The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-17
20 DRY AGENTS
RAIDDALY CAFE
AND SNIFF RUM
Broadway Drinkers Treated
to Spectacular Arrests at
White Way Bar.
HADwARRANTs FOR EIGHT
Men and Women Diners in
Crowded Restaurant Lose
Interest in Their Meals.

Days, 20 East Forty-second street,
a place that has served food and drink
to people Of discriminating tastes and
loosened bankrolls for twenty years.
was raided last night by agents Of the
Department Of Justice in manner no
more gentle than If It had been a blind
pig in a tough neighborhood.
Twenty agents entered the place,
which occupies a whole building and
is conspicuous because it presents a
prim old English front TO the street in
contrast TO the straightfaced office
buildings that adjoin it on both sides
between Fifth and Madison avenues.
Equipped with John Doe warrants for
eight and the authority of the war
prohibition law, the agents walked in
just as many lights began to illum-
mate the front and took full posses
sion of the barroom and two restau-
rants.
bar that is long enough to require
two cashiers to handle the checks men
were close in crowded groups with others
waiting behind them and trying to catch
the attention of one of the ten busy bar
tendera High powered cash registers
buxzed continuously.
Picking out the Bartenders.
The agent in charge walked the length
OF the bar behind it picking out bar
tenders for whom he had warrants He
appeared to know them all by name.
As he picked each man he ordered him
from behind the bar. whether he was at
the beginning or the end of filling an
order, and many a congenial party went
all to pieces then and there.
Bernard Daily. the proprietor. hurried
to the cafe from his office. He found a
group of agents, all of them proclaim
ing their office by badges on their coat
lapels, taking inventory of the stock
behind his bar. DAILY offered no objec-
tons
Agents picked out many bottles from
under the bar that they appeared to
view with suspicion because. of their
resemblance to familiar models and the
color of their contents. These bottles
were passed to one of their number who
shifted and then named the liquid as
whiskey. gin or brandy. A table in the
rear restaurant was filed with these
exhibits.
The crowd in front of the bar was OF
the prosperous Broadway sort 1t al
fected to view the proceedings with
amused interest, but there was a notice
able decrease in the volume Of chatter,
Two msn, evidently under the influence
Of liquor, asked questions of the agents
that indicated a willingness to engage
In an argument. Daily chased them out
Of his place.
Orchestra Fails to soothe.
In the upstairs restaurant some of the
parties cut dinner short and departed
The orchestra began to play, but nc
one appeared to have a desire to dance
The agents made no effort to interfere
with the diners, but the continuous pro-
cession of men through the aisles in q
search for walters was not conducive tc
good appetites.
Joseph F. Mulqueen, Jr., Assistant
United States Attorney. supervised the
raid. While liquids were being combs
Gated behind the bar lawyer friend Of
DAILY, who had been dining in the place
questioned Mr.. Mulqueen about the
legality of the proceeding. The Govern
ment attorney said that the agents were
acting within their rights.
Four men were arrested. They were
Charles Smith, IS, bartender; George ]
Lutz, 40, waiter; George Thompson, rs
waiter, and Nick Kefalis. 80. waiter
The other four warrants will be served
when the defendants are found.
Daily affected good humor until thu
prisoners were assembled for removal Il
Police Headquarters Then he showed
concern. He said he was anxious u
avoid a scene. His offer to engage I
coupla Of taxicabs was accepted.
The prisoners will be arraigned to-da!
before United States Commissions
Samuel NJ Hitchcock.