Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-02-07
Murray Urges
Abolition Of
Bottle Clubs
Drop in Profits
Is Attributed to
Police Activity
By ChorIes 6. Brooks

GU4lGC GA11C1 kGUDGIG W MUITAy
today called for. the abolition Of
after-hours clubs in the District
and declared that they are q
nuisance and q menace to the
public.
At the same time, The Star
learned. the Districts war
against the bottle clubs already
has put q serious crimp In their
operations, even though no po-
lice raids have been made in the
past week and only two suits
have been fled in court to shut
down the establishments.
Patronage of the clubs had
dropped noticeably. and the man
ayers are beginning to notice a
definite drop in nightly profits
made from entrance fees.
charges for setups and actual
whisky sales, which, for years,
have been made in fragrant vio-
lation Of local laws.
Publicity Causes Drop.
The drop in after-hours club
patronage is viewed as the re-
suit of unfavorable publicity and
Assistant Corporation Counsel
Clark F. Kings announcement
that persons found in clubs when
they are raided will be sum-
moned to court as material wit
neSSeS.
The names of witnesses will
be made public.
Recently United States Attor-
ney Charles M. Irelan made a
plea to citizens to stay away
from the illegally operated clubs
numbering up to at last rs
as part of the concerted effort
to halt their operations.
He called them breeders of
crime" and warned decent" pa
irons that in attending the clubs
they often endangered their
safety and reputation.
Mr.. Irelan was joined by the
Morals Division chief, Inspector
Clarence H. Lutz, who declared
that a large number Of serious
crimes center about the after
hours clubS-crimeS that include
robberies. knifngs and black
mail.
Breakdown Promised.
At the same time, Chief Muir
ray called for the abolition of
the illegally operated establish
mentS, he announced that the
departments Morals Division
undercover men have been or
dered to dig up any and all evil
dence necessary to prosecute the
bottle clubs and their managers
in order to close them down.
The chief revealed that the
cheat" is on more than ever be-
fore and that detectives are put
ting in many hours of extra work
in the Investigations.
The job, officials concede, is
difficult because the managers of
illegal clubs have begun to eye
their patrons more carefully
making it more difficult for de-
tectives to make cases.
However, Chief Murray pointed
out that under the Police De-
partment's reorganization last
year, it is possible for under
cover men of different squads to
be used INTERCHANGEABLE.
The police chief joined In
spector Lutz and other District
officials in terming the penalties
for persons convicted Of keep
ing and selling whisky without a
license as ''too lenient." He called
for stronger laws governing bot
tie clubs and emphasized that
small penalties are often only a
small deterrent to criminals of
this nature.
The drive against illegal after
hours clubs here began when Mr..
Irelan and his assistant, Hugh
j. MCGEE, called a meeting of
District officials last Monday to
coordinate the breakdown.
The same afternoon Mr.. Nc
Gee filed suits against the Down.
town Club. COG E street NV,
and the Picadilly Social Club,
1901 Fourteenth street NV, in
the U. S. District Court for the
District of Columbia to close the
establishments.
Mr.. MCGEE promised that more
suits against other clubs are in
the off1ng.