OCR Text |
Show COURT DECISION STOPSpiG Federal Judge Rules in Fa , vor of Government in Pittsburg Action. PITTSBURG, July 15. Brewing of beer in Pittsburg will end for a time at least, as the result of Federal Judge Thomson's Thom-son's action in overruling demurrers of officers an& directors of the Pittsburg and Independent Brewing companies to charges violation of the war-time prohibition pro-hibition law, according to announcement late today by Attorney William J. Bren-nen, Bren-nen, counsel for brewers and saloonkeepers saloonkeep-ers in Allegheny county. Judge Thomson's decision followed arguments ar-guments by counsel representing the eleven officials of the Pittsburg Brewing company in support of their demurrers to charges in a test suit brought by United States Attorney R. L. Crawford, charging charg-ing violation of the dry act by sale of beer containing more than one-half of one per cent of alcohol to a local saloonkeeper. saloon-keeper. Judge Thomson said his ruling applied also to demurrers filed this morning morn-ing by eight directors of the Independent Indepen-dent Brewing company to a similar suit started Saturday. NEW ORLEANS. July 15. Federal Judge Foster today sustained a demurrer filed by officials of the American Brewing Brew-ing company to an indictment charging that the manufacturer of beer of more than one-half of one per cent of alco- ho lie content was in violation of the war-time prohibition act. The demurrer contended that only intoxicating in-toxicating beer was prohibited, and that 2.75 per cent alcohol beer was not Jn-toxie.'i Jn-toxie.'i t Ing. In his opinion Jude FosLer said the commissioner of internal revenue reve-nue "hod no right to state that beer of more than one-half of one per rent could I not be manufactured. " but made no rui- ing as to whether 2.73 per cent hr-cr was in fnt intoxicating. Government counsel coun-sel announced an appeal would be taken immediately. BOSTON. July A ruling given today to-day by Federal Judge G forge W. Anderson An-derson that tiie sale of beer which, is not intoxicating U not illegtil under the present pres-ent war prohibition a--t frd to the quashing quash-ing of the government's test ease a.camst Pan ford Pet ts and Leopold if. Vogr1!, I li'p'or dealers of this city. Petts and Yogd w.-re arrested last week, eh urged with felling be r containing contain-ing at least one-half of one p-t cent of alcohol. It whs the contention or The government that the sale of any beer was aga inst the law. The defendants demurred, arguing that beer must contain a sufficient amount of alcohol to be intoxicating to be illegal. V |