City Council Denies Liquor License to Infamous Proprietor

At the meeting of the City Council, an application for a license to sell liquor at a Jackson Street location, one and a quarter miles from the bay, was introduced. There was great dissatisfaction, and a protest was introduced to make the neighborhood undesirable. The applicant for the license was Richard Pritchard. For more than a month previous to the filing of this application, such an action had been anticipated by the people interested in the neighborhood, and there were in the hands of the License Committee of the council at the time of the application two remonstrances against the granting of the license. One was signed by about 125 of the residents and property holders of the ward, protesting against the granting of the license to Richard Pritchard because of his alleged bad character and reputation. They set forth that it was generally understood that Pritchard had procured his location for the sole and known purpose of establishing at that point a house of prostitution, and that his application for a license for the sale of liquors was only to facilitate his principal object. The second remonstrance was signed by about 50 or 60 of the property owners requesting the council not to grant any license, as it would injure the value of their property. It is well known that Richard Pritchard is one of the firm of Pritchard & Lester, who were convicted on the charge of keeping a house of ill fame on the corner of Washington and South Second streets. Upon the announcement of the application, there was an immediate motion that the license be granted. A spirited debate followed. Mr. Day opposed the license, citing that it was a residence community with no demand for a saloon, and that Pritchard was not a person of good moral character. Mr. Wusthoff argued for the applicant, claiming Pritchard wanted to lead a decent life. Ultimately, the application was rejected by one majority.