New-York tribune., 1918-05-04
u. S. Seiizes
$40,000,000
Ehret Estate
Property Of New York
Brewer, Living in Berlin,
Taken Over

WASHINGTON, May 3.-A Mitchell
Palmer, Custodian Of Enemy Property
announced to-day his intention of TAX
ing possession of the holdings OF
George Ehret, the New York brewer
George Ehret. jr., concurred in this de-
cision upon learning that his fathers
residence In Germany since the United
States entered the war placed his hold
ings in the enemy category.
George Ehret, jr., has signifed his
willingness to turn over to the govern
ment his fathers property, which is
said to amount to $24,O0O,00O in real
estate and $16,000,000 in personal prop
erty. The following statement was
made by Mr. Palmer:
"N6 change in the management of
the property is contemplated. George
Ehret, jr., and the Central Trust
Company have been named as deposit
tories for the Alien Property Custo-
dian, and the rents and other income
will be collected by George Ehret, jr.,
as usual, who will make periodical
accounting to the Alien Property
Custodian.
"This property became of enemy
character through the residence of
the owner under the Trading with
the Enemy act, although he was an
American citizen. If Mr.. Ehret, sr.,
should return to America and thus
lose his enemy character, the Depart
ment of Justice would entertain
jurisdiction Of any claim he might
make, under Section 9, to have his
property returned to him. Under
Section 9 the President may return
the property to him if satisfied of his
return to this country and of his
American citizenship.
If Mr.. Ehret, ST., should return to
America and thus lose his enemy char
acter, the Department of Justice would
entertain jurisdiction of any claim
which he might make to have his prop
erty returned to him.
Mr.. Ehret, ST., is eighty-three years
old, and recently when it was an
nounced that he was a purchaser of
Liberty bonds it was said that he was
living in Switzerland, although his old
home was in Germany and he had gone
to it before the United States declared
the existence of a state of war with
Germany.
According to the Directory of Di-
rectors, he is director of the Astoria
.'liN w VI ho dHU Inc DOWery baV Build
ing and improvement Company, vice
president and director of George Ring
ler & Co. and director of the New
York & College Point Ferry Company,
George Ehret, jr., likewise is inter
ested in those companies.
George Ehret, ST., was born in Hof-
weier, Germany in 1885. He helped his
father as cooper, served an appren-
ticeship in German breweries, and fol-
lowed his father to New York in 1857,
After nine years with the Hupfels he
started brewery of his own. He en-
joyed uninterrupted success until fire
swept away all he had saved. He re-
built in East Ninety-second Street, be-
tween Second and Third avenues.
More than twenty years ago it was
estimated that he had accumulated a
fortune of $10,0O0,000. From the first
he confined the operations of his plant
to the production of lager beer.
He helped to organize the United
States Brewers Association. For many
years he was a patron of the principal
German societies in this country. In
1915 hes bought the old Arion Society
clubhouse at Fifty-ninth Street and
Park Avenue and told the society to
keep on using it, rent free
In the. same year he bought the
American Mailing Company's plant al
Sixty-third Street and the East River,