Tavern

At common law, a tavernkeeper is one who makes it his business to entertain travelers or passengers and provide lodging axid necessaries for them, their horses and attendants. When licensed they usually had the privilege of selling liquors, but this depended wholly upon the provision of law.l " Tavern," '• hotel," and " public house "are synonymous in this country; and while they entertain the traveling public, and receive compensation therefor, they do not lose their character, though they may not have the privilege of selling liquors. The distinction, as respects inn-keepers and tavern-keepers, observed in England, under the common law, does not exist with us, and different names are applied to them, though "hotel " and " house " are commonly used to denote-a higher order of public houses than the ordinary tavern or inn. As employed in a statute, the word may refer to the whole class, comprehending all houses that entertain the public for compensation.' See further Inn.