St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1918-08-24
ABlTA SALOONS
CLOSED FOR
VIOLATING
LAW
Evidence Was Gained By
Council of Defense
Detectives.
JUDGE CARTER
! SCATHINGLY REBUKES
Saws He Is Behind the Good
People Enforcing
the Laws.

Learning that the liquor laws were
he;ng violated continually and that
No arrests were being made, the
C0uncil of Defense took the matter
into its own hands, closing up two
sa,oons at Abita Springs and causing
the arrest of one man in Covlngton
nv Federal authorities, John Coltora,
fnr selling to soldiers in uniform.
The Abita saloons were charged by
Indictment of District Attorney Vol
Brock, on testimony secured by the
Council, with violating both the Cay
Shattuck and the Sunday laws, SELL
Ing to whites and blacks under the
same roof.
What was formerly the Biggio sa-
loon, was being conducted by Mr..
and Mrs. Robinson, it is said. The
other Abita saloon was known as
The Rausch barroom. Mr.. Robinson
4 vas not in Abita, at the time the ar
rests were made Thursday, but Mrs.
Robinson was brought before the
court and pleaded guilty. She was
fned $4,000 under Sunday law and
9250.OO under Gay-Shattuck law,
and to pay costs; in default, twelve
and six months in jail.
Joseph Rausch pleaded not guilty
10 both indictments. 4 recess was
taken of half an hour to allow DIS
trict Attorney Brock to bring some
witnesses into court. In the mean
time Mr. Rausch consulted with MS
attorney, Mr.. Ellis, and he in turn
held q consultation with Judge Car
Ter. Mr.. Brock and Mr.. Davis and
M. .IMackie of the Council OF De-
Tense. Mr. Ellis advised Rausch to
plead guilty, which at first he refus-
cd to do. AS there were legal oo-
stacles .preyenting the taking away
Of Rausche's license, 1t was hnally
decided that il he would plead guilty.
and agree to destroy his license, the
aame fine and penalty would be i'm
posed as in the Robinson case, put
that the fine would be suspended II
he carried out the further sentence
j Of the Court, which was that he was
% close up his business by the first
of September and only keep open be-
tween the hours of a. m. and p.
M, and not again violate the law:
Rausch agreed to this. He at first
claimed he was not then the owner
0f the barroom, having transferred 1t
to his son-in-law.
In passing sentence Judge Carter
gave a withering rebCke to the de-
PENDANTS. He said he had warned
Nr. Rausch not to violate the law
and there was no excuse for running
disreputable places.
In passing sentence upon Mrs. ROD
inson, Judge Carter said that he un-
/ derstood she was not only running a
I disreputable saloon, hut that she was
f1nning a bawdy house. That the
place was stencil in the nostrils OF
ctsilized people He gave her one
i hour in which to close up the place
4 and revoked her license.
Judge Carter stated that as long
y 9 he was supported by the good peo-
! 1le Of the community he proposed
70 see that they had full protection
of the law and liquor violations
should not go unpunished. He also
told Mr. Rausch that he would have
daily reports as to the manner IN
which his saloon was being conduct
g, and that the first relaxation TO MS
Old methods would cause his arrest
Y and the closing of his saloon.