Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-14
LICENSE COURT ORDFR
CLOSES BACK ROOMS'
Five Saloonkeepers Saw
Licenses by Shutting Place.
Police Attack
DANCEHALL ABOLISHEn
Complaint Against Alleged Resort a.
Tenderloin Habitues Taken 4
Under Amusement ta

Felix stated that the only purpos. ~.
police department had in bringing "a.
monstrances against saloonkeeper, ma.
to close up the back rooms OF the n,,..s
that they found to be dlsorder,v ~.
said the rear rooms seem to be mad. ~.
gathering places for Objectionable ch.,.
acters who get beyond the control % IN.
saloonkeeper in their conduct.
Withdrawal Not Allowed
The Judges. however, would not ns,l
nit the withdrawal of a remonstrsnc.
against Leon Mickevycz. 33s-3s North
Tenth street, next door to the old NJ.
tional Theatre, although Mickevvc,
closed the back room of his place tvo
weeks ago and promised not to Oman
II again. After. hearing the evidenos
of several members Of the vice SQUAD
and Mickevycz's promise to sell M
license as soon as he could find buya,,
the Court took under advisement r.
motion asking for a revocation of IN
license.
Since Mickevycz has had the licensA
more than year, the place Is said IA
have become a rendezvous Of the Ten.
derloin's most disreputable characters
Traffiickers in narcotic drugs have mads
the saloon their 'hang-out." say ths
police, and on January 23, when the
Police Department, in conjunction with
the Federal authorities, raided the plaza
twenty packages of dope were found In
the toilet room and about 200 emuty
papers that apparently had contained
drugs The police also testified that
80 ,,.l.z
the saloon was most dlsorderly and
disgraceful.
Old Tavern Attacked n
A remonstrance alleging that the tay.
ern conducted by Richard Hess, at 6SOk
Ridge avenue. which has been a licensed
hostelry since 1887, was no longer l
necessity and should be closed was pre-.
sented by ID. Clarence Gibboney, presi.
dent of the Law and order Society, on
behalf of four residents of the neirh.
borhood. The Judges held the matter
under advisement. u
The neighbors. c. Morris Swartlsy,
George e Brown, John Fiel, Jr., and
Abraham II. Bates. said that the placs
has not paid for the last few years
During the first week of last February,
Hess closed the saloon and did not open
it until last Tuesday. Hess, however,
explained that the reason he closed was
that the Sheriff had levied on his place
for debt he had contracted by making
himself an Accommodation ndorser' on
a note for n friend who had not lived up
to. the obligation. The complaint that
there was a school directly across the
street and a church three properties
away did not hold good, his counsel
tl,a Ix~~
before the other buildings. n
Music and Rum Ruling.
Tomorrows session will no doubt be
the most important one of its history.
1t Is expected that then the judges will
announce a final and binding decision
as to the mixing of music and dancing
with liquors. Heretofore they have ex-
pressed their opinion as being opposed
to cabarets and dancing in the same
room where liquor is Sold no matter
how small or how large the place may
be. Tomorrow the court will have Z
final hearing on the remonstranos
against the license at the Continental
Hotel. Ninth and Chestnut streets
where dancing was permitted on the
roof garden. Should the judges ruls
that dancing should not be permitted The
decision will affect the city's largest
hotels and cafes. O.
Should the Court decide against the
hotel and rule music and dancing must
be discontinued or the license revoked
all the large Philadelphia hotels will
be forced to eliminate cabarets A fur.
ther hearing also will be held on the
remonstrance filed against Sigmund
Needles, proprietor of cafe at RidC
and Girard avenues. He employs two
professional singers. in addition to mu.
sic and dancing features. Witnessed
VINO live nearby, testified their sleep b
disturbed by the music and singing.
ana that parties leaving early In the
morning act In a disordery manner
In addition. 1t is charged liquor wa
served to minors.