The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-03-10
INDICTMENT GREAT
VICTORY FOR FOES
OF CIVIC IkPURIIY
Strong Language As To accused Brew
cries Use of Money To Corrupt
Elections.
HEAVY PENALTIES NAMED
FOR TRANSGRESSORS
Corrupt Practices Act Said To Have
Been Violated ompany Officials
Are Held to BE Liable.

'hE Ni& GtSt- victories ever WON bN tt'
forces of righteousness aud clcat
government in America Is to b'
found IN the returning Of indie tment
by tho Federal grand i,tr' here las
Friday, against The United State
Brewers Association and seventy
three brewing corporations of Penn
! sylvania. for conspiracy in violating
/ the Federal corrupt practices act h.
contributing money for political pur
poses.
! If 1t be pointed out that an iIfdlct
! ment in not conviction, ii may bt
said that whether or not these con
| Germs are found guilty al charged ir
! the indictment. it is significant thai
a grand jury should he able 10 FIND
sufficient evidence ON which TO make
a prese atment.
The violations charged against this
beer-making aggregation are covered
by two sections of the nited States
/ criminal code, Section SO forhids any
national bank or corporation to make
money contribution in connection
with any election If national officers
and section 81 covers conspiracy
| The penalties are heavy.
There We're 1o2 bills returned in
all Two separate indictments were
returned, one embracing the fifty
eight brcweries which are members ot
the United States Brewers Associa-
ton. and the other taking In the forty
three members Of the Pennsylvania
State Brewers Association. Twenty
eight corporations wore included ir
both indictments
No individuals were indicted, al
though the Officers OF the offending
corporations can he fined or impris-
oned IL It is proven the political
| ~ Il }, hot
knowledge and consent.
After returning tho indictments
the grany jury. at the suggestion OF
United States Attorney r.. Lowry
Humes, was discharged subject 20 re-
call II needed between now and
March 20. when the term ends
Surprise "a Brewers.
The grand jurys action was q
startling surprise, Not the shghtes'
intimation that presentments were
contemplated had beer given.
United States Attorney Hume'
! asked that the arguments in the con
tempt proceedings against Edward
A. Schmidt. president. Gustav w
I.embeck. treasurer. and John II
Gardiner. third vice-president of the
United States Brewers Association
and the habeas corpus hearing in the
| case of Hugh r Fox, secretary OF
( the brewers national organization, be
postponed until next Thursday
Mr.. Humes gave as his. principa
reason that he wanted more time tt
examine the eight packing cases o
records brought over from the brew
ers' national headquarters in New
York He said he had examined one
set Of records and found that they
came within the scope OF the SUD
poena duces tecum served upon the
| officials of the organization.
Council for the brewers reEardeo
the request for postponement as a.
| acknowledgment on the part of the
! Government that by witnesses refus-
ing to answer questions and official'
testifying that all records had beer
destroyed they had successfully
blocked the Federal prosecutor.
Were Not Present.
! None of the brewers counsel 81
any of the association officials were
in court wheu-the- presentments- Mert
! brought in The court received tht
documents and instructed the Crane
| Jury to go back to it's room and draw
IN the indictments. which were re
| turned shortly after o clock
Council for the brewers can &c
/ cept service for the brewing corpora
! tions indicted and arrange Tor ms
proper bond for appearance probably
/ in the Nav term of the United State
District Court.
The conspiracy alleged in indlct-
/ tnents dates back to September, III :
and takes in all campaigns for ma
tional Officers up until January or thi'
wear. The t914 United States Sela
! torial campaign in Pennsylvania u
iEcluded and several contributions
made by the Pittsburg and moe
pendent Brewing Companies for thl'
campaign are mentioned speciicai'>
/ in the prescntments and indictments
The indictments in detail were SIM
liar except in one or two instances
/ where contributions to the Cnitef
States Brewers Association were
mentioned. The indictment of the
members Of the PENNSYLVANIA state
brewers ssoCiation, mapy or wnon
are also members of the United
States Brewers Association. follows
THAT said conspiracy was devised
concocted and put into operation 10y
and between the said defendants OF
the said first day of September. l9lz
and was continuously In process o
avecption IN Pennsylvania and in the
Western District of PennsYlXanl2
! thereafter by and between the saio
defendants from that. time until thf
first day OF February, 1915
strong Language Used.
THAT the aforesaid defendants ah'
lawfully. knowingly, wifuliy, wrong
fully and feloniously did conspife
combine, confederate and agree to-
gether and with divers other corpora
tons and persons whose names are
to the grand jurors unknown to make
money contributions in connection
with an election at which members
OF the House of Representatives OF
INC Congress of the United State
were to be, and. In fact, were voted foi
subsequently, that is to-say, in con
nection with an election to he helo
and which was thereafter In fact hello
on TUESDAY the third day of Novem.
her. 1914. at which time TINTED
States Senator for the state of Penn
sylyania was, 10 he. and, in fact, was
voted for. chosen and elected under
and by virtue OF the Constitution OF
the United States and the laws OF the
United States and the laws OF the
state of Pennsylvania, and at whicf
time representatives in Congress- OF
the United states OF America were tt