himself. He paid fine OF Sz5 AMI
costs and made promise he never
again would be dragged before the
council under like charge
Ford sprang q sensation when ne
went before the commissioners a week
ago with an affidavit accusing Ryan
of selling drinks on Sunday. The self
same day he came back to the eoup II
with another affidavit denying all the
/ charges in the first oath Then 10
complicate matters worse than ever,
ne fled his third affidavit regulating
No 2 and raatIrming that No. / was
+ the truth, nothing but the truth, etc.
K thereby leaving the council wllloWing
/ in a detp dank sea of doubt. To ado
further to tord's prospects for becom-
ing charter member OF the An1nias
club. Ryan came before the commits
sion and vetoed Ford's swearings In
NO. |, approved those in No. and
added little old affidavit all his
own in which he pat his accuser in
/ the ehort-and.ugly class and posed
/ himself as the greatly oppressed. In
/ cidentally he said in his testament
/ that he was not open on Sunday, Jan
aary Il. He added the closing chap.
ter last night when he went before
the Justice and admitted his saloon
was operating that day and paid his
fine OF S25 and costs.
The inquiry conducted by Commits
sionor Palmer resulted in securing
witnesses who we're ready to testify
that the Ryan affidavit and the Ford
amdavit No. were tinged with per
iurY and at the same they were willing
to admit having been In his salool
on the day in question, With th(
goods" in his possession. the com
missioner had little trouble eXtrlctin:
a confession and when Ryan prom
isod to be good in the future Mr.. Pal
ner was inclined to be ienient witt
. aim and told him he would do The
best he could TO secure q license fo
him
As an evidence of how confidential
some clients become will
, their counsel the attorne.
who represented Ryan in the pre-
ceedings up to this morning, was Of
deck to "get Justice for the "df
* adanf' not knowing that Ryan hat
switched from afidaSits drawn be
fore him and had entered a plea o
guilty. He even demanded proof Q
Ryan's guilt after Mr. Palmer ha
read Judge Koenig's affidavit shown
he had been fined in court
Commissioner Palmer presented
}. his colleagues a resolution in Whie
s he thanked those who had helped MI
y in the conduct OF the investigation
a end moved that Ryan be granted
u permit for the next quarter. Coinml
Q soner Campbell and COMMISSIONS
Q Helifrich voted "No" TO the reissaant
rs of the license. In his statement g
~ planning his reasons fer taking III
stand he did Commissioner C9mpDe
:. sail he had not given any Welght
. the anilavits filed by Ford, bee luse
% their contradictcry nature ana Whl
he realized Mr.. Palmers position al
the thoroness in which he Investigate
the charges, he could not vote for
man who admittedly was q violator
v the law and who had placed hlmst
in the same class with his accuse
ID When his name was called Comm
ie sioner Helifrich v0tcu no fer I
al same reason. Mayor Bradford, Co
at missio.lers Palmer and Meagher v
(COntlnupd on Page g.