SUNDAY-LAW NOTES | AdventAI

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Feb 22, 1905

SUNDAY-LAW NOTES.

"BREAKERS of the Sabbath received a hard jolt in Judge Dickinson's court yesterday," reported the Minneapolis (Minn.) Tribune, of December 1, "when Gust Berglung, Frank Barker, and George Newson, barber-shop proprietors, plead guilty and were fined $10 each for violating the statute against Sunday labor." The prosecutions were at the instance of an agent of the barbers' union, which "has undertaken a crusade against violators of the Sabbath law who keep open barber shops on Sundays, and will bring charges through their agent wherever evidence can be discovered." Another barber arraigned at the same time plead not guilty, and his trial was set for a later date.

It is announced that Governor Herried of South Dakota will recommend in his annual message to the Legislature "amendments to the game law prohibiting Sunday shooting," and that he thinks "such provisions should carry a heavy penalty for their violation."

In New Orleans, on December 20, Jules J. Mumme was tried before Judge Aucoin in the second city criminal court on the charge of violating the Sunday law on October 20. He was found guilty, and December 23 was set for sentence. Several other alleged Sunday-law violators were tried and acquitted, the evidence being insufficient to hold them.

A despatch from Morgan City, La., under date of December 20, stated that "the sheriff of this parish has had circulars printed and posted around notifying the different business houses in this parish that the Sunday law will be rigidly enforced, and warning all places of business to close up after 12 o'clock Saturday nights."

In St. Paul, Minn., on December 23, "three clothing merchants were brought into the police court on warrants charging them with selling goods on Sunday. They entered pleas of guilty, and were fined $1.00 each. The arrests were caused by the agent of the retail clerks' union, who secured five other warrants at the same time. This is said to be the commencement of "another crusade for the enforcement of the Sunday-closing law" by the retail clerks' association, a member of which is thus quoted on the matter in the St. Paul Globe."

We are determined that the law is to be enforced, and have decided to prosecute every man arrested. The large stores now observe the law, but it is not fair to them nor to the men compelled to work on Sunday if some of the dealers are allowed to do business on that day. The retail clerks' association conducted a campaign against several grocers a year ago, with the result that now most of that class of stores are closed on Sunday. The dealers included in the present movement are engaged in selling clothing and gentleman's furnishing goods, and we are determined that they shall be made to close on Sunday as well as the grocers.

In the circuit court at Portland, Ind., on December 9, Edward Shrewsbury, "manager of the William McGollister oil lease in Jackson township," was "put on trial on the charge of Sabbath desecration," it being "alleged that on Sunday, October 14, of last year, he superintended the pumping of the lease." He was arrested at that time and "arraigned before Justice Samuel Brunson, where he was convicted and fined," but he took an appeal to the circuit court. After the evidence of the prosecution had been presented in the circuit court on the above date, "Judge LaFollette instructed the jury to bring in a verdict of acquittal."

The New Orleans Item, of December 5, reported that "the police are still actively enforcing the Sunday law," and gave the names of eight "violators" who were arrested on the previous day. Four of these were storekeepers, one of them the keeper of a cigar store, and the charge against them was "keeping open store and selling." The other four were saloon-keepers, and the charge was "selling liquor." On December 12 the New Orleans papers reported the arrest of eight more persons "charged with violation of the Sunday law," nearly all of whom were saloon-keepers or bartenders.

At Ogden, Utah, on December 2, "Manager Grant of the Grand Theater, and Mr. Bailey, who managed the auto race" on the preceding Sunday, "were convicted in the municipal court of violating the ordinance prohibiting Sunday amusements." "Mr. Grant was fined $20 and Mr. Bailey $10, but later Mayor Glassman remitted the fines, with the distinct understanding that no further attempt will be made to conduct Sunday amusements." "In the future no violation of the ordinance prohibiting amusements of stated character will be allowed."

It was reported from York, Pa., on December 10, that "the merchants' association, at its meeting last night, placed itself on record as being opposed to the abolishment of the Sunday law of 1794, and the members of the legislature from this district will be asked to vote accordingly." "The act, which prohibits all worldly employment on Sunday except works of necessity, will, it is said, come before the Legislature at its next meeting, when an effort will be made to repeal it."

It was recently reported from Waterloo, Iowa, that as the outcome of "negotiations between the ministerial association and the opera house managers, conclusions have been reached whereby the managers have agreed to cut out the Sunday theater business, which has been the custom in the city for the past year." "All Sunday dates which have been made for the coming season will be cancelled, so far as possible."

At a meeting of the city council of Decatur, Ala., on December 2, "an ordinance was introduced prohibiting saloon men, or any of their employees, from entering saloons on Sunday." "The rules of the council were suspended, and the ordinance was passed on its first reading." "Heretofore there has been a rigid law against selling liquor on Sunday, or allowing any one to enter a saloon, except the proprietor, and his clerks or porters."