Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-10-27
First Rate on Beer Was Ten
Cents a Barrel; N o W
Raised to Fifteen Cents.
One Distiller Pays $18 a
Day for Penrose Campaign
Dealers in Western Part of PENN
syIvania Suffer Most, and
Complaints From Those Who
Will Not Pay Form Basis Of
Much of the Testimony.

More than 100000 has been collected
by the liquor interests and manufacturers
of Pennsylvania in the attempt to return
Boies Penrose to the Senate according
to testimony presented to the Senate Conn
mittee on Privileges and Elections.
The greater portion of this money was
raised by direct assessment upon saloon-
keepers, brewers and distillers. Not a
dollar of the money has been expended
in the Brumbaugh campaign, the entire
amount being used directly to effect tho
nomination and return of Penrose to the
Senate. A large portion was spent in
the primary fight, but failed to be ac-
counted for in the expense items filed
by the candidate
Such Is the evidence gathered by in
ternal revenue collectors backed up by
letters written by officials of the various
liquor organizations in the State and
which will be testified to by a number
of witnesses in the Senates investigation
which would inevitably follow a PEN
rose victory.
The largest contributors to the "slush
fund" have been members of the Penn
sylvanla Federation of Liquor Dealers,
the Pennsylvania Brewers Association
and the Brewers Association of Western
Pennsylvania. That these organizations
have been collecting the largest fund ever
gathered for political purposes was the
charge made in the preliminary hearing
fore that body decided TO postpone the
investigation until after election.
Witnesses have been secured who will
testify that a general assessment of SIS
was made for each saloon. In several
counties the tax amounted to $50, while in
three Western counties the State and
local organizations have made as many
aG three direct assessments
RETAILERS RAISED 100000.
ffV AEEs
didate for the Senate, and Representa-
tive-at-Large Arthur H. Rupley, of Car
Isle, are in possession of letters writ.
ten by officials of the organizations de-.
manding of saloonkeepers and lIuuor
dealers that they come across" with
the Penrose contributions. These lettera
were sent only TO the most trustad
friends OF the associations, as. in tho
majority of cases the collecting agents
made personal calls, even refusing 10
take checks.
Representative Ripley states that IL
can he proved on the stand that mora
than 100000 has been raised among the
SV" retal! hquor dealers in Pennsylvania.
From Washington II has been learned
that a sufficient number of witnessss
have been secured who will testifvi tbse
TO their knowledge 10000 has besn
raised by saloonkeepers,
The brewers and distillers have also
n
beer was 10 cents a barrel AS the nri
mary election drew near the amount was
raised 10 II cents, and II is now i5 cents
a barrel according tn internal revenue
collectors from the western part OF the
State.
From all that can be ascertains5 -,
definite schedule has been obtained rs-
Garding the assessments Of the distiIlers
Their tax has been regulated accordInr
10 capacity Of plant One distiller. how-
ever has admitted 10 several men en-
gagged in the investigation that his daily
assessment amounts 10 SIS His dIs.
ullery is one OF the largest In western
Pennsylvania. Three large distiIter.
have promised 10 give full details ON
the stand
SALOON MEMS PROTESTS IN EvI.
DENCE.
The majority of the letters in the DOS
session Of Representatives Palmer ana
Rupley are protests from saIoonkeepers
in central and northern Pennsylvania re-
gardtng the assessments Several OF
these will he published before election.
The majority OF the evidence regard
ing the 'slush fund" has been obtained
iu western Pennsylvania, where the coll
lectinE agents have been particularly
active, The largest breweries and dis
uileries in the state are in the section
west Of Harrisburg
Those particularly active in raising
money for Penrose. II is alleged. are John
tardiuer president OF the Pennsylvania
Brewers Association, and Neil Bonner,
president OF the Pennsylvania Federation
OF Liquor Dealers The majority OF the
collecting agents who have been interro-
gated declare that they receive their or
iers direct from these men. Senator PEN
rose, likewise. has been IN close touch
with the officials for many months.
Nell Bonner has always been a Demo-
crat, but now openly declares he Is work
ing for PenrOse In the interest OF the
liquor business, He made this statement
publicly recently az tho Liquor Dealers
Association in Atlantic city. declarauR
that Penrose stood for rum ana that ~
must be reelected Gardiner is known
as a Republican, but has been clossly
associated I'm politics for a numbsr AZ
Years with his bTother-ln-law - Gordon
Bromley city chairman Of the Old Guard
Democratic Committee. and political ad-
wiser Of city solicitor Michael u Ryan
During the gubf rnatoral night Gardint
and Bonner were warm slpDOTsgla
Mr.. Ryan.