The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-05-24
OCEANS OF BEER.
Lon Townsend Handles ThOus-
ands of Carloads in Topeka.
Agent of SchlitZ Brewery Tells
His Story.
ONTHEWITNES ESS STAND
Capital City Evidently a Thirst
Center.
Trial Of Damage Suit Against
Breweries and Agents.
ONTHEWITNESS STAND

To the best OF the TeCOl4eCNiOA -
Alonzo c. Townsend, who for many
years held the undisputed title of king
of the Topeka jointists, but who now
styles himself as an agrarian, he mas
disposed of in this city between five
and ten thousand car loads of Schlltz
beer. He handled this great amount
during the period of eight or nine
years and up to July last when he re-
linquished the agency of the company
here There is considerable variance
between five and ten thousand, but II
Townsend had only handled hVe thou-
sand car loads it would mean that ne
had disposed of more than a carload d
day during the entire time he was the
Schlitz agent in the city. which is no
inconsiderable amount for town or
Topeka's size. and in a prohibition
state to consume in one day when the
fact is considered that many other
kinds of beer were also on the local
market.
Townsend made a statement to this
effect on the witness stand in the dis
trict court today during his eXamina-
tiOn as a witness in the trial of the suit
of six-year-old Albert Smith, which is
brought through his mother, to recov-
er $4,000 damages from John w.
Ginette, Green watson, Robert Kneis-
~, the Topeka Ice & Fuel company.
\. G Townsend. the Joseph SchlitZ
Brewing company and the Val Blatz
Brewing company. The dana ges are
demanded by the little boy because he
IS deprived of the support of his faith
er, Oliver Smith. who is in prison serv-
ing a term for the murder of Thomas
Bair. which was committed in 1905
while Smith was under the influence OF
liquor and which resulted during a
dispute over a game of cards. The
Smith boy claims that the defendants
are responsible for the murder and his
fathers Incarceration because they
had to do with the furnishing and SELL
ing of liquor to him in viola ton of the
prohibitory law of the state
Under a gruelling fire of questions
from Col. Joe Waters, of counsel for the
Smith boy Lon" Townsend told
much about the workings of a brewery
company in a prohibition state and
among those who kept tab on his in
teresting admissions, for he could
hardly be styled a willing witness. was
j. J. Schenck, the county attorney,
through his assistants who were in
the court room during most of the
time that Townsend was on the stand
Mr.. Schenck may have use for some of
the Information given by Townsend in
the future. although he would not say
whether or not he was going to bring
any proceedings on the strength of it.
Among others things that Townsend
told on the stand was that he turned
over the agency for the Schlitz peopIe
In July last. to c. H. Curtis better
known as Cash Curtis. Not long
ago when the attorney general began
his famous proceedings against the
brewers doing business in the state an
injunction was served on Mr. Curtis as
the agent of the Schlitz company. He
denied at that time that he was the
companN's agent here.
Never Solicited Orders
The purposes of Townsend's ex-
animation by Colonel Waters was to
establish the fact that the SchIitz COM |
pany, one of the party defendants to !
the suit, was actually engaged in the
through Townsend had sold it to the
joints in North Topeka which were
patronized by the plaintiffs father. |
IoWnsends memory was not very GER
tam on the actual sale of Schlitz beer
TO Ginette and the other North Topeka
1olnusts He declared on the stand !
that neither he nor Bruce Curtis. an |
employe of his. ever solicited orders /
LOT peer put they saw that all the or
ders received were filled. He testified |
lhat ne had no connection with the !
drug store on East Fifth street where |
he used to have his headquarters.
ou sold beer to all the drug stores /
In the city?' asked Colonel Waters
This was objected to by LAWYER |
Harkless for the defense and the OBJ !
lection was sustained.
Mr. Townsend declared that he had |
from one to three delivery wagons at /
work delivering beer and Colonel /
waters wanted to know if one of these
wagons used in 1906 was not hauled /
by a gray horse.
"Oh, l don't remember what color |
ed horses were used on the wagons
Townsend replied. During the last |
couple of years I have had a thousand |
head of horses and 1 don't remember |
the color of all of them. had lots of |
gray horses
1t was at this point that Mr.. Town
send testified that he had handled be-
tween tive and ten thousand carloads
of Schlitz beer. /
THE Joseph Schlitz Brewing COM
pany knew that you We're selling this
beer in Topeka" asked Colonel /
Waters.
4 suppose So replied Townsend,
and then with a smile he added: "They
surely did not think that I was using
1t all for myself"
You sold this beer to the houses of
prostitution in the city?" thundered
Colonel Waters
Il object to that question" said Mr..
Harkless.
objection sustained" ruled Judge
Dana.
bling hells in this city?" continued
Colonel Waters. you sold this beer
to all the assignation houses in this
city, You sold it to all the joints and
saloons in this city?''
Similar objections were made TO all
these questions and the court sustain
ed them so Townsend did not have to
answer them.
Ordered From Kansas City.
Townsend said that he generally
ordered the beer from Kansas City
and the bills for it were sent him from
where the Schlitz COM
Dany has its headquarters. The cross
examination of Mr.. Townsend did not |
bring out any matter of moment.
Otto Kuehne was then called to the
Itand. He testified that the property |