The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1905-07-15
A COSTLY SALE.
Blumberg's Whiskey Transaction
0ut Seventy Five and the Govern
kment yet to Reckon with.

kment yet to Reckon with.
A second conviction and a Sec
ond $50 fine has been imposed on
Jacob B1umberg for violation Of the
local option law. He had a trial
before Justice Holgate Wednesday
afternoon, and the jury brought in
verdict of guilty Of selling whisk-
ey to John McGee, The jury was,
J. B. Goodman, John Bier, John
Stewart, Philip Phile. E. w.
Strong and E.. Allen. The jurors
were out half an hour and took six
ballots before a verdict was reach
ed. The first ballot stood four for
conviction, one for acquittal and
one blank. The second ballot
stood FIVE for conviction and one
for acquittal. The rest of the bal
lots were the same as the second un-
til the sixth, which was unanimous
for conviction.
The circumstances under which
Blumberg was caught were related
in a former issue OF the TIMES. 1t
was very nice bit of detective
work by Officer Osburn. He OBJ
served Blumberg and McGee have
conversation on the First National
Bank corner. He suspected Jake,
anyway, and was on the lookout.
Jake and McGee separated, Jake
passing to his own place of busi-
ness near J. H. Harris store, and
MCGEE going back On to Third
street, thence south past Mrs. Lee S
and back to the south end of the
! alley in the rear Of Jake's head
quarters. From the back door of
his establishment Jake motioned to
MCGEE, and the latter came up the
alley. The whole performance
was being observed by Officer Os-
burn, who had followed, and who
had also secured Fred Overlander
anj G. G. Huff to witness the op-
erations.
At the trial Overlander and Huff
were witnesses, as was Officer Os-
burn. The testimony was in. &C.
cordance with the facts above stat
ed. It also showed that when Jake
and McGee met in the alley, Jake
passed the latter a flask which Nc
Gee put in a certain pocket, 1t was
also in evidence that McGee passed
something to Jake in return, which
the witnesses took to be a coin.
but which they could not see. Af-
ter that, according to the testimony
Jake caught sight Of the trio and
disappeared. McGee was followed
and searched, and a flask of whisk-
ey taken from the pocket of his
coat. At the trial, McGee was a
witness. and he swore that he did
not get the whiskey from Blumberg
Blumberg was defended by w.
R. Bilyeu of Albany. He could
get no lawyer in Corvallis to take
his case. His trial, originally set
for last Saturday, had to be post
poned on that account. None of
the local lawyers felt that they
wanted to mix in the matter, more
particularly because of Blrmberg' S
known disregard of the law, as ev-
idenced by the present being his
second offense. He was probably
tempted in the continuation of his
illicit traffic by the fact that the
chief prosecuting witness in the
former instance paid part of the
fine. Also by taes fact that he::suo-
cessfully cheated the government
out of fine that was its due.
Whether he has government Ii
cense or not is uncertain. If not,
he is likely to have settlement
with the revenue officers. in case
he has no government license. 1
he has government license, under
the law is prima facie evidence, o.
his illicit traffic. and he is liable
under another count. He ought
to be handled roughly for his will.
fullness in setting at naught law
that was adopted by big majority
as the law for Benton county, ane
which while it stands as the sacred
statute should be strictly enforced
Officer Osburn is entitled to muct
credit for discovering the case ane
Deputy Attorney Bryson to like
commendation for the manner il
which it was pushed to success
, full ending. In good time, all the
men who violate the law will prob
ably get into Jake's shoes. Cor
wallis is too small a town for thes'
things to be carried on without ul
innate discovery.
Blumberg had not only to pay
, the $50 fine, but also the cost
, which will aggregate $25 or $50
making the little transaction in the
alley cost him altogether SIS ol
ESQ.