Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-06-21
CHARGES HAAGS
OPERATED MOST
VICIOUS TIGER
Opening Statements in Liquor
Conspiracy Case Made in
Federal Court.
HERBERT HAAG FREED

Charging that Louis E. Haag and
julius A Haag operated" on
Pennsylvania street, "the most vi
. ckds blind tiger in Indianapolis, !"
District Attorney Frederick VanNuys
made the opening statement to the
Jury in the Haag liquor conspiracy
case in federal court today.
The government noIled the indictment
against Herbert L. Haag, after 1t was
shown to the court that Herbert L. Haag
was in the marine corps at the time OF
the alleged importation of liquor.
This leaves Louis E. Haag and Julius
A. Haag on trial on twenty nine counts
Of the Indictment after the twenty fifth
count was dismissed by the government,
because the charge Of alleged importation
Of liquor was repeated in the twenty
sixth count.
The jury was obtained and the open
ing statements made in an hours time
after the case started at 10 o'clock.
Charles ". Miller assumed charge of
the defense and put the questions to the
Jurors.
SHOW SPEED
IN GETTING JURY.
The swiftness and dispatch in getting
q Jury was a marked contrast to the
alowness OF the defense counsel in the
Evansville whisky ring" cases last
week
The jury consists of:
Marion K. Gemison, farmer, Corners
Vile.
r. o. Lee, farmer, Bryant
George F. Freeman, cigar manufac-
turer, Franklin.
n. Y. Yates, farmer, Decker.
Joseph Quinn, farmer, Valparaiso.
George E. Ward, farmer. Washington.
Chester A ueaton, farmer, Freedom.
". H. Ginn, farmer, Delphi.
Robert Frazier, farmer, Lawrenceburg.
+. L. Steadman, retired, formerly in
the real state business, South Bend.
J. ii. Abercombee, retired, Ft. Wayne.
d. S. Stoker, farmer. New Amsterdam.
In making the opening argument for
the government, District Attorney Van
Euys said that a book" kept by the
Haags In the Pennsylvania street store
showed that Louis and julius Haag, on
esstmas eve, 1913, contemplated a huge
liquor business and caused about 500
uuarts Of liquor to be brought from the
cellar and put on the shelves
2 VanNuys stated that the evidence viii
show that one negro physician Gf the city,
on Dec. IS, 1915, wrote ffty-one whisky
prescriptions calling for forty -four quarts
and seven pints of whisky.
The district attorney also stated that
brother OF the physician also issued
nineteen so-called prescriptions, making
total OF seventy from the Office of this
negro physician.
The district attorney briefly outlined
khe evidence to be introduced regarding
the alleged CONSPIRACY.
DEFENSE MAKES
cPESING STATEMENT.
Michael Ryan, one Of the counsel for
the Haags, stated "as far as this case
Is concerned, it will be admitted that
the two defendants caused quantities Of
iqaor to be brought into the state by
theemeans and from the various places
as charged in the indictment"
I'VE viii not admit that these liquors
were shipped for the purposes as claimed
by the district attorney.
e "Tbe contention of the defense is that
these liquors were brought into the
stasebHor medical purposes alone" said
- Ryan.
Ryan also stated that maybe some
prescriptions got through which were
not signed by regular physicians. but
/ claimed If this was true 1t in no way
altered the purpose for which the liquor
vas brought in.
In conclusion Mr.. Ryan said. "the
liquor was brought into the state strictly
FOR medical purposes as the defendants
win testify"
About fifty witnesses were sworn for
both sides
BREWERY CLERK
TELLS OF SHIPMENTS.
The first and only witness placed on
the stand by the government was Jesse
Schroeder of Cincinnati a former en-
pIoye OF Hofheimer Brothers, former
wholesale liquor dealers, who testified
that certain shipments Of whisky were
8 made from Cincinnati. o., into Indiana
for the Haag Drug Company.
After proving the shipment Of liquor.
q the government rested as counsel for
the defense had stated that the defend
ants would admit the shipments Of whis-
S. Ky into the state.
As soon as the government rested,
Louis E. Haag took the witness stand in
his own behalf.
His direct examination was very i.rief
and he denied that he ever aute-eI into
any conspiracy and contended that a"
whisky sold was for medicinal Purposes.
On cross examination at the hands Of
District Attorney VanNuys, Louis IIaag
admitted that he ordered nearly all the
whisky, as well as 90 per cent of all
goods ordered for the seven stores.
HaGg testified that the whisky pre-
scriptiOns were kept at the Pennsylvania
street store and records kent OF the sales.
In accordance with the state laws he
stated he fled the original prescrip-
! tions with the county clerk Of Marion
county.
FILL s46 PRESCRIPTIONS
IN TWO MONTHS.
2he district attorney handed Louis
q H1&g SAG prescriptions filed during the
g months of October November and De
eember, 1915 for go quarts of whisky
and 116 pints.
Haag stated he presumed that they
were filed at his store by his en-
Vloyes.
Many OF these prescriptions bore the
CONTINUED on Page Two.)
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