A YOUNG well-dressed man named Eugene Chandler, was charged with selling liquor without a licence on the 31st December.
In the court were several barrels of beer and 240 bottles of beer, which had been seized by the police.
Inspector McCormack conducted the prosecution, and accused, who pleaded guilty, was represented by Mr. Dorian.
Albert W. H. Peach, plainclothes constable attached to the Licensing Branch and stationed at Melbourne, said:
At about 7.15 on Saturday evening. 31/12/21, in company with Senior Constable Wall and Constables Dunn, Morrison and Trevitithick, I visited a well-known cafe and boardinghouse at Chelsea known as “Kismet.”
Senior-Constable Wall was in possession of a warrant to search those premises for liquor.
This place is a reputed sly grog shop, and appears to be well-known by the people at Chelsea and a majority of the week-enders.
We went through the main building to a bungalow at the rear of the premises.
In this bungalow there were four men, the accused and three others. One man was in the act of drawing a glass of beer from a 9-gallon barrel of beer which stood on a small table, and two of the other men had glasses of ale in their hands.
Senior Constable Wall produced the search warrant, and it was read over to those present.
Accused appeared to know Senior Constable Wall well. On looking around the room I found four 9-gallon barrels of beer, a few bottles of stout, and about 240 bottles of bottled ale.
Two of the barrels were standing on two small tables. One of them was tapped. The other two barrels were standing, one in each corner, as you entered the bungalow.
On the table beside the barrels was a wooden bucket three-parts full of water, for washing up the glasses, and two towels.
There were also 22 beer glasses on the table.
The two tables were acting as a counter, and immediately behind was a small box tacked on the wall, for receiving the coin for the liquor. There was £1/19/- in silver in this box.
All the beer was stacked in the corner near the counter, in cases. I then took the names and addresses of those present.
The accused gave me his name as Eugene Chandler, and stated that he was employed by Mrs. Charlotte Walters (who was the proprietor of the premises). I said to Chandler:
“This place is a reputed sly grog shop, and on different occasions I have seen numbers of men enter this place, and some of them leave with bottles of beer, and others under the influence of liquor.
Now, what is your explanation for having these men drinking here, and all this liquor stored here?”
He said, “I have no explanation.” The other men gave their names as: William Stewart, City Arms Hotel. Elizabeth Street, Melbourne. This was the man who was acting as barman. I said. “What are you doing here?” He said, “Just having a drink or two.”
Percy Davis, 23 Cooraminta Street, Brunswick, said: “I came to see about board.” I said. “I don’t suppose you would have a drink if you could get one?” He said, “By— wouldn’t I; that’s what I came here for.”
Claude Myers, 212 Mary Street, Richmond – This man was partly under the influence of liquor. He said. “I came in for a drink.” Percy Davis, in answer to me said, “I had two beers. I paid sixpence each for them.”
On the wall behind where the barman was standing was a conspicuous placard (Bottles 2/-) tacked on the wall. We took this with us. We then gathered up the liquor, and had it conveyed to the Frankston Police Station.
At Frankston I obtained a warrant, and went back to Chelsea, where, with Plainclothes Constables Dunn and Trevitithick, I arrested the accused and lodged him in the Chelsea watchhouse.
Eugene Chandler, the accused, stated that the bungalow where the liquor was found was part of the premises occupied by Mrs. Charlotte Walters, and that Mrs. Walters was paying him £4/10/- per week as manager of the premises.
Mrs. Walters also stated that she was paying the rent for the place, and that she knew nothing about the beer. The accused stated that the beer belonged to him.
A Second Charge.
Accused was then charged with a similar offence, committed on 17th December.
Constable Baldwin gave evidence that he went to the Kismet Cafe, at 5.50pm on the date in question, with a man named White. They gave two knocks at a door, which was opened by a man, to whom White introduced witness as an old friend, saying, “He is all right.” Witness bought 2 bottles of beer, for which he paid 4/-.
Accused again pleaded guilty.
Other Charges.
The P.M. said the case was one in which the maximum penalty should be inflicted. Accused would be fined £25 each on two charges, with £27/9/3 costs, the liquor and vessels containing same (valued at £21) to be confiscated.
A similar charge against Mrs. Charlotte Walters was withdrawn.
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THE soldiers’ memorial monument was unveiled at Flinders on Sunday afternoon last in the presence of many local residents and visitors.
The impressive ceremony was carried out by the Treasurer of the Commonwealth, Capt S. M. Bruce, M.P.
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MOTORISTS, who holidayed at Flinders, are emphatic in their complaints regarding the state of the road between Merricks and Flinders.
“It is the worst piece of road on the Peninsula,” one stated.
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THE death of Mrs. Eliza Oliver at Oliver’s Hill, Frankston, last week, removes from our midst yet another old resident.
She was the relict of the late Mr. John Oliver, and was in her 65th year.
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WRITERS in the “Argus” continue to raise a scare about the “lewdness” on the beaches “on the Frankston line” but whilst these ultra-purists indulge in sweeping assertions, they always neglect to produce any tangible evidence to support their statements.
The police authorities at Chelsea, Carrum and Frankston have little complaint to make regarding the behaviour of bathers on those beaches.
The beer bottle and filthy language louts of both sexes . . . who indulge their disgusting tastes and take possession of the beaches, as the “Argus” scribe puts it, are non-existent – it is purely a figment of the imagination, so far as Frankston, Seaford and Carrum are concerned.
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A COUPLE of weeks ago a fire broke out at Seaford. The Carrum Fire Brigade was the first to put in an appearance, and some interested person wrote to the daily Press complaining of the apathy shown by the Frankston brigade.
As most of the members of the Frankston brigade were present, Captain Petrie was naturally indignant at the aspersion cast on his men, who are exceptionally keen on their work at all times.
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A FINE series of views of Frankston from the air have been secured by Mr. H. J. Garrood, of Frankston, who is offering them to the public at reasonable prices.
The pictures were “snapped” by the Melbourne Air Service, and give a fine idea of the actual lay-out of Frankston and its surroundings.
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From the pages of the Frankston and Somerville Standard, 13 January 1922
First published in the Mornington News – 11 January 2022
