Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-02-17
VICTORY SCORED
BY u. 5. IN LIQUOR
SLUSH FUND PROBE
Brewery Interests With
draw Their Appeal From
Courts Decision
ATTORNEYS ARE HAPPY
Covernment Counsel Asserts
Action of Opponents Is
complete Laydown"

,,ictory for the Government was
..orsd today in the liquor slush fund probe
Nan attorneys for the brewery interests
',,hdrew their appeal from the decision
"a Judge w H. S. Thomson not to quash
,hs Federal subpoenas, and agreed 20 pro.
Suce all of the books and records of three
Sig brewery associations before the Fed.
sral Grand Jury in Pittsburgh next Mon.
day :,
,.,d Attorney George Il. Shaw represent.
,ng the brewery interests, when tho
Sovsrnment compromised by changing
,hs form of the subpoenas."
THAT there was any compromise what
.yar vas denied by n Government official
: ,yho Is closely connected with the case.
< "ft was a complete laydown on the part
A. the brewery interests" he said. THE
s,torneys for the brewery interests knew
,Ast their petition for appeal had no
atal status whatever and they seized
snon this excuse of change in the form
4 the subpoenas to crawl out. The
aoyernment simply informed the brewery
interests that we would put in writing
what we have said many times verbally,
chat all of the bfeweries and persons sub
: noenaed in this case are included in the
came Investigation. 1t was n surrender
pure and simple on the part of the
brewery people. We will have the books
and records of the three big brewery
associations next Monday"
II was planned to hear the petition for
an appeal at 1890 this morning before
Judges Burlington, of Pittsburgh j. b.
Mcpherson. of Philadelphia, and Victor
B. Woolley, of Wilmington, in the United
states Circuit Court of Appeals, Federal
Building, this city. but the petition never
reached open court
WITHDRAWAL AT CONFERENCE.
A few minutes before court was sched-
ued TO open conference OF Government
prosecutors and attorneys for the brewery
interests was held in the chambers of
Judge Mcpherson. The conference,
which did not last more than 10 minutes,
resulted in the withdrawal of the petition
for appeal. The Government was repre-
sented at the conference by United States
Attorney e. Lowry Humes, of Pittsburgh,
and his associate, Neil W. McGill. Attor-
neys for the brewery interests present
we're George Il. Shaw and j. j. Heard. of
Pittsburgh. and S. p. Tull and D. p. Hib-
bard, Of Philadelphia.
Immediately following the conference
Judge Burlington boarded a train for
Pittsburgh. 1t was said today by Govern
ment officials that the petition for appeal
presented by attorneys for the brewery
interests had so little foundation that
II would not have gained in any event
consideration of a hearing in open court.
The three brewery associations which
will produce their books and records next
Monday before the Federal Grand Jury,
as the result of the Government victory
today are the United States Brewers AS
ISOLATION, the Pennsylvania Brewers AS
ISOLATION and the Brewers Association of
Pennsylvania. Government officials ex-
pect to show by these books that the
brewery interests have expended millions
OF dollars in a slush fund to influence
portance.
The officers of all three associations
are also under subpoena. The officials of
the United States Brewers Association
are Edward A. Schmidt, trustee, of Phila-
dephia; Gustaf Lembeck, treasurer, of
Jersey City. and u. Fox. secretary, of
New York
The officers of the Pennsylvania Asso-
ciation are John Gardner president, of
Philadelphia; f. F. Ettla. secretary of
Philadelphia. and Edward A. Schmidt,
treasurer, of Philadelphia.
Officers of the Brewers Association of
Western Pennsylvania are Charles F.
Kirschler, eX-Mayor of old Allegheny,
president; Charles F. Fisher, treasurer,
and B. A. Mason, secretary.
Edward A. Schmidt, who has been sub
poenaed as trustee of the United States
Brewers Association and as treasurer of
the pennsylvania Brewers Association. is
president of the Northwestern National
Bank, of Philadelphia. The Northwestern
National Bank is under subpoena. and has
already produced books and other doc
uments before the Federal Grand Jury.
II is said that these records have revealed
some startling information concerning the
alleged partnership between rum ana
politics in Pennsylvania.
In decision handed down in Pitts
ourgh last Tuesday, Judge Thomson re-
tused to quash the Federal subpoenas,
and appeal was taken.