Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1919-07-01
POSSIBLE To GET I
ANY DRINK HERE
IN MOST PLACES
Some Barrooms Are Closed Up,
But as Whole Town Is
Wide Open Today

When the nation went dry last
midnight Perth Amboy stayed wet
| That's one fact among the sea of un-
certainties in which the general pub
| lie seems to be houndering In regard
to the enforcement of the prohibitioT
amendment that was slated to becomes
effective this morning.
Police Chief Patrick J. Burke, act-s
ing on advices from County Proseeu-
tor Joseph E. Stricken, and chairman
of the Police Committee William O..
Wilson has instructed his men to warn
saloonkeepers and liquor dealers that
they must not sell whiskey, brandy Or
other highly intoxicating beverageAs
but that they may on their own rel
sponsibility sell beer of not more than
2.T5 per cent. alcoholic content No.
mention is made of wine OF small all
cholic content.
Chairman william Wilson, of the
aldernanic police committee, de-
clared today that as executive head
of the city it WIS up to the mayor to
see to the enforcement of all laws OF
the city. The police committee, as
head of the police department. will
see that all orders of the mayor are
| followed out, he said.
Mayor Frank Dorsey stated that he
would not issue any instructio ons re-
garding the sale of liquors in this city
| until he had consulted with the city
attorney. No instructions have been
received from him by the police de-
partment SO far.
| Last minute purchasers of booze
here came near swampfng some Of
i the local saloons and retail shops.
One storekeeper who does o large
4 business reported that his average
5000 yesrs, Gay ana fasfa "a a16 fsssrs Z
creases ranging from two hundred to
five hundred per cent in sales were
reported by many dealers.
IT has been decreed at Washington
| that Federal agents will not interfere
| with the sale of PTS beer, according
to press reports. United States Dis
| trict Attorney Charles II. Lynch stat
| ed at his Office in Newark this morn
| ing that he had received instructions
to prosecute any liquor dealers against
! whom complaints are received. lie
| said that agents of the Department Of
| Justice and other federal departments
would be on the lookout for viola
| TONS
The method to be employed by u. s.
District Attorney Lynch would permit
| the filing of complaints against sa-
looms by private persons, organiza-
tions or municipal or state authors
| ties. The Department of Justice would
| then proceed against the vi5istor with
| federal warrant to be served by tins
United States marshal. After tnat ~
will be up to the courts to unite the
| tightest knot that legislation has made
in this country since the Indians stops
!. ped drinking fire water.
The upshot of the whole matter
will probably be half a dozen test
cases Some dealers will question the
right of the government to interfere
at all, some will want to know which
branch of the government can make
rulings es to the percentage Of alco-
hol necessary to produce intoxica tion
and still others will question the con-
| stitutionality of the amendment 1T
/ self So far as the public is concerns
| ed it may look for a series of fights
| that will terminate either In the
| United States Supreme Court or In
1 action by congress.
In the meantime the sale OF strong
drinks goes merrily on here. A NEWS
reporter had no dificulty in obtaining
all kinds OF drinks at several bars
this morning. Some of the cafes are
closed tight, but they are the excep-
| ton.
i To say that Perth Anboy presents
a different situation from other cities
lin regard to the liquor dealers attl-
I (Continued on page 81 a