Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1920-11-02
HOTEL MAN GIVEN
z II YEARS IN PEN.
FOR BOOZE Sales
JUDGE Lands IMPOSES HEAVY
FINE ON CHiCAGOAN BESIDES
ORDERING HIM COMMITTED IN
lEAVENWORTH FOR LONG
TERM.

Chicago, Nov. 2.--Federal Judge
Lands struck terror to the heart OF
liquor law violators in Chicago yes
terday when he sentenced Charles NJ.
Sommers, proprietor Of the ST. James
grill and the Birchmont hotel in Rog-
ers Park, to thirty months in the pen
itentiary in addition to fine Of $l0,-
500 on a charge OF possessing and
selling liquor
William SommerS, a cousin, and
manager of Ithe Birchmont hotel
was sentenced to ninety days in the
Bridewell and fined $4,000 on the
same charge. Both men had pleaded
guilty, expecting leniency. Charles
Sommers had been arraigned in fed
eral court before and had been fined
$3.50
The heavy penalties coming with
the first cases on the docket at this
term of court, threw bootleg liquor
circle into panic. The lid came
down with a bang and only privi-
legged patrons of the various loop
bars were permitted by the proprie-
tors to pry it loose sufficiently FOR
cautious nip"
Wholesale bootleggers and their
agents declined to quote price for
whisky and saloonkeepers, ordinarily
in the market for more stock, refused
TO consider new supplies at any price.
Saloonkepers selling whisky had
been prepared for fines Of not more
than $500 or $1,000. Many of them
had little fear of several months in
the bridcwell, as long as they were
enabled to reap profits of several
hundred dollars day over their
bars. But the penitentiary sentences
were "A staggering blow
More than fifty well known saloon
and cafe owners were particularly
impressed. They have been arrested
and indicted for the same otfense as
we've the Sommera.
Many OF them have made similar
I,eas Of guilty with the same hope
entertained by the Sommers iahi- |
eAcy.
Judge Lands declined to oulhra
mis- policy in handling future caset
In sentencing the Snmmers the
Judge gave them verbal lash'ng. /
or Charles Sommers be said
This man apparently in detarmn.
ed not to go dry. He has made w
his mind that he will not obev the
Prohibition laws Dn ing wartime he
Was fined $3.50 by Judge Carpenter
ard this fine he apparently has re-
pH a ~ m
further violations of The law"
S0mmers AMI bis cousin werc ar.
rested some month ago when fed |
e"&l agents caught u bus boy carry /
ing liquor from The basement in no
II rchmont hotel where large sup .
ply had been stored, Ia the St Jan - .
grill. where it was sold
Charles Sommer3 nal been indicted .
on two counts anl the sentence rep
resents fifteen months on each. As
the sentences will run concurrcntiy
he will have to serve but fifteen
months.
Charles Somm'F5 in March. 1919. .
was the victim of a shooting in the
Office Of his grill on the top 30 II
o; the Majestic hotel OF Quincy street .
nr +, A. Ross, So lr;ing park blvl, 4
was arrested Tor the shooting Ac.
cording to the story told the police,
Er. Ross had bean drinking. He Was
accompanied to the brll by Mrs. A. j. /
On, prosperous dairy farmer ard .
prominent in WoodsCcb, i'll.
An argument a,ose between rr.
Ross and waiter I'VE. change and 1t
extended to the nhl"a CT Sommers .
DIR. E0ss suddenly drew an automatic
AID fired five shots. Three strlak .
Sommers. Mrs. Olson fed /