The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1921-02-25
ANDREW ". MELLON SELLS
HIS DlSTILLERY STOCK
Mentioned as Probable Head of
Treasury Dept. in Presi-
dents Cabinet
SALE ANSWERS PROTEST
AS Secy. of Treasury Would
Have Much to Do With Dry .
Law Enforcement

Andrew w. Mellon, of Pittsburgh
is mentioned in the daily press as a
probable choice for Secretary of the
Treasury in the Harding cabinet
When it became known that Mr..
Mellon was par, owner of the Over
hold distillery, considerable opposi-
ton to Mr.. MELONS appointment
came from dry leaders. The Over
holt dstillery has large amount of
whisky in bond valued at present
prices at many million dollars. SUI
perintendent Anderson of the New
York Anti-Saloon League sent wire
to Mr.. Mellon which read in part as
follows:
Since you as Secretary of the
Treasury would have appointment
OF the Internal Revenue Com
y missioner who has to deal with
the whole liquor question, and
you through him would appoint
Prohibition Commissioner, the
question OF whether or not you
are in fact one of the big distil-
lers OF the nation has direct and
vital bearing upon your fitness
for the particular cabinet position
you are reported TO have accepted
and is matter of interest and
concern to the people of the
American nation who have
adopted the policy OF Prohibition
Mr.. Anderson urged that Mr.. Mel
Ion let it be known if he had been
misrepresented with reference To his
owning share of the Overho1t dis
tllery Mr.. Mellon did not reply to
the wire, but according to a Green's
burg, Pa. dispatch under date OF
February Is in the Philadelphia North
American he sold his stock in the dis
tillery to X. B. Mellon and the estate
OF the late Henry X. Frick for $780,
000 each OF the purchasers paying
$4,000. The distillery was then
liquidated by the Union Trust Com
pany OF Pittsburgh for 81 100000. In
other words, X. B. Mellon, \. W.
Mellon and the Frick estate disposed
OF the Overholt distillery to the I'm
ion Trust Company for $2,300,000.
The Philadelphia North American
dispatch continues:
III. e. McEldowney is president OF
the Union Trust Company and was
4. -, al Mat.o,,,I I.
The Mellon brothers are directors in
the Union Trust Company. Mr.. Nc
Fldowney is the executor of the will
OF the late T. c. Prick. If Mr.. Mellon
finally decides to answer the Ander-
son telegram it will be with the posi-
tive assertion that he has no interest
in the Overholt distillery company.
There are 100000 gallons OF
whisky in the Overholt bonded ware
house, or about 10000 barrels. The
price paid does not average quite two
dollars gallon. The present price of
whisky certificates is over three dol
lars a gallon, so the Union Trust
Company, which the MELONS now
control, picked up bargain.
Very little liquor has left the Over
holt warehouse since Prohibition went
into effect because the heirs of Prick
and the MELONS did not wish to be-
come involved in any scandal due to
violations OF the Volstead act. I'm
less permits were approved, genuine
and from licensed dealers, the distil-
lery would refuse to sell liquor to any
one"
In discussing the incident, Senator
Penrose OF Pennsylvania is quoted as
saying:
mo importance at all can be at
tached to Mr. MELONS ownership OF
distillery stock, which | understand
he acquired as a banking transaction.
All this has been we'll understood and