Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-08-12
Dozen Arrested
In Montgomery
Beer Cleanup
Plans Are Drafted
For Police to Use
Plain Clothes

A cleanup of Montgomery County
beer establishments launched over
the week end by States Attorney
Ben G. Wilkinson, jr., Melted nearly
dozen arrests, including the pro-
prietors of two places, a checkup
showed today.
The drive was made in response
to complaints received by the Mont
gomery County Liquor Control
Board during the past several weeks
and forwarded to Mr.. Wilkinson by
James w. Gill, attorney for the
board.
Plans for putting Montgomery
County policemen in plain clothes
to visit a list of establishments
against which complaints have been
received were perfected Saturday by
Mr.. wilkinson and Acting Chief Roy
Bodmer of the county police.
Among the arrests made in the
drive were Paul Bouts, proprietor
of a tavern at Wheaton, who was
charged with staying open after
midnight Saturday, and John j.
Curtin, proprietor of the Hilltop
Inn, at Glen Echo, charged with
selling beer to intoxicated persons.
At the Hilltop Inn Bertha R. Fritz
zel, 40. waitress, also was charged
with selling beer to intoxicated per-
sons.
Dozen Drunk Arrests Made.
Nearly a dozen arrests were made
by police over the week end on
charges of drunk and disorderly
conduct in the Bethesda and Silver
Spring areas.
Mr.. Wilkinson said this morning
that several more arrests are ex-
pected in the campaign and are
being delayed pending investigation.
County police are checking the ages
of several mattresses believed to be
under 81 and also those of some of
the patrons, who they suspect to be
under 81.
The week end investigation re-
vealed several places where beer is
sold both to white and colored
patrons, Mr.. Wilkinson said. This
information was passed on to the
Liquor Board for whatever action it
saw fit to take in the event that
disorders are reported in the future.
The law does not prohibit the sale
of beer to white and colored persons
in the same establishment.
In forwarding a list of places
against which complaints have been
received, Mr.. Gill pointed out that
the liquor board has no law en-
forcement powers and asked aid
from Mr.. Wilkinson and police in
preventing violations The principal
complaints, he said, are undue noise,
manner in which patrons conduct
themselves going to and from certain
establishments. sale to minors and
intoxicated persons, selling after
hours and employment of mattresses
under 81.
Inspection Trips Made Daily.
The county police department has
made daily inspection trips to all
beer establishments in the county
during the last year, Mr.. Gill ex-
planned, but the visitation by officers
not in uniform was suggested as an
additional measure.
Mr.. Wilkinson declared today
that he and Chief Bodmer would
continue their investigation of
beer establishments throughout the
county and would make a report
to the liquor board within the next
week or 10 days.
I'VE can but conclude that the
visits of uniformed officers to vari-
GUS retail beer places has not been
adequate to control violations" he
said, land am going to work close
ly with the police department on a
program whereby these places will
be inspected by officers in plain
clothes whom we believe will not be
known to the retail dealers"
In the investigation over the week
end officers from the Bethesda sub
station were used to visit establish
ments in the Silver Spring area,
while officers from Silver Spring
visited places in the Bethesda area |
All the officers assigned to the drive
were in plain clothes.