This Day in History: 1938-04-07
A fight at a local tavern between two local men who had been drinking focused attention on the number of relief recipients who spent their government relief money on liquor rather than on their families. Fred DeGroat and Ernest White were involved in a fight at 11pm in front of the West Mahwah Bar. Overseer of the Poor, Harold Johnson said that he had received many complaints about relief recipients drinking their relief money. “Something must be done to stop it”, he said. Recorder Frank Young, in postponing sentencing said “The Township realizes the necessity to give relief to most cases, but if a man does not know enough to keep away from a tavern and use the money for his family, then he better go to jail, they’ll take good care of you there, too.” The police announced that they would make particular surveillance on relief recipients attending taverns in the future. (Bristow)