The sun., 1918-12-07
POLICEMEN FAIL IN
PASSAIC RUM HUNT
%Clubwomen, However, Find
Children Able to Buy
Drink at Bars.
THEY CAUSE 2 ARRESTS
Miss Smith Will Present Her
Batch of 200 Confessions
to School Board.

The small remnant OF placidity
which Passaic, N. j., still knew yester-
day morning had vanished entirely
last night because Of the days de-
velopments concerning the charges of
Miss Alma l.. Smith, principal of Pub
lie School No. 2, that saloon keepers
have been selling beer and whiskey to
her youthful pupils, and that 200 of
them have come into their class rooms
In the last few weeks under the in
fiuence either Of liquor or Of cough
drops containing narcotics which
they obtained at local drug stores.
The publication Of the accusations
raised a storm. Police officials ex-
pressed scepticism and several private
inquiries were started in an attempt to
discredit Miss Smiths statements.
Despite ringing editorials in the local
newspapers the tide Of public opinion
appeared to halt and then to waver
yesterday n until the Mayor,
George N. Scger, turned uneasily or
his sick bed and spoke:
IF, as Miss Smith says, 200 out OF
AGI oOU CUlluTtu nave DttH uIlutT TIE
Influence of stimulants this thing must
have been going on for some time. I
hope Miss Smith has the evidence
necessary to obtain convictions. II
she hasn't those who have sold liquor
to the children probably will refrain
for a time and then start in again.
She deserves the greatest credit for
her work and will nave the fullest
support OF all the city departments"
Police Begin Seeming.
The immediate effect Of the Mayors
last sentence was the despatch OF
members OF the police force into the
n~eighborhood of the school with orders
to maintain the strictest watch upon
all saloons and prevent anything that
could possibly reflect upon the fair
name of the city. Although the police
themselves caught no culprits red
handed Mrs. l. Waters Sylvester and
Mrs. John B. Fitchett, both OF whom
are interested in child welfare work,
were more successful.
Mrs. Sylvester Is the only woman
member Of the Board of Education, is
president of the Monday Afternoon
Club, a leader in the New Jersey State
Federation of Women's Clubs and an
art authority. Mrs. Fitchett is equally
prominent. The two gave a ten-year-
old lad some silver and sent him into
the saloon Of William Tolenko at 1928
Second street with instructions to buy
q half pint OF whiskey IL possible.
They assert that the boy returned a
few minutes later with the liquor.
Then Mrs. Sylvester and Mrs. Fitchett,
accompanied by Mrs. Robert Yates,
assistant attendance officer Of the
School Department, entered the estab-
lishment and told the bartender ex-
actly what they thought.
Girl Also Buys Drink.
A similar incident occurred, so Mrs.
Sylvester and Mrs. Fitchett later told
Judge Costello in the police court, at
Abraham Endler's saloon at 1872 Third
street. In this instance the purchase
was a by an eleven-year-old girl
instead Of a lad. according to the COM
plant. The W saloon proprietors
were arrested, charged with selling
liquor to minors. n their cases were
continued until Monday.
Visits were made to several other
saloons but the club women explain
their failure to obtain further results
by saying that wireless signals had
flown all over the Passaic East Side,
revealing what was afoot.
The Board Of Education decided
yesterday to hold a special meeting
Monday. when Miss Smith will present
h alleged confessions from the 200
boys and girls h says came to school
In a state that Passaic cannot stand
for in these enlightened days.