The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-11-09
FOLKS FROM LAKE
TOWN TAKE STAND
Testify To Character Of.
Fellow Citizen
DEUTSCHEPRAEED
Claimed Him Very Fine Gen.
tleman; Liquor Charge
Was Faced

Practically all Of the prominent
citizens of Lake Crystal were called
as witnesses in the case or the Unit
ed States against William Deutseb,
druggist Of that city, charged with
the illegal sale Of whiskey.
The government called as wit
nesses Malcolm Simonds of this
city, q former federal agent, and
Federal Agent III. A. Parish who tes-
tilted that they had purchased whis-
key Of the, defendant on December
20 without prescription. Other
federal agents called to the stand
were Joseph N. Riddle and Martin
ing the drug store Of. the defendant,
Mr.. Deutsch on the afternoon of De-
cember Is, 1922, and finding guam
| tity Of homemade grape wine. An
endeavor was made by these agents
to show that there was q discre- !;
penney In the issuance OF physicians
permits for whiskey. /
Carl J.. West, government chemist,
was called to the stand to testify
as to the alcoholic content Of the
bottle Of whiskey alleged to have
Deutsch. He said that one Of the
containers had 100 proof whiskey !.
and the other eighty proof whiskSy.i
Robert Jones Of Mankato tesd- |
fed to purchasing pint Of whfskey |
from the Deutsch drug store on q I;
lphygician's prescription.
peutsch First witness. -
William Deutsch. the defendant
In the case, was the first witness !
called by the defense. He fatty de-
MED that either Agent Simonds or,
L A D1~4aL H. 49, - a
LIQUOR from him under any circum-
stances. He testified that the day
Of the, search Of his drug store 1T !
Lake Crystal on the afternoon OF i
December ~, 1922, Agent Knutson
| went into the drug store and pre-
scented card with the name Of Sa-
r1uel White on II saying: "This man
Is all right, give him whatever he
wants" Mr.. Deutsch said that he
smiled on that occasion and turned
Knutson down. The defendant ex-
planned that White was telephone
lineman or foreman, and well known
moral character and not addicted to
the use of irtoxicants. Defendant
stated that when Knutson was turn
ed down on the purchase, he flashed
q search warrant, and later he and
Joseph Riddle searched the store.
The stock of whiskey and alcohol
which he had In legal possession
was checked out by the officers and
found to be correct. He admitted
that he had q very small quantity
of homemade wine In the cellar,
He said that he had made that six
years ago, and had practically for
sotten that it was In the cellar Mr..
Deutsch said that he had never
drank whiskey, and very seldom
took a drink of wine.
| Sold Whlskey on Prescription
He said that he had never sold
whiskey without a prescription. Ow
ing to the fact that his store had
been entered by thieves on one or
1.-TWO occasions he had divided his
stock of alcohol and placed It in dh
ferent places In the store, so that In
case of another theft, thieves would
not find all of It. Mr.. Deutsch ex-
planned that alcohol is necessary In
the compromising Of great many
prescriptions, and 1t must be kept
on hand.
Asked II he had sold whiskey on
Ia prescription to Robert Jones, the
defendant said that he had on q
physician's permit.
"You live in Welsh settlement.
do you mott" asked defendants at
tor1sy, yo s1 p Reg. Rsgan +. a.,.,s.,,
as Jones a. common name around
Lake Crystal?" asked Mr.. Regain.
| "There are about $50 OF them
there answered the defendant with
MI. Deutsch said that he had only
sold two .pints of liquor. on the %,
Of December 1922 one Of these was
to Edward Mutt, and another to an I
aged lady suffering from Illness.
Both sales had been made on doe
tors permits.
On cross examination the Witness
stuck to his story.
Frank Franciscus Of The Free
Press, was called to the stand by
the defense. and testified 20. accom-
panying the federal officers TO Lake
Crystal on December ~. ana OF Sec
ing them search the Deutsch drug
store. He testified that Mr., Deutsc1.
showed the federal officers exery
courtesy In the search OF the store,
and never made any denial OF the
possession Of the wine, which he
went into effect. There was no
cross examination Of the witness.
The following prominent citizens
OF Lake Crystal were called to the
stand BY the defense to testify as to
the good character OF the defendant.
They were: Mayor George e. Austin,
Dr. w. r.. Cullen, Ben Wiberg. JUS
Itice of the peace. Robert p. Dulds.
a yetinary surgeon and member OF
the city council, City Attorney Carl
s., Strom, GEORGE w. Norman. John
Iameroeux. and Judge Of Probate
Harry A. Johnson of Mankato,
At this point in the, case a recess
was taken until 1880 when the case
| was resumed. II was turned over>to
the Jury about ten o'clock last night.
Deutsch Found Guilty
The Jury In the case OF Deut- -
! of Lsi,e CRYSTAL this morning re-
turned a.verdict of illegal ~posses-
sion of intoxicants. but not or sale.
DEPENDENT was sentenced to pay
| fine of sSi)0. which he paid.
Regain & Grcgan appeared fnr the
defendant ard United States Attor-
Hney George A. Kelsey appeared for
the prosecution.
John q. Neurer OF Nicollet. found
ellilty by fury o. illegal possession
| OF T1oopshine whiskey, Yves SEN
fenced this morning by judge VII
bur +. Booth to serve q, sentence OF
sixty days IN the Blue Earth County
TAIL. Throrgh his attorney. w. II.
Dempsey OF New Uln1. a stay of for
| ty-two days was granted tn which
TO rrerare for a motion for q new
trial. The defendant furnished
bord for his appearance at that
3 . siaHf y -