Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-30
APPEAL PLANNED
BY L CONVICTED
IN LIQUOR CASE
Jury of Ten Men and Two
Women Return Verdict,
With Leniency Asked.
DEFENSE ATTORNEYS
CHARGE STATE ERRED
Justice Luhring Expected to Be
Ready Next Week to Pass
Sentence.

Convicted early today Of conSpiring
to violate the national prohibition law,
IL men will be sentenced soon by Justice
Oscar r. Luhring of District Supreme
Court.
The Jury returned its verdict with a
recommendation of leniency shortly be-
fore / o'clock this morning. The 10
men and women jurors had deliberated
80 hours. No other case had received
such lengthy consideration here In more
than a decade.
Only one of the dozen defendants who
went on trial two weeks ago was ex-
onerated This decision resulted in the
release of Mrs. Ida Mendelson. young
dark haired wife of one of the members
Of the liquor ring.
Justice Luhring probably will pass
sentences next week. The law fixes
the maximum penalty at fine OF
$40 900 and two years imprisonment.
Defense attorneys insisted today the
jury's recommendation of mercy would
have no bearing on the sentences de-
cided upon They said they would
carry the case to the Court OF Appeals,
alleging as reversible error statements
of prosecutors in addressing the jury
that the defendants might be found
guilty with recommendations OF lent-
ency.
Four Pleas Of Guilty.
Those convicted were Alfred c. Men,
delson. Roy Beasley, Harry KuShner,
Corbin Shields, Milton j. Lerner, Roy
Ahern, Thomas McNichols, Andrew
Lobolo, Edward T. Croghan, Jack Baum
and Frank E. Baker.
In addition, pleas Of guilty were en-
tered by four defendants at the open
ing of the trial, two of them taking
the stand as prosecution witnesses.
The defendants remained at liberty
today under bond pending preparation
Of their appeals.
Defense attorneys announced other
grounds for their appeals, would in
clude the charge that one OF the jurors
had been induced to vote for convtc-
ton against his will, and that the
prosecution had failed to make out a
prima facie case. 1t also was indicated
defense lawyers would contend more
than one conspiracy had been proved.
while the law. they said. provides only
single conspiracy shall be made out
Position Of Attorneys.
Early last night the eight defense at
torneys agreed the jury should continue
its deliberations. A few hours later
however, they insisted. without success
that the jury should be dismissed.
James r. Kirkland. assistant United
States Attorney in charge of prosecu-
ton. predicted the Court of Appeals
would upheld the convictions. He said
the number of conspiracies was a ques-
ton of fact, and the jury had decided
one conspiracy was committed. He was
upheld in this contention by John J.
Wilson, another assistant United States
attorney, who aided in presenting the
Governments case.
The Government case was built
around a contention that the defend
ants had conspired to manufacture and
sell large quantities of liquor. Govern
ment witnesses testified the ring had
operated stills in nearby Maryland. dis
tributing depots in the District and a
store on Fourteenth street, the stock of
which included spurious Federal rev.
enue stamps, gin essence. rye essence,
bottles, kegs and similar paraphernalia.
The defense produced no witnesses.