The morning call., 1892-02-20
LANG is ARRESTED.
Sudden Close of the CalISt0ga Dis
tillery Case.
ness May Lead to Other Developments.
The Jury Out Only Twenty Minutes.

When the condemnation suit against
George Lang of the Calistoga diStillery was
decided yesterday in favor of the United
States Government very few persons had
any anticipation of the sensational denoue-
ment that occurred. 1t was only little
affair. they said; matter Of $500 or there
abOuts.
But it had happened two days previously
that one Of the prosecuting witnesses,
Charles Kelly, had two $40 gold pieces in
his possession which he had testified that
Lang had given him in watercloset Of the
Appraisers building during a recess on the
same day. The consideration was that he
was to let Mr.. Lang down easy. The wit
ness had further testified that he was re-
luctant to take the money, but Lang put it
in his vest pocket and showed him out of
the door.
Yesterday afternoon, after the case had
been submitted and the jury had retired,
United States Deputy Marshal buttonholed
Mr.. Lang anG called his attention to little
document charging him with attempting to
bride a witness. Mr.. Lang had evidently
received notice of the intention to arrest
him, for he promptly furnished bail in two
sureties OF $500 each The bOndsmen were
III. Is. Mayhem, customs broker OF this city,
BIRDING A WITNESS.
The warrant charged that Charles Lang
on or about the 10th OF February, 1892,
within the jurisdiction of the court wrong
fully, unlawfully and cOrruptly endeaVored
TO influence one Charles Kelly, who was
then and there witness 10 the United
States court. by corruptly giving and pay
ing to the said Kelly the SUN of $40, gold
money of the United States.
LaDg's wife and two children were n
court during the day, but the arrest was
made in the corridor and scene was
avoided.
During the morning session P. +. Dunno
of counsel for the defense completed his ar
gument. He claimed that there were nu-
merOus contradictions In the testimony OF
Kelly and Ford, the principal witnesses
for the Government; also that their evidence
was cOntTadcted by number Of facts and
circumstances in the case. He scored Kelly
very severely IN the matter Of receiving the
marked money, connected with the bribery
charged and cOntended that he had tre-
quently pursued Lang for the purpose OF
eXactlng money from him. Lang had al
ways held respectable reputation till he
became connected with the Calistoga dis
tillery ten years ago, and his violation Of
the law, if such there had been, was the re-
suit Of ineXperience.
THE PROSECUTION.
Assistant District Attorney Shurtleff at
the outset Of his closing address said that
this suit had no other purpose than to en-
force the condemnation of property conse-
quent on q violation of the law, and if Mr.
Lang was too mex perienced TO manage a
distllery he should have found some one
else TO DO 1t. The matter Of the alleged
fraud in regard to the brandy casks was tO-
the jury to determine but on behalf Of
Kelly and Ford he asked if there WAS any
temptation to the sale of their honor for the
sake Of half Of the 10-per-cent informeTs
fee, amounting to only $3.50 or $50.
Judge Hawley summed up the case with
marked briefneSs and lucidtv. 1t was a
condemnation suit of the United States
Government against property, not a GRIM
inal action against the person; a question
whether there was fraud in the matter Of
certain distilled brandy and a failure to
keep the books in accordance with the reg
ulations Of the sub-tTeasury. Other ques-
tons might arise out of the evidence, but
they were not for this jury to determine.
The jury was out only twenty minutes
and returned with verdict in favor Of the
Government. La the interim Lang was ar
TestedIaS already stated.