The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-01-25
THE RIVAL BEERS
LIQUOR MEMS SECRETS TOLD IN
COURT.
Larry Dee Tells How He Has Suffered
Through Competition of the Ten Cent
Saloons.

Difference in profit per bbl...... 900
Cost price per bbl................ 1850
Profit at 2hc................... 34.5O
AT lOc ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. $3.50
Larry Dee furnished Judge Silliman
with some interesting figures on the
beer business this morning in the Unit
ed States Circuit Court. The court
was again we'll filled with men inter-
ested in Primo and Eastern beers.
The table above is a condensed result
of much labor by the attorney and the
witness, and after il was arrived at
more labor was expended upon the pro-
blem of proving how much the. plain
tiffs had been damaged by the Primo
licenses and resultant ten cent beer.
What would it be worth to the
brewery you are agent for to be able
to sell in competition with the Homo
lulu brewery on an equal footing as to
licenses?" was Robertsons first uuesS
tion of the day. 1t had been asked last
night and had gone over under an OBJ
lection. After more argument, the wit
ness was allowed to answer and said
he couldn't tell
Here Judge Estee remarked in MAX
ing a ruling that unless damages of
$1,000 were shown, his court could not
take jurisdiction at all Dee finally
stated that since July /, his beer busi-
ness had been damaged at least $4,000
by the Primo competition,
Dee next tackled prices, with Silli-
man. He said that the Olympia beer
cost $1O.5O per barrel, delivered in Ho-
nolulu, and $3.50 at Seattle. There
were 30 gallons in a barrel but gall
Ions were allowed for wear and tear
and 30 gallons were reckOned. He sold
his beer at 12bc per glass.
do you handle Primo?" asked Silli-
man.
Il would if they would put it into me
right" said Dee.
why do you want a license to sell
Primo as well as the other beers at
$3.50 per year?"
You needn't answer that" said the
judge, IT'S irrelevant"
I'D like to answer" said the witness,
but the court refused to listen and
Silliman noted an exception. Dee was
sent to his saloon for a statement Of
mis- receipts for beer for every month
since the beginning of '99 and told to be
back as soon as he could. "It'll take till
tomorrow morning, your Honor" he
said, but the court told him to go ahead
and bring it into court,
w. G. Peacock was called again He
had had a statement made up showing
his firms beer sales, but he couldn't
swear to 1T, as it had been made up by
clerks. He said that the firm had capi-
tai stock of 100000, all paid up and all
invested in the liquor business except
SEO,UOU, WnlCn was invested IN q one
sixth part of the MOana hotel.
David II. Lewis, of LOvejoy and COM
pany was called as a witness He had
a lot of figures telling of reduction in
the beer business of his firm, and he
attributed it to the fact that Primo was
being sold in the ten cent saloons
which only had to pay $3.50 a year Ii
Cense.
Under CrOss-examination the witness
stated that beer was being sold in his
firms saloon at ten cents. This applied
to Eastern and Honolulu beer both, the
cut of the Primo saloons having been
met all along the line. Bottled beer
was sold at 25 cents per bottle,
Both sides closed their cases before
the noon adjournment, after many ad-
monitions from the judge on the sub
ject of wasting time, as the case is to
be finished today. Lewis was sent
after figures, like Larry Dee. This
afternoon the various statements called
for will be produced in court and then
the case will be argued and submitted.