Evening star., 1941-03-31
Po|Iack Denies
'Shakedown'
.0fDrug Firm
81, 500 Wos Asked to
Kill Liquor Bill, Soy
Company Officials
Ry TIT Associated Press.


ANNAPOLIS, March 31.-The
General Assembly prepared today
to wind up its 90-day session, while
Senate committee studied testi-
mony taken in an investigation Of
an alleged s2,50O "shakedown" at
tempt involving pending liquor
license legislation.
Both the House and Senate we're
scheduled to begin their last days
work this morning and legislative
leaders expressed hope that sine die
adjournment would be reached be-
fore or at the midnight deadline.
The dying moments of the 194l
Legislature were enlivened by the
Senate Temperance Committees
grand inquest investigation into re-
ports officials Of the Read Drugstore
chain had been approached with
an offer to kill a certain bill in re-
turn for s2,500.
The bill, already passed by the
House, would restrict drugstore
chains TO a single liquor license.
The Read chain now has multiple
licenses, one for each store.
Pollack Is Mentioned.
At a four-hour session Yesterday,
the committee heard testimony that
Jack Pollack, district Democratic
leader in Baltimore, was behind the
"ShakedoWn" attempt.
This assertion came from Arthur
NattanS, president. and Wallace J.
Smith, vice president and general
manager of the Read Drug and
Chemical Co.
They testified that the offer to
kill the bill for s2,500 was made to
them by Lawrence Lockwood of
Baltimore and that he told them
he was acting for Mr. Pollack.
Mr.. Pollack, present at the hear
ing, vigorously denied that he had
any connection with the bill or that
he had talked with the Read officials.
Denies Mentioning Money.
Mr.. Lockwood also denied that
he had mentioned money to the
drug chain officials. or that he had
mentioned Mr.. Pollacks name to
them.
The committee, headed by Sena-
tor Earl Bennett, Democrat. of Dor
chester, decided to have Transcript
made of testimony for further study.
Then it will determine whether
or not it should be transmitted
to the proper officials for possible
prosecution.
Meanwhile, 174 OF the 22T bills
passed Saturday went to Gov.
OConor for signature, among them
the administrations conservation,
real estate tax and bond issue meas
ures
The conservation bill would set up
co-ordinating Board of Natural
Resources. The tax bill would re-
duce the real estate tax from 1885
cents to POTS cents by 1e43. The
bond issue bill would provide s2,-
177,000 for capital Improvements.
Marriage Measure Passed.
Also sent to the Governor was Sem
ator Wilmer Fell Davis bill prohibit
ing judges from waving the 4s-
hour marriage delay law unless one
or both of the contracting parties
are bona fide residents of Maryland.
Aimed at Elktons marriage mill"
the measure would prevent out-of.
State couples from evading the de-
lay law.
Also passed were these measures:
Increasing the State insurance
commissioners salary from $4,000
to $500 a year.
Prohibiting consumption of alco-
holic beverages between the hours
of 2 am. and am. at unlicensed
places.
Permitting Gamers and packers
to possess female crabs not caught
in Maryland waters.
Directing the Conservation Com
mission to grant lessees of oyster
bottoms renewal of lease upon pay.
ment of $3.50 in resurvey and re.
cording fees.
Permitting prisoners at county
jails to work at State police stations.
Most of the other measures that
completed their legislative journey
Saturday were local in nature.