Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-03-09
Club Banned
yCourt Opens
Again, LutzSays
After-Hours Place
On E St. Has New
Name, Probe Told
By ChorIes 6. Brooks

by ChoFleS y. BROOKS
A top police official revealed
today at a House District SUBJ
committee hearings on bottle
clubs that the Downtown Club
closed a few weeks ago by Fed
eral Court order, has reopend
under a new name.
Deputy Police Chief Clarence
H. Lutz, head of the morals di-
vision, told the committee the
after hours club, at COG E street
N. W., is open again with new
officers under the name of the
COG Club.
However. Inspector Lutz said,
"The same guiding spirit is be-
hind it,
He referred to Albert B. Click
field. alias AL Brown, who has
operated two other AFTERNOONS
clubs on the same location in
the past three years.
Immediately after Chief Lutz'
testimony. United States At
torney Charles M. Irelan de-
clared his Office would investi-
gate the new club to see if any
court action could be brought.
Court Granted Injunction.
A few weeks ago, Assistant
United States Attorney Hugh j..
MCGEE closed the club with a
permanent injunction granted
by the U. S. District Court for
the District of Columbia. The
court. as the same time, tempo
rarily closed another bottle
club pending final court action
on a suit to dissolve it's charter.
The action was the beginning
Of the Districts latest war on
the clubs, now receiving the at
tention of Congress.
Two years ago, authorities
closed the Gold Key Club at
the E street address, but Click
field, who has been convicted of
whisky offenses, Immediately re-
opened under the name of the
Downtown Club.
Today's hearings were held by
the subcommittee on Public
Service, Streets and Traffic.
Commissioner F. Joseph Dono-
hue, f1anked by other local Off
Gals, testified in favor of the
bill introduced by Chairman
Kearns of the subcommittee.
which would license bottle clubs
and bring them under the super
vision of the Alcoholic Control
Board.
Mr.. Donohue declared the
legislation would provide "the
one weapon the United States
Attorney and the Police Depart
ment need" to put AFTERNOONS
clubs out of business.
No Health Inspections.
He declared bottle clubs now
have no licenses and are not in
spected by Health Department
authorities. He said it is always
possible for any one to get in
without a membership card and
buy whisky illegally.
Mr.. Donohue told the commit
tee the clubs must be closed be-
cause they are a fostering sore
in the District and a danger to
the Nations Capital"
He was backed by Deputy
Police Chief Howard V. Covell,
who pointed out that as fast as
the clubs are closed down, the
arrangements open up again I'M
der new names and new charters.
He referred to Glickf1eld's sew
eral enterprises as a case in
point.
"The illegal sale of whisky,
prostitution and pandering make
up their chief business" the in
spector said.
Other officials favoring the bill
included Allan w. Payne, chair
man of the ABC Board, and
Corporation Counsel Vernon E.
West.
Little Opposition Expected.
The measure; taken from the
crime omnibus bill introduced
by Representative Davis, Demo-
crat, of Georgia, is expected to
meet with little opposition. It
has been introduced to the
House separately by Mr.. Kearns
with the hope that the Congress
would move more swiftly.
Representative Klein, Demo-
crat. of New York, declared that
there is no excuse for the ex-
istence of bottle clubs"
They don't serve any legiti-
mate function" he added. "And
they are unfair competition to
licensed places which have to
pay taxes and close at certain
hours"
Mr.. Irelan is scheduled to be
heard when the hearings resume
~ d.