The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-08-01
MInerny, of Grand Forks,
Begins Step in Federal
Court Here Today
LEAGUE OFFICERS
READY TO TESTIFY
Followed North Dakota
Cars, Take Numbers, and
Now Checking Names

]. Fl. McInenry, storm center in
the East Grand Forks brewery state
and federal liquor law prosecution
cases, today made demand on United
States District Attorney NJ. A. Hill
! dreth for the return to himself Of
the books and records of the East
| Grand Forks Brewing company,
seized by the sheriff Of Polk county.
Minnesota, last Friday night, brought
to Fargo Monday night of this
week, and used in the presentation
of the federal case before the grand
jury, in session here this week
Judge c. F. Amidon of the federal
court signed the order directing the
district attorney to show cause why
the books should not be returned to
their owner, and 1t is returnabIe on
Saturday of this week, Aug. 4.
II is contended by Mr.. McInerny,
through his attorney, Geo. A. Bangs,
Of Grand Forks, that the records
were seized under a sham procedure
that the Polk county officials had
no authority to seize the records.
The books were taken last Friday
at midnight, loaded into tie auto
mobile owned by Assistant Attorney
General H. A. Bronson of North Da-
kota, taken into Grand Forks, and
about o'clock Saturday morning,
were sent back to Crookston, MINI.
They came into the possession of
the federal officials Monday evening.
delivered here by the sheriff Of Polk
county.
No Arrests Made Yat.
No arrests have been made yet in
connection with the federal angle
of the brewery case. Conspiracy to
violate the federal bone dry law is
understood to be the federal charge
contemplated, and ii would be di-
rected against all stockholders of the
East Grand Forks Brewing COM
pany, as well as against a number
of persons said to have obtained beer
at the brewery, carting it into North
Dakota by automobile.
Have Numbers, Will Get Names.
That scores Of North Dakota auto
mobile owners are being listed by
the officials of North Dakota and the
North Dakota Enforcement league,
became known today. They are the
owners OF ten cars that drove up in
front of the brewery, obtained beer,
and drove back across the Red river
into North Dakota.
c. w. Finwall, one of the North
Dakota Enforcement league officials,
declared that in an hour, so auto
mobiles, carrying North Dakota
numbers, were counted in front of
the brewery. practically all OF them
going back into North Dakota.
Both Mr.. Watkins and Mr.. Fin
wall are ready to testify that they
made purchases of beer in the brew
cry; that it was delivered to them in
gunny sacks. .
During the fspotting" process
maintained by the Enforcement
league officials, Mr.. Finwall main
tanned a system of following North
Dakota automobiles from the time
they left the brewery until they
crossed the bridge over the Red river
into North Dakota, using a bicycle
to follow them.
Numbers of the cars were obtain
ed, and information is now being
secured from the secretary of state,
revealing names of owners.
1--WE intend to convince the people
of North Dakota that we expect to
enforce the state bone dry law, as
well as the federal law" said Mr..
Watkins to The Forum this morn
ing. There is no assurance forth
coming that there will be no prose-
cutions of purchasers who carried
liquor into North Dakota since
July 1.
THE cases, OF course, will likely
open up the whole question of per-
sons bringing liquor into the state
for their own consumption. The
state law has not been passed upon
in that respect, although the federal
law has been held, by Judge Ami
don, to cover the point"