Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-07-16
BEER CASE VERDICT
DUE IN CITY TODAY
Confident Of Victory, Many Sa-
loonmen Open for Sale of
2.75 Per Cent Liquor
MAN AND WIFE ARRESTED

Confidence of victory through the
sustaining Of the demurrer in the beer
test case Of the Bergner & Engel
Brewing Company has led a host Of
Philadelphia saloonkeepers to throw
wide open their doors for the sale Of
2.75 per cent beer.
Forty per cent of Philadelphia
saloons are said to be selling 2.75 per
cent beer today. The others are ready
to open for business.
Decision of Judge Oliver b. Dickin-
son, of the United States District
Court, is expected today.
Notwithstanding the decision of
Judge Thomson in the United States
District Court in Pittsburgh overruling
the demurrer filed by the Brewers and
holding nineteen defendants in bail for
trial in November, the saloon men of
this city believe contrary view will
be taken by Judge Dickinson. Sufficient
warrant will be given for selling 2.75
per cent beer during the time inter-
vening before the matter Mt issue is
threshed out by the United States Su-
preme Court il the court holds sustain
ing the demurrer of the brewers.
Liquor Men Lose in Pittsburgh
Judges in federal courts in New
York, Baltimore, Boston and New Or
leans have decided. demurrers in favor Of
the beer sellers. Pittsburgh is the only
district thus far that has favored the
governments ruling that any beer hav-
ing more than onehal of per cent
nln nh1l, -
the congressional act of May /, 1919.
While expressing confidence in their
cause. brewers and saloonmen of this
city will not be likely--to sell beer of
any alcoholic content il the decision of
Judge Dickinson favors the govern :
ment's contention. Should they ignore
the courts ruling the Department of
Justice would speedily bring them to a
halt.
Promise was made by Assistant At
torney General Frierson in Open court
last Friday to Judge Dickinson of the
arrest and prosecution of every offend
ing saloonkeeper and brewer if the
court Overruled the demurrer in the
beer test case then being argued before
him. An adverse ruling would make II
futile to attempt prosecutions during the
time intervening before the highest
court in the land rules on the mootcd
| question.
That the government is in earnest
| in it's attempt to make the country dry
| Is evidenced by the fact that the House
of Representatives, when it resumes
consideration of the prohibition en-
ment that will be offered making it
unlawful for a person to retain liquor
stored in his home before July 1.
53s Saloons Open
On Monday there were, according
to police reports, 53S saloons open and
doing business. This was an increase
of fifty over the previous Saturday.
! More were opened yesterday and today
many others were expected to start
again selling 2.75 per cent beer.
| Neil Bonner, president of the Phila-
delphia Retail Liquor Dealers Asso-
citation, declared today that the mem
bers of his association would await
the decision of Judge Dickinson, as
they had agreed to do, before opening
for business.
The first arrests of persons dispens-
ing liquor and beef through the agency
of the "speakeasy" came yesterday
when vice squad detectives arrested
Stanley Stakowiski, thirty-six years
old, and his wife, Annie, twenty eight
years old. of .2716 Edgemont street.
They were each held under $40O bail
for further hearing next week by
Magistrate Pennock in the Central Po-
| lice Station