Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-27
Former Missouri Prohibition
g Director Says Allegations
Are "AbsoIuteIy False"
CITES OFFICIAL RECORD
TO SUPPORT STATEMENT
Declares His Zeal for Dry Enforce
ment Was Demonstrated in
Convictions He Obtained.

Describing as absolutely false" state
ments concerning him in Mrs. Mabel
Walker Willebrandt's article on the So
called Griesedieck Brewery case, pub
lished recently in The Star and other
newspapers, Gus o. Nations, st. Louis
attorney and former director of prohibi-
ton agents in Missouri, who recently
filed suit for damages against Mrs.
Willebrandt and Current News Features,
Inc, has issued lengthy statement CIV
ing his version OF incidents surrounding
the prosecution of his brother, Heber
Nations. by the Government.
Mr.. Nations has supplied The Star
with copy Of his denial of Mrs. WILLIE
brandtS assertions, and in fairness to
him The Star is glad to give to the pub
lie through these columns Mr.. Nations
view of his relationship to the sensa-
tional prosecutions growing out of the
brewery case. Believing certain por-
tions of his statement" to be direct ac-
cusations against the personal integrity
OF third parties and other portions to
be extraneous to the defense Of his own
character. The Star cannot see its way
clear to printing the full text supplied
by Mr.. Nations.
Mrs. Willebrandt. when apprised of
the Nations statement. refused to COM
ment, making it plain she did not de-
sire to enter into a newspaper con-
troversy with Mr.. Nations.
Involved His Brother.
The article complained of dealt with
the case of Heber Nations, brother Of
the plaintiff; Charles S. Prather former
food and drug inspector for Missouri.
and Raymond B. Griesedieck, president
of the Griesedieck Brewery in st. Louis.
who were indicted on charge OF con-
spiracv to violate the Volstead act, fol-
lowing a raid upon the brewery by Gus
Nations.
In his suit Gus Nations alleges that
the defendants knew at the time of the
publication. that there did not and
does not exist any testimony. corrob-
grated or uncorroborated. of official mis-
conduct on the part of this plaintiff"
In his reply to Mrs. Willebrandt, Gus
Nations declares her article. in so far
as ii refers to him, is absolutely false"
He denies emphaticaliy Mrs. Willie
brandt's statement that "all defendants
pleaded guilty to the indictment with
the exception of Heber Nations" as
serting that none Of the defendants re-
ferred to ever was required to plead.
Facts in His Defense.
Mr.. Nations cites facts" which. he
says. cannot be denied because they
are proved by official Government rec
ords," and offers $1,000 to any person
who can prove the Government records
do not substantiate his statements.
Among the facts alleged are:
That more than 80 men were appre-
hended in two raids on the Griesedieck
brewery before his brother was indicted.
That the second alleged raid on the
brewery was made by him upon 1nfor-
f,,rr HicHa hy
brother, Heber Nations. whose only in
terest was that of a citizen who wanted
the law enforced"
That lat the trial of my brother
she MRS. WillebrandD challenged
either peremptorily or for cause every
prospective juror who admitted on voir
dire examination that he believed In
prohibition"
Mrs Willebrandt's article" Mr.. Ma
tions states, carefully omits all REFER
ence to the fact that the original case
against the Griesedieck brewery was
made by me and that the Government
would have had no case had 1t not been
for me and my brother"
referring to Mrs. Willebrandt's state
ment that all defendants in the case,
except his brother, had pleaded guilty.
Mr.. Nations charges that "she was In
court and knows they did not plead
guilty.
required to plead" he states, although
it has been more than five years since
raided their brewery" He alleges he
took them into custody on that occa-
sion on charges Of making and shipping
real beer.
Praised, Not Indicted.
"She says" Mr.. Nations announces,
that the case rested upon amply cor
roborated testimony of official miscon-
duct and bribery although she did not
indict me and she sat in court through
out the trial and heard her associates
in the case commend me. When chal-
lenged by counsel for the defendant to
accuse me if she dared, she sat silent"
Reciting the history of the case, Mr..
Nations alleges the brewery first was
raided June IL, 1921.
I'm 1922 the brewery applied fpr re-
instatement of its permit" Mr.. Nations
(Continued on Page 2, Column So