Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-11-21
AFTER WHOLESALERS.
The Northside Protective Association
Strikes Out.
THREE SUITS ENTERED IN COURT
Against Wholesale Dealers for Selling Less
Than II Pints.
RETAIL LIQUOR MEN ON A STILL HUNT

The Northside Protective Association,
composed of about 90 retail liquor dealers,
with Detective Z. P. Hesser as their
agent, has appeared on the warpath
once again and yesterday filed petitions
in court for the revocation of the licenses
Of three wholesale liquor dealers of ALLIE
gheny. They are August Schlegel, 35 Cali
fornis avenue, Charles BreitweIser, 645
Preble avenue, and William Falck, 9 Han
over street. The ground is taken that they
have violated the law of June 9, 1891, in
selling in less quantities than 12 pint bot
ties Of brewed or malt liquors. The defend
ants are notified to appear in court on No
vember % to show cause why
their licenses should not be re-
voked. 1t is promised that these
suits are the opening of crusade against
wholesalers that do practically retail bust
ness with a wholesale license. Under the
Brooks law wholesale dealers were allowed
TO sell malt liquors in quantities of quart
or more The act of the last Legislature
limits the quantity to not less than six
quarts.
Didn't Know tn Act Was Loaded.
II has been the general opinion that the
latter law will not go into effect until after
licenses are granted in 1892. and no attempt
has hitherto been made to enforce it. In
Philadelphia, however, several licenses
have been revoked on account of the law
being violated
The fact that the suits have beer brought
by an association of liquor dealers makes
them still more interesting. When spoken
20 -ord+ +o4 he +ordo
Detective Hesser said: ''The suits have
been brought for business reasons only.
They are test cases, and if de-
cided in our favor manv others will
be instituted. These wholesalers in
lower Allegheny have been taking the
trade awav from retailers in the Northside
Protective Association and we propose to
compel them to obey the law. They sell what
are called 'Buffaloes,' containing about one
half Of gallon of beer. Their customers
are young men and boys of any age and
when they get drunk and raise disturbance
the retailers are blamed. The remedy is
TO compel wholesale dealers to obey the
law, which will in reality crowd the ones
IN the outer districts out of the business.
Will Attack the Rectifiers Next
Another move that will he made by the
association Will be to prosecute wholesale
dealers who have compound and rectifying
Government license, and under State license
sell less than a gallon. There is q law
against this, but, nevertheless, nearly every
wholesaler who does a big business prac-
tees it. If they are prosecuted, such men
as Max Klein and other well-known dealers
viii be included. We will enforce the law,
regardless of who it strikes.
The association has not been making
much noise lately, but it has been doing
efectusl work There are only few speak
easies in Allegheny, and what there are be-
long to OUTLYING districts, where they have
no effect on the business of the members of
the association. Chief Murphy has done
good work in suppressing illegal liquor
selling since the city entered the second
class, and should get more credit than is
given him.
''Since have been in the employ of the
Association, 1 have noticed that speak
easies and cheap wholesale houses sell moth
ing but Pittsburg beer. Licensed dealers
get their beer from other cities, claiming
that the home breweries give them poor
quality. The reason for this is that they
deal to great extent with illegal sellers to
whom they must give cheap juices When
the Pittsburg breweries refuse to deal with
speak-easies, they will get patronage from
the regular dealers, but not until then"