The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1909-02-19
JURY FINDS GUILT IN
BLIND PIG" CASE
AND SEVEN MORE INDIcT-
MENTs ARE RETURNED
AGAINST NYBERG.

A jury in the circuit court yester-
day afternoon found William Nyberg
guilty Of having sold liquors in a
dry precinct--that is, in Uppertown,
where Nyberg conducts the Imperial
cigar store at 1861 Franklin avenue.
Judge Mcbride did not impose sent
ence at the conclusion OF the mat.
ter yesterday afternoon but probab-
ly will announce the sentence this
morning On the preceding day An
ton Kuljis Of Clifton was fined $500
for an offense OF a somewhat similar
nature.
The jury was out less than half an
hour, and II is understood that they
arrived at their verdict without any
difficulty, all voting for conviction
upon the FIRST ballot The jury was
composed OF John Nordstrom, Jacob
Heblack, John chitwood. A. w. Ut
ginger Peter Gullickson, Hugh
Cameron, w. c. Shaw, S. Abraham
son, r. w. Preston, George Hills, w.
r. Blackstock. Mr.. Nordstrom was
made foreman.
There had been two indictments
returned against Nyberg upon one
Of which he was yesterday tried, and
to the surprise Of some the grand
jury yesterday returned seven more
true bills against Nyberg. all accus.
ing him Of selling liquors at his
Uppertown ciagr store. Convicted
on the first, Nyberg still has eight
other indictments to face. That Dis
trict Attorney Tongue and his assist
ant Mr.. Brownell, are going after
the illicit sale Of liquors in hammer
and tong fashion is indicated by the
seven new indictments returned
against Nyberg yesterday, and the
force and vim with which the case
yesterday was prosecuted.
Attorney Curtis appeared for the
defendant and was not backward
last evening in calling down anathe-
ma on the heads Of the two prosecu-
tors for the seven extra indictments
against his client. Mr.. Curtis said
that every indictment will be fought,
no matter how many convictions are
obtained.
The complaining witness in the in.
iictment on which Nyberg was tried |
yesterday was John Poukkala, who is |
now in Finland. The absence OF
Poukkala made conviction more |
difficult, but other witnesses were
called in who testified to purchasing |
drinks in the place, Some said they |
had bought or saw whisky sold there,
Ind others testified that beer was
sold there. The evidence tended to
show pretty clearly that Nyberg had
trade in something.
For the defense It was said that
nothing but "Maltonia" was sold by
Nyberg. "Maltonia" is manufactured
BY the North Pacific Brewing Com
,any and was defined by the presi-
lent Of that company as being
beverage, containing
merely Ia per cent Of alcohol; "Mal-
6nia" is beer with "the alcohol eva
sort Of "near-beer." The
ury evidently thought that some
hing else beside the "Maltonia" had
been sold there, however, as had
,een testified to by witnesses for the
II Judge Mcbride
should impose a fine of the same
AMOUNT as in the Clifton case, and
he fact that this was in a dry pre-
,incts would perhaps appear to make
he circumstances even more aggra-
,ating, and if the same fine were
imposed after conviction in each OF
he eight other indictments, Nyberg
would have an aggregate of $500 to
,ay.
The court room was well crowd
d yesterday during the trial of the
lyberg case, quite few from Up
,ertown being there, and the crowd
lso included several saloonkeepers.
No criminal cases are set for to-
law Tomorrow the case against D.
7alangos of Clifton, accused of sell
ng liquors without a license, will
'e heard.
At The Grand.
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