People v. Wade

Gordon, City Magistrate.

At about ten p. m. on January 22, 1926, two members of the New York city police force rang the bell of premises 44 West Fifty-fifth street, New York city. The door was opened and they were admitted by the defendant into the ground floor. The premises were a so-called “ Speak Easy,” a recent coinage denoting a place where intoxicants are sold. The defendant was in charge. Besides, there was another attendant. There were two rooms on this floor — the front for the service of patrons at tables, and the rear equipped with a bar over which whiskys, cocktails and beer were…