Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-01-11
PURCHASERSOF
CASES OF BEER
ARtQUESI|0NtO
Wapello { Co. Grand Jury
Wants to Know if Wet
Goods Were Bought Here
or Direct From Brewery.
CLERK FOR BREWING
AGENT is WITNESS

AGENT is WITNESS
Bookkeeper Said to Have
Given Jurors List of Pur-
chasers Of Case Goods; No
Report Expected Today.
Brewery agents are the chief con-
scern Of the grand jury during the pres
ent session and the individual Doot.
leggers seem to have been overlooked
in order to get at the men higher up.
Bootlegging on higher plane than on
the hip, seems to be the objective OF
the county attorney and grand jury
and the purveyors of the amber fluid
and the more Intoxicating booze, are
now being looked into by the investl-
eating body Of the district court.
Just what progress Is being made IS
hard to obtain. The officials or jury
men do not talk so no one can get any
Information, and the witnesses VINO
have been subpoenaed before the
grand jury have as little to say as
they dare. There is an ominous hush
about the ante room of the grand jury
chamber and in the Offices about the
court house where one might expect to
get hunch of what Is doing in the
grand jury. All have an apparent fear
Of saving too much and prefer to say
too little. It's known that the sherin
stan has, been busy ssubpoenaeing Wit
nesses and the most Of these have
been called to the court house to tell
where they bought the beer; that they
have had IN their homes. sTs3 n h
Secure List Of Buyers.
It seems to be known that num- a.
her Of persons had cases OF beer IN
their several homes, and many OF these
purchased the brew from certain
brewing agency. A. dozen of these per-
sons were subpoenaed to appear this
morning and the bookkeeper OF local
brewing agency was witness for sew
eral hours during the past few days
before the grand jury. He is SAID to
have been called upon for a list OF
purchasers of the amber fluid and this
It is said was supplied the county at
torney and grand jury YESTERDAY
afternoon. 1t is also said that list
Including purchasers in the country
round about Ottumwa was secured by
the Investigators and it is expected
that a great many more witnesses Will
be called before the grand jury to tell
where they got their liquor.
Where Sale Was Made.
The important feature of the pur-
chase is to establish whether 1t was
brought in Ottumwa or direct from the
brewery at some point out of the
state. Then too the receipts Of the
purchasers are being scrutinized to see
II they were made out in OttumWa or
at the brewery. Some of the dozen
or more witnesses heard today were
treated with a surprise when sub
poenaed, and few had any idea of what
they were wanted for. Some of these
have had case of beer in their home
most of the time since the saloons
closed. There were others, however,
who were practically non-users Of the
beverage. One of these stated that
he had purchased but two cases Of
been since the saloons closed; one
during the past summer, and again
4Soo
to know what light he could throw on
the Investigation and stated that his
call to the grand jury took on the air
Of pleasant visit. s,.-. sr
May Not Report Today.
County Attorney Dan Steck stated
Yesterday that he thought he would
have a report of the grand jury today.
This morning, however, he did not
think a report beyond a partial finding
could be made the court today unless
late this afternoon. 1t is probable
that there will be no report for some
time to come as the Investigation Of
the liquor law VIOLATIONS promise to
continue for a while longer. A state
ment from the internal revenue officer
at Burlington for the furnishing of a
list Of names of holders of govern
ment licenses has been received by the
county officials but the names have
not been turned over to the board and
will not until the county attorney has
completed his investigation. The
holding of the law that the possession
OF a government license is prima facie
evidence Of selling liquor, is the means
of assisting the authorities to run
down the men who peddle of the hip
and out of overcoat pockets.
County Attorney Dan Steck left this
afternoon for Des Moines to appear be-
fore the supreme court. Mr.. Steck
would not be quoted as to the object
Of his mission to Des Moines other
than to say he was going to defend
himself 1t is known however, that a
few days ago he was served with a
notice and accepted service to appear
before the supreme court in connec-
tion with the Arnold-Wapello county
appeal in the janitor controversy in
which as county attorney he represents
the board Of supervisors.