THE RAID

It was a typical Friday night at the "E" Club in Miami. From the jukebox Johnny Mathis was singing “Misty” and the bar was half empty since it was known as a late place. About 35 people were scattered around the U-shaped bar-the usual grand piano that doubles as a tableand the long booths that run from one end of the room to the other.

Cocktail glasses hung from the red ribbons over the cash register and water flowed from a small indoor fountain behind the bar. The two bartenders were waiting for the usual business pick-up that starts on weekend nights around 12:00. Things were quiet and going as usual this particular Friday night. One bartender had just finished saying to the other, as they both met at the cash register to ring up their sales, "Gee I hope business doesn't drop off now that the season is over," when a man in a black suit walked in and stood near the door. Quickly five others moved to strategic positions around the bar. It happened so fast that no one really took notice. Once the men were scattered around the bar, the "leader" said over the voice of Mr. Mathis, "OK, all drinks off the bar. Everyone in here is under arrest." Several quiet curses were heard, and someone with bleached hair said to a friend, "Damn, not only is my life ruined, but the whole evening is spoiled." It was the last joke of the evening; the "E" club had just been raided.

The following Sunday, April 17th, The Miami News, was caught with its yellow journalism streak showing

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when it published a lengthy article written in the typically juicy style of that paper under the heading "Trail Bar Raided As Deviates' Den." The article began, "A raid by Metro officers on a Tamiami Trail bar described as a homosexual hangout resulted in the arrest of 22 men on disorderly conduct charges . .

"The manager of the place also was arrested and charged with operating an establishment for deviates Metro Capt. Patrick Gallagher said the raid was made on the "E" Club ...

WHAT THEY DID "Habitues of the place were ported to embrace each other, wear tight-fitting women's pants and bleach their hair, Gallagher said.

"When Gallagher and six other officers descended on the place late Friday night they found the dim-lit bar full of men, some of them paired off in 'couples', he said . . .

"Officers took all the men in the place to headquarters. Several were released after screening and 22 were booked."

The article goes on to say that of the 22 booked "for being in a place frequented by homosexuals" all were later released on $250.00 bond, except for the manager who was released on $750.00 bond.

Wm. J. Tucker, Jr., the Miami News reporter who wrote the story, then went on to list the name, age, address and occupation of all 22 persons. He rationalized his listing of the names to this writer as being