Tacoma Cracks Down on Gambling and Licensing
The city council pushes for reform by replacing a compromised license inspector and moving to suppress gambling.
The story, cleaned up
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Resolutions instructing the mayor and chief of police to suppress gambling were passed at the city council meeting this evening. This afternoon, Chief Davis notified several saloonkeepers to close up forthwith, because they had not secured new licenses or proper transfers of old ones previously held by other parties. This action was followed at the council meeting by the appointment of a new license inspector in place of Inspector Hice. It is charged that Hice did not demand new licenses for several places, and that he had arranged to allow one saloon to pay its $500 fee on the installment plan, contrary to the city ordinance. Another saloonkeeper claims to have paid $500 for his license, but there is no record of the amount having been turned in to the city treasurer. An investigation begun last week resulted today in Hice's removal and the appointment of Mr. Schaefner as his successor.
“It is charged that Hice did not demand new licenses for several places, and that he had arranged to allow one saloon to pay its $500 fee on the installment plan.”
Political corruption regarding liquor licensing and the enforcement of morality laws was a frequent battleground in 19th-century Washington cities. This fight for municipal accountability echoes modern debates over city oversight and revenue collection.
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