Evening star., 1938-11-18
Rossiter Case
Liquor Ruling
Due in Week
Three-Hour Bottle
Is Staged as 100
Persons Testify

Decision on the application Of Leo
j. Rossiter for a liquor license for
his restaurant at 4132 Georgia
avenue, over which a three-hour
battle was staged yesterday, is ex.
pected to be announced by the Alco-
holic Beverage Control Board in
about week.
Members of the board said con-
siderable study would have to be
given to the weighty transcript of
arguments before they could con-
slider a decision. The case has been
before the board for two years and
once the application was denied and
once withdrawn in the face of oppo-
Sition.
More than 100 witnesses testified
at the hearing yesterday and, &C
cording to unofficial counts, they
were divided almost equally as to
their opinions. Some of those pro-
testing against the application said
they represented groups having large
memberships. On the other hand,
attorneys for Mr.. Rossiter offered
a petition signed by more than 700
persons.
Close to Schools.
Directors brought out that only a
small percentage of the petition
signers were residents of the Pet.
worth area
School, parent teacher, church and
civic workers, marshaled by Harry
O. Craven and Ernest Henry of the
PetWorth Citizens Association,
argued that the license be denied.
primarily because of the proximity
OF the restaurant to public schools
serving thousands of children.
Mr.. Rossiter, who took the stand
to plead his own case, said he ap-
piled for the license because of re-
peated requests from his customers.
He said he would have gained
great increase in business if he had
been permitted to sell drinks to his
customers. He estimated that about
68 per cent of his business was in
food. and the remainder in beer,
wine and tobacco.
Mr.. Rossiter was represented by
George c. Horning, jr, and Albert
Levin.
Group Representatives.
Among group representatives who
opposed the Rossiter license were
Miss May Bradshaw, principal of
Roosevelt High School; Howard B.
Stafford, principal of Mcfarland
Junior High School, Bessie K. Lacy,
principal of the Petworth Elemen-
tary School; George w. Potter, pres
ident of the Petworth Citizens AS
sociation: the Rev. c. E. Hawthorne,
pastor of the Wallace Memorial
Presbyterian Church: the Rev. Frank
Steelman, pastor of the PetWorth
Methodist Episcopal Church. the
Rev. Henry j. Smith. pastor Of the
Petworth Baptist Church; Mrs.
Osgrave Nelson of the Petworth
Woman's Club. and S. J. McCathran
of the Congress of Parents and
Teachers.
Miss Bradshaw said the license
should not be granted because there
were 7,76l pupils attending schools
serving the general area. She also
made the point that large num-
bers of adults attend night school
classes and community center activ-
tiles at the Roosevelt and Macfar-
land schools.
In his question of witnesses, Mr..
Horning brought out that persons
going to and from events in the Pet
worth area pass by numerous res
taurants which have liquor licenses.
He brought from the pastors of the
churches statements that they were
opposed to sale of liquor in any loca-
tion as a matter of principle
When R. T. Haugh, president of
the Petworth Parent Teacher As
sociation, read a resolution adopted
by his group, opposing the license,
Mr.. Horning made the point that the
association had not invited Mr.. Ros-
sitter to attend the meeting to state
his side of the case. Mr.. Haugh
replied that if any of Mr.. Rossiter's
children were pupils of the Pet
worth School. notice of the meet
ing would have been sent to him
automatically.
Mr.. Horning asked Mr.. Haugh
what was his opinion of the charac-
ter of the establishment operated
by Mr.. Rossiter, and the witness re-
tOrted: I am not q SnOOper."