Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-06
AFTER THE BREWERS.
Their Drivers Being Prosecuted for
Selling Beer From Wagons.
INCREASE In SALE OF EIGHTHS.
Detective Hesser's Figures to the Retail
Liquor Dealers
THE BREWERS ARE TO BE SUED LATER
INCREASE In SALE OF EIGHTHS.
THE BREWERS ARE TO BE SUED LATER

Edward P. Hesser, the agent of the Pitts
burg Retail Liquor Dealers Association
and of the Northside Protective Associa-
tion, has begun an active warfare against
brewers and their agents who are not conf
plying strictly with the terms of the
Brooks law. He has begun with the agents,
and, as already noted in THE DISPATCH,
has made information before Alderman
King against IL drivers of beer wagons,
who are charged with selling beer in eighths
direct from their wagons, in other words,
peddling beer on the streets. Eight of the
defendants have been arrested, given pre-
hminary hearings and held tor court. The
evidence against each one of them was posi-
tive. There will probably be future action
against the brewers themselves. The beer
in each case. Mr.. Hesser says, was sold
from a wagon bearing the license number of
the brewer, VINO will. under the law, be
held responsible for the acts of his agent
Besides this, when the drivers come up on
trial in Quarter Sessions Court evidence
will develop against the brewers which the
Court may feel called upon to consider.
At the regular meeting of the Pittsburg
Retail Liquor Dealers Association this
week, Agent Hesser read the following
paper, which contains some very suggestive
figures:
The last License Court instructed the
brewers and wholesalers that peddling or
allowing their goods to be sold without
having first been ordered from the place
where license is held was a violation OF law.
The bre ers, with one or two exceptions,
are peddlirg from their wagons. 1 have
evidence of this, and have made informa-
tion against u OF ftheir agents. some of whom
have been arrested and held for court, and
have sufficient evidence to convict.
The Smaller Sizes in Demand
Twas told by two members of the Brew
ers' Association three months ago that they
had all quit peddling. FromS Sfecords in the
revenue Office learned that the decrease of
barrel stamps in the year ending June &C.
1892 against the previous year, was S,476 in
the Pittsburg district. The output of near
ly every brewery in the county has in
creased this year, and that means an in
creased sale of eighths. In April of 1891
there were l69, $40 stamps used on eighths OF
barrels, against 1854 in April OF this year;
190. .064 in Nav, 1891, against 1877 944 in May
1892; DDS, IA in June. 1891, against Isl, ,5s2 in
dinne, 1892. This shows an increase OF 26 222
e1ghths in three spring months over the
IS ths aee of OF tbe hast and
Of sass ss' OF SaT4s ssamp, Ths fs in
same oTar three ,os. months That was sts7
CT ease of business to those selling barrels
he year ending July l. 1892, showed the
u lie of 2,l6S,S Ssa eighths of barrel stamps, an
I Icrease of los, ,Os2 stamps over last year. and
lis in spite of the restrictions pla ced on
hem by the court. The spirit of
he Brooks law ana all other liquor
manufacturers should supply the retail
trade. Instead of so doing they are catering
to the consumers, ana, in fact. are supply
ing three-fourths OF the malt and spirituous
liquors used by the people in this county.
Another infringement on the rights of re-
tail dealers is the selling of quantities less
than i've gallons by rectitiers, of whom
there are 26 in the county. There are proba-
bly, six who are not violating very plain
statement of law.
The Political Club Speak-Easy.
Another growing evil is the political club
speak-easy. There is one in operation in one
OF the large. wards, which is unchartered,
with a membership of over 2O0 They oc-
cupy house owned by downtown saloon
keeper, and it is said their whole vote is
controlled by couple of politicians, and is
paid tor with q few barrels of beer each
election time.
This paper was laid before the Executive
Committee for its consideration.
Said gentleman connected with the Re-
tail Association: "This is a poor year for
the retail dealers Some of them are not
making their expenses. The strikes. of
course, have something to do with the poor
business but the retail dealers are not
properly protected by the authorities. City
officials are complaining that they will not
receive from retail licenses as large a reve-
nue. as they expected. How can the city
authorities expect applications for licenses
from any large number of reputable per-
sons next spring while the police are doing
nothing to protect the saloonkeepers who
have licenses now? The police have
ceased their raids OF speak-easies, and down
town many of them are iourishing and do
ing large business. Then the peddling of
beer from wagons removes a large trade
from tho retailers, who are left to take
care of themselves the best way they
can"