Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-19
UNITING ITS FORCES.
Liquor Dealers Trying to ReOrgauize
Their Association.
BREWERS CRIPPLED THE LEAGUE.
Their Part in the Cases Against Drivers
of Ieer Wagons.
TALK OF THE COMING LICENSE COURT

The members of the Liquor Dea ers'
Protective Association are quietly at work
trying to build the league up to the standard
it once occupied. 1t has not been generally
known that the association had received
nearly its death blow when it tried to
prosecute drivers of beer wagons for re-
failing beer The Brewers Association
then got the upper hand and has held it
with ease.
The Liquor Dea lers' Association has two
branches, one in Pittsburg, the other in
Allegheny. John O'Neil is President on
this side of the river and Max Schneider is
the chief executive of the Northside
dealers 1t was a powerful organization
and carried its points every time until
few months ago. The trouble in its ranks
dates back to short time after the license
court had finished its sittingA E. P.
Hesser, the agent for the liquor dealers,
was instructed to bring suit against a
number of drivers of beer wagons in both
cities, charging them with selling direct
from the wagon.
The Brewers Call a Turn.
Mr.. Hesser made information against
nearly every driver in the city. Lawyers
were employed and the league was pre-
pared to fight the cases through the Su-
preme Court had it been necessary. the
brewers are organized, and watch their in
terests as closely as the dealers. Repre-
sentatives from their organization called on
the league. They said the cases would
have to be dropped or suits would be
brought against the dealers. They said the
Brewers Association would employ detec-
tives and make out cases against every
dealer in the two cities for selling to
minors and men of known intemperate
habits This had the desired effect, as it is
said every saloonkeeper in the town violates
the law unknowingly.
The liquor dealers had q conference with
its attorneys and Agent Hesser, and the |
league thought it wise to drop the matter. |
The association did this and discharged its |
attorneys and Mr.. Hesser. From then on |
it is said it mas been living dormant, and the |
members were losing interest in the organi- |
zation. Mr. Hesser is said to have fought |
hard against dropping the cases after hav- |
ing worked them up He wanted the league |
to go ahead with the prosecution, but it |
would not.
Lost Most OF the Cases.
Hesser took the responsibility on him. |
self They came up for trial just before the |
Critchlow case, and the majority of them |
were lost.
The liquor dealers are now trying to re-
organize to be ready for the coming License
Court. The organization is finding this up |
building hard work, and it will not be able
to battle so well this time as in wears gone
BY. 1t is said the Brewer Association |
since it has secured the upper hand is keep
ing a strict watch, and there is consider
able hard feeling between the two organiza-
tionA
The liquor men keep tab on the license
courts as well as they can. and already some
OF them say they know who will be on the /
bench this time. The Judges who are
named as the probable dispensers of licenses
are Ewing and White. There is rumor
that there are to be two courts this time
and three Judges Judge Slagle is named
as the third Justice. MANY of the dealers
think there will be no decrease in the num-
Der of licenses this year.