Evening star., 1951-09-27
Bland and Bank
Face Inquiry in
Liquor Transfer
Ex-County Treasurer
Drops License Pleo;
Probes Under Woy

investigating possible violations o
the law by James B. Bland, for
mer Democratic county treasurer
and an Upper Marlboro bank.
The possible violations, revealed
in a Circuit Court hearing yester
day. center around contro
versial liquor license held unit
yesterday by Mr.. Bland.
Mr.. Bland gave UP the licens
during the court hearings, afte
admitting he signed a false state
ment to obtain it and made a dea
to have it transferred to c. Norri
Hartman, owner of Hartman
Grill. 4701 Suitland road.
Court Hearing on Appeal.
The Liquor Board approved
transfer of the license to MI
Bland last July Is and then ap
proved transfer of the license tt
Hartman's Grill August Is, despite
protests of Suitland residents
The final step in the procedure
transfer of the license from Mr.
BANDS name to Mr.. Hartman's-
was scheduled to come up 1t this
months Liquor Board meeting
but was put aside when 10 Suit
land residents appealed the August
16 decision.
Yesterdays court hearing was
on that appeal. After Mr.. Blanc
announced he was relinquishing
the license, Judge Charles C
Marbury dismissed the case. The
license. thus. is dead and so is
the transfer to Hartman's.
Mr.. Bland. a director of the
Upper Marlboro branch of the
County Trust Co. of Maryland
testified he was acting as agen
for the bank when he succeeded
in having the license put in hi
name last July.
Must Be Part Owner.
He admitted that he signed hi
name to false information on tn
original liquor license application
County liquor laws require licens,
holders to be at least part owne
OF the business for which th
license is issued.
States Attorney Carlyle ]. Ian
caster said today he intends to g
over Mr.. BANDS testimony to de
termine whether perjury is in
volyed.
State Bank Examiner H. E
Meeks said. at his Baltimore of
flee. he is looking into the matte
to see whether the County Trus
CO.. was engaging in the liquo
business, which probably would b,
illegal.
.Fhe bank several months agt
purchased the Prince Georges Ho.
tel in Upper Marlboro, where tht
controversial license has been il
use, for new branch. The bal
continued to operate, however
while Mr.. Bland negotiated tht
three-step transfer of the license
to Mr.. Hartman.
Leasing Required.
Mr.. Meeks said that unless thu
bank leased the bar to some othel
individual or group. it very likely
violated its State charter. ThG
charter outlines what bank car
do, Mr. Meeks explained, adding
I'm pretty sure selling liquor
isn't one of those things"
Samuel A. Wyvill, vice presi
dent of the Statewide bankinI
institution and chairman of th
board of the Upper Marlboro
branch. could not be reached TO
comment as to whether or not tn
bank had leased the bar.
The bar in the hotel closed yes
terday, after Mr.. Bland an
nounced he was giving up tn
class A, on-and-off-sale license.
Both Mr.. Bland and Mr.. Hart
man testified yesterday that tn
bank had made a deal with then
to get the hotels license trans
ferred to Mr.. Hartman's place.
Verbal Deal Cited.
Mr.. Hartman said he made
verbal deal for the license witt
Mr.. Wyvill, He said he agreed
to buy the hotels liquor stool
on the condition that MI
BANDS license be transferred t,
him.
Mr.. Wyvill, a former Democratic
member of the county Board O
Election Supervisors, is editor ant
publisher of weekly newspape
at Upper Marlboro. He did no
testify.
Mr.. Bland said the bank Severa,
months ago purchased the hote
with a view to remodeling it foi
use as banking quarters. He saio
he signed a written contract with
the bank to have the license trans
ferred to him with the ultimate
objective of placing the permit ir
Mr.. Hartman's possession.
Commended for Telling Truth.
He testified that he had no in
tention Of operating a liquor bust.
ness himself and that he had nj
personal financial interest in the
license. He said he did not pay
for the permit or for advertising
costs. In response to question:
from Judge Marbury as to "wha
happens to- profit or loss" Mr.
Bland said that in either even
the bank was the sole party at in
terest.
Judge Marbury commended MI
Bland for obviously telling tn
truth" but reminded him of stat
utes which forbid banks from tax
ing part in liquor transactions
and the liquor board rule as t
financial interest.
What you did was done in YOU
capacity as a member of the ban
directors board" the court sale
The law was violated" he addec
perhaps unintentionally, bu
technically at least there has bee,
q breach of the statutes"