The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-03-28
In New York
BY PAUL HARRISON

New OTk-IHeTe IS u pTclLy good demand for speakeasy doors, complete with peepholes and in- terior bars and locks. Quite q number of playfellows have bought the tradition -shrouded barriers of their favorite rendezvous and had them installed in their apartments or country houses. when they hap pcned to fit.
 But nobody has made an offer for the two:ton. quadruple- thick ness, hydraulically-o slid ing steel door of one place which now has attained responsibility by virtue of liquor license. The pro- prietors have acquired a genuinely sentimental regard for that door. and would like to see it cherished by some patron who wants to be made impregnable against bill col lectors, visiting relatives and old college chums. Their feeling for 1t is occasioned by the fact that the formidable contraption was largely responsible for the pre-repeal suc- cess of the esta blishment.
 Getting intd this speakeasy in those days was an impressive cere- mony, and the customers loved 1t. First one presented a little metal tag with a number. A brisk servi- tor in an anteroom chanted the number into a telephone. A man on the other end of the phone read back a date and an address. The first man then asked the pros- pective customer when he was born and where he lived. If the figures checked with the telephone information, the guest was allowed to pass into another small room where he checked his coat. Having done this q blue light would flash and the two-ton steel door would slide back, as by some eerie magic and there was the speakeasy.
 All this procedure was pure hokum. If the prohibition men had wanted to raid the place they could have walked in the back door just by turning knob.
 The doors stands open now. and even so 1t constitutes technical fire hazard and must be removed pretty soon.
 If nobody bids for 1t the
 prOprictOrs arc considering
 melting 1t down and casting
 bust of Andrew VOlstead. With Parents Consent
 One of New York's famous old jewclry firms is so conservative that, on one occasion, at least. 1t actually undertook to censor the inscription on a baby's mug
 It seems the infants godfather, c. waggish and often bibulous young man. decided to buy tho con vcntIonal silver mug and to have engraved thereon: ITO Herbert De- Blank. Jr-Another little drink won't do you any harm." The salesman looked dubiously at the order, said to pardon him mo- ment, and went into n huddle with the firms officials. Pretty soon he returned and said they were sorry but the order couldn't be accepted unless the child's parents agreed to the inscription. They did con- sent, and the words were reluc- tantly engraved.
 Max Steuer. the famous lawyer. says this story isn't strictly true But Broadway is chuckling over 1t, and insists on attributing # to him and to 0 certain Hollywood film UaSHatc. Anu ovcH as hSe'oh' ~ worth passing along:
 A playwright sued the movie man for plagiarism. contending that q film had been based on his play, without recompense. A New York lawyer defended the case and won 1t handily, then telcgraphcd his client: Justice hast tri- umphed." When the answer came back it read: Appeal case If possible"