United States v. Kelly

24 F.2d 133, 1927 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1703
CourtDistrict Court, D. Idaho
DecidedDecember 31, 1927
DocketNo. 1339
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 24 F.2d 133 (United States v. Kelly) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Idaho primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Kelly, 24 F.2d 133, 1927 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1703 (D. Idaho 1927).

Opinion

CAVANAH, District Judge.

The United States brings this suit in equity to abate an alleged and admitted public nuisance existing upon the premises occupied and nsed by the defendant as a tenant, and commonly [134]*134known as the “Kelly Clnb Café,” located* in the business center of the city, under section 22, title 2, of the National Prohibition Act (27 USCA § 34). The bill was filed by the government on November 1, 1927, in which it is charged that the defendant was and has been maintaining the premises as a place where intoxicating liquor, as defined by the National Prohibition Act, is manufactured, sold, bartered, and kept in violation of the act. Affidavits of two prohibition agents are attached to and made a part of the bill.

In the affidavit of Agent Paris it is recited that he has been for some time personally acquainted with the defendant, who has been operating and in charge of the café; that during the past year, on various occasions, he observed in the café patrons in an intoxicated condition, and some of them, while intoxicated, indulged in dancing, from 9 o’clock p. m. to 1 o’clock a. m., and particularly during the months of February and March, 1927, while the dancing was going on, these patrons conducted themselves so riotously that he called it to the attention of the defendant. At that time he saw being delivered by the employees of defendant, to and on the tables, ginger ale, ginger ale bottles, cracked ice, and extra glasses, for the use of patrons, and that, while so drinking, they were in an intoxicated condition. About the hour of 11:45 p. m., on October 11, 1927, he was again in the café and observed a number of patrons dancing in an intoxicated condition, and at that time he saw the defendant go up onto the balcony, where the orchestra was furnishing music, and talk to different patrons, being men and women, who were in private dining rooms or booths, and at that time,-ih the presence of the defendant, a gallon jug, which contained liquor, was passed around. On that early morning he further observed some of the patrons leave the small dining rooms, and come down onto the main or lower floor, and participate in dancing while intoxicated, at which time he requested the defendant to help him dean out the drunken condition upstairs in the balcony, and, when arriving there, they found whisky, water, and ice spilled on the floor and on the table, and drinking glasses, filled with ginger ale and cracked ice, and empty ginger ale bottles were scattered about, and on the floor sat a gallon glass jug, uncorked, containing about one-third full of moonshine whisky. He saw one of the waitresses working there serve the patrons with drinking glasses, cracked ice, and ginger ale. Further he states that at that time defendant informed him that he did not know who brought the whisky there, but did know that the patrons who were using the dancing room were all drunk, as one of the girls in the party had attempted to jump from the balcony down onto the main or dance floor.

In the affidavit of Agent McGinnis it is stated that on the evening of October 29, 1927, about the hour of 11:30 p. m'., he entered the café and saw there various patrons dancing, sitting at tables around the dance floor space, and some, who were intoxicated, going and coming to and from the balcony. At that time he' saw patrons seated at tables upon which were ginger ale bottles and extra glasses filled with cracked ice. He, on another occasion, about midnight of October 21, 1927, found the physical condition there the same, and observed dancing there as on his former visit.

Upon application of the district attorney, based on the verified bill and these two affidavits, a temporary injunction was issued, restraining the defendant from selling, possessing, bartering, or keeping intoxicating liquor on the premises, pending final hearing and determination of the cause. The defendant answered the bill, and attached thereto an affidavit, in which he denies .most of the material allegations of the bill and the affidavits of Agent Paris. The cause being at'issue, it was then.submitted to the court upon an agreed stipulation of facts, signed by the district attorney, representing the government, and counsel for the defendant, which contains all of the facts and is the record upon which the court’s conclusions must be based.'

It is there stated that, if witnesses in the ease are called and give oral testimony, it will disclose the following: That for more than nine years last past there has been conducted on the premises in question, which are located in the very center of the business section of the city, a large general restaurant business, which is neither a roadhouse nor a night club, nor a place extensively devoted to evening entertainment; that the hours during which the business is open are Between 6 o’clock a. m. and 1 o’clock a. m.; and that the regular business consists of serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, and other meals, at customary meal hours and other times, to from 500 to 1,000 people daily, and on special occasions to from 1,500 to 2,500 people daily. As a usual and customary practice,, an orchestra is not used, and there is little business or patronage during evening hours. Occasionally, at certain intervals, such as during the session of the Legislature, or the Intermountain Fair and other occasions, [135]*135where an unusual number of out of town visitors are in the city, an orchestra is employed during the dinner hours and evenings, at which time dancing is indulged in by patrons. In February and March, 1927, the state Legislature was in session, and on October 12, 1927, the Intermountain Fair was held.

The defendant’s patrons are, with very rare exceptions, law-abiding people and citizens of strict sobriety, including among them men and women of the highest prominence in the business, social, and church circles of the community. That at the times mentioned in the bill there was intoxicating liquor on the premises, which was brought there by patrons of the place without defendant’s knowledge, and consumed by them. Ginger ale and cracked ice were served by the defendant, at the regular price sold at other places of similar type and drug stores, to patrons and others, when wanted by them, and was used in the consumption of liquor. Liquor was not kept, possessed, sold, bartered, or other commercial use made thereof on the premises by the defendant personally, or by any of his agents or employees, except such keeping and possessing as may in legal contemplation arise from the facts pleaded and set forth in the agreed statement.

On the night of October 11, 1927, there appears to have been a street carnival in the city near the defendant’s place of business, and at that time there were continuously between 300 and 500 people in the restaurant from 8 o’clock p. m. until 1 o’clock a. m. of the 12th, and on the 12th, from 9 o’clock p. m. until 12:15 a. m. of the 13th. On that occasion one of the rooms on the balcony of .the restaurant was, by previous engagement, occupied by a party of 14 people, who had served to them a specially prepared dinner, and who, between courses and after the orchestra began playing at 10 o’clock p. m., participated in dancing on the main floor. At that time there was a quantity of liquor brought there by one of the party, without the knowledge of the defendant or his employees, which was partially consumed by them, and the defendant supplied ginger ale and cracked ice upon their order, and which was used in connection with the consumption of liquor. .This liquor was found and removed by Federal Prohibition Agent Paris.

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Related

Butler Hotel Co. v. United States
35 F.2d 76 (Ninth Circuit, 1929)
United States v. Butler Hotel Co.
32 F.2d 324 (W.D. Washington, 1929)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
24 F.2d 133, 1927 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1703, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-kelly-idd-1927.