The Chief Knew Seattle’s Dance Halls Were Selling Beer. He Had One Question.

In defiance of the state law and the orders issued by Chief of Police Sullivan, intoxicating drinks are being sold in all the variety theaters and dance halls in the paved and restricted district, says the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Women in abbreviated dress ply their vocation of “rustling” drinks in boxes, on the floor and at the bar, while within earshot of their pleadings to male companions can be found patrolmen who have orders issued by their chief or have been instructed not to allow the traffic to continue unmolested.

The state law in regard to the sale of intoxicating drinks in a place where women are employed is very plain. Time and time again Chief Sullivan has said he would put a stop to the practice, and orders are said by him to have been issued to patrolmen on the beats where variety theaters thrive, to arrest any offenders against that law.

At one time detectives were sent to the district, who served notice on the proprietors of the dives that they must stop, and the result was their doors were closed. Two weeks later, or thereabouts, some of them opened, displaying large signs announcing they were temperance places. Temperance drinks, if they ever existed, lasted but a short time. A drink known as “Klondike” came and while it was said by the owners of the places to be a half-made beer and non-intoxicating, a few glasses soon proved to be the undoing of sobriety. For a few more weeks the proprietors of the places did business under this plan until the drinks soon came to be called beer by the patrons of houses.

This condition proved to be acceptable to the police, and now there is no attempt to disguise the fact that beer is on sale to men and women alike. As an evidence of this last night at Riley’s place, when whisky was called for, a customer was informed they could not sell whisky, but he had beer which was served from the ordinary beer tap and in an ordinary beer glass. Half drunken men were dragged to the bar by women who, owing to the hour being early, were in a better state of sobriety, and called for beer. The same is the condition at all of the variety theaters, all of which face on the beats of patrolmen.

For the past two weeks Chief Sullivan has been out of the city and Capt. Willard has been acting chief. Yesterday Chief Sullivan returned and assumed his duties. However, he did not apparently think to inquire whether or not his order to stop the sale of intoxicating liquors in variety and dance halls was being carried out. Last night after reporters of the Post-Intelligencer had made an investigation of the conditions in the halls, Chief Sullivan was informed over the telephone of what was being done, and was asked if he had rescinded his oft-proclaimed order against such sales. In reply he said:

“There is a state law against the sale of liquor in variety theaters and dance halls and the order issued by me some time ago has not been rescinded. Are they selling it now?”

When informed that they were at all places, he replied:

“Well, there is a law against it,” and the interview closed.

Prosecuting Attorney Scott was not at his home when called up, but when informed of what was going on in open violation of the state law, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney E. C. said:

“There is no doubt that if the complaint is made to the prosecuting attorney he will vigorously prosecute any and all offenders against the state law. It is not the province of the prosecuting attorney’s office to do detective work, but if it is shown that the law regarding the sale of liquors in places where women are employed is being violated the owners will be prosecuted.

“This is the policy of Mr. Scott as he has announced it on several occasions, and it is well known. These are the instructions Mr. Scott gave to each of his deputies when he took charge of the office, and they have been carried out. The law is very plain in that matter, and if the variety houses employing women are selling beer, they are liable for prosecution, and will be so treated, when a complaint is made and evidence furnished.”

While beer is the only beverage publicly offered at variety houses, it is not impossible to get stronger refreshments, if the person applying is known. This is at least true at some of the places and probably of most if not all of them. Certain it is that beer is now called by its right name and while the quantity is not such as the brewery would wish to place its advertisement on, it is beer nevertheless.