New Britain herald., 1924-04-16
Conn. Supreme Court Hands Down Very Important Ruling In Enforcement Of Vol- stead Act.
Applies to Any Liquids Con- taining Alcohol That May Be Easily Changed Into Beverage.

Hartford. April l6.-An opinion of
 very great practical importance in
 the enforcement of the volstead act and of our tConnecticuD statute in its aid" was handed down by the su- preme court today in the case of the state versus Louis Torello. Judge J. h. Beach dissenting.
 By this opinion if will henceforth be illegal to transport, without gov. ernment authority, intoxicating liquor which although not fit for beverag
 purposes al the time of transportatiu, is nevertheless susceptible by one U more processes Of being made fit r. drink.
 Louis ToreIlo was arrested carA last fall in SuGield while driving |. truck containing eight barrels of par ually denatured alcohol from New Haven to Springfield, and brought tu trial before Judge John P. Kellogg fin Inc superior criminal court. Judg. Kellogg on the grounds that there was complete variance between tho proof and the information" directed the jury to return q verdict of not guilty for Torello which il did on Oc. tober 8.
 alcorII Tiled Appeal
 states Attorney Hugh NJ. Alcorn. who prosecuted Torello appealed to the supreme court from this decision. and the supreme court in its opinion today, written by Chief Justice Wheel or. says:
 "The liquid fin the barrels Hound ia rorello's truck) analyzcd sO.ss per cent alcohol by volume and s.3 Der cent of diethylphthalate with a iracs of befzol.
 The state claims that specially 1e. nainred alcohol Of this formula Whether susceptible Of being used foi btNoragc purposes in it's then condi ion is in fact and jaw alcohol. and x for beverage purposes within the necniHs of the Nolstead act. The jury mlsh: readily have found that by simple process Of distilation, capable "f b-irg effected in the ordinary still s1d hy the ordinary person, the in- sicjieuts of specially donatured al- ,ono O. this formula can be separat- cd fiolBcing 2.S per. cent oT diethS phihalatc, trace Of benzol abd The remainder Of about 97.7 per eent o; burs grain alcohol. IL needs ns.tlier terttnaony nor argument to en- abie court to sec that specially de- rstBtva alcohol Of this formula could se lawfully manufactured and sold withip or without the state to illegal vendors Of intoxicating beverages within the state and by these sub- . 1ected to this simple process of dis tillation. and the resultant obtained Of : a17 per cent pure grain alcohol, ! which is the base of all alcoholic bev- erages, used in the illegal manufac- ture or vending of intoxicating bever- ages. We see no difference in the re- suit obtained between the process of [ the liquid fit for beverage pur- poses by first distilling it to separate the grain alcohol and then diluting that. The one requires two processes the other one. Any other holding would lead 10 the constant abuse in the use of partially denatured alcohol, for industry but used In violation of all federal and state avs in aid of the eighteenth amend 1ient." The supreme court finds no error in he lower courts verdict of not guilty n the case of Daniel Iawler. Harry 'obla. Antoni Vieilanti and Antonio { semprone accused of aiding Torc1lo.