SQUEALER TELLS STORY OF BIG LIQUOR GRAFT
Five Patriots Shared in the Boodle
A witness told a federal court that a former prohibition administrator of the Chicago district was drawn into a conspiracy under which thousands of gallons of sacramental wine were distributed for beverage purposes. The witness, a former bathhouse owner, said the proposal to bribe the administrator came from another defendant, and that dealers who wanted permits paid that defendant first and were then given permits.
What purported to be the inside story of how Major Percy Owen, former prohibition administrator of the Chicago district, was drawn into a gigantic conspiracy whereby thousands of gallons of sacramental wine were distributed for beverage purposes was told from the witness stand in federal court today at the trial of Owen and state Senator Lowell B. Mason on charges of conspiracy to violate the prohibition law.
The witness was Harry R. Schlau, a former bathhouse owner who became one of the leading figures in the so-called wine graft. The proposition that Owen be bribed to issue fraudulent permits, he said, came from Louis Abelson, who with Schlau and four other defendants are to be government witnesses.
How Graft Was Divided.
"Abelson," Schlau said, "wanted to charge $1,000 for each permit but finally agreed on $300. Half of that was to be divided between Owen and myself, the other half to go to Abel-son and the two prohibition agents who were to be named upon his recommendation. They were appointed by Owens after he had thot over the proposition and decided to come in with us."
After that, the witnesses swore, sacramental wine dealers who wanted permits, with the right to sell wine to any and all, saw Abelson first and after paying him were given permits by Owen.
Reproduced unchanged from The Daily Worker, November 2, 1926, page 2.
This text reflects the language, attitudes and errors of its time. A Century Late publishes it as a historical document.
Text: read from the Library of Congress scan by A Century Late, within the article boundaries of American Stories (Dell et al., 2023), DOI 10.57967/hf/0757.
Yesterday's paper
November 1, 1926. The original articles, with the text exactly as it appeared and scans of the original newspaper pages, from that day’s editions of the following publications:Brownsville Herald, Evening Star, New Britain Herald, The Indianapolis Times, Daily Kennebec Journal, Seward Daily Gateway, and Phoenix Tribune.
Receive the original news from the press of 100 years ago, daily, weekly or monthly. Subscribe by December 1, 2026 and get
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Today's paper
November 2, 1926. The original articles, with the text exactly as it appeared and scans of the original newspaper pages, from that day’s editions of the following publications:Brownsville Herald, Douglas Daily Dispatch, The Daily Worker, Seward Daily Gateway, Evening Star, The Indianapolis Times, and Daily Kennebec Journal.
You do.
SQUEALER TELLS STORY OF BIG LIQUOR GRAFT
Five Patriots Shared in the Boodle
A witness told a federal court that a former prohibition administrator of the Chicago district was drawn into a conspiracy under which thousands of gallons of sacramental wine were distributed for beverage purposes. The witness, a former bathhouse owner, said the proposal to bribe the administrator came from another defendant, and that dealers who wanted permits paid that defendant first and were then given permits.
What purported to be the inside story of how Major Percy Owen, former prohibition administrator of the Chicago district, was drawn into a gigantic conspiracy whereby thousands of gallons of sacramental wine were distributed for beverage purposes was told from the witness stand in federal court today at the trial of Owen and state Senator Lowell B. Mason on charges of conspiracy to violate the prohibition law.
The witness was Harry R. Schlau, a former bathhouse owner who became one of the leading figures in the so-called wine graft. The proposition that Owen be bribed to issue fraudulent permits, he said, came from Louis Abelson, who with Schlau and four other defendants are to be government witnesses.
How Graft Was Divided.
"Abelson," Schlau said, "wanted to charge $1,000 for each permit but finally agreed on $300. Half of that was to be divided between Owen and myself, the other half to go to Abel-son and the two prohibition agents who were to be named upon his recommendation. They were appointed by Owens after he had thot over the proposition and decided to come in with us."
After that, the witnesses swore, sacramental wine dealers who wanted permits, with the right to sell wine to any and all, saw Abelson first and after paying him were given permits by Owen.
Reproduced unchanged from The Daily Worker, November 2, 1926, page 2.
This text reflects the language, attitudes and errors of its time. A Century Late publishes it as a historical document.
Text: read from the Library of Congress scan by A Century Late, within the article boundaries of American Stories (Dell et al., 2023), DOI 10.57967/hf/0757.
Reproduced unchanged from The Daily Worker, November 2, 1926, page 2.
This text reflects the language, attitudes and errors of its time. A Century Late publishes it as a historical document.
Text: read from the Library of Congress scan by A Century Late, within the article boundaries of American Stories (Dell et al., 2023), DOI 10.57967/hf/0757.
Yesterday's paper
November 1, 1926. The original articles, with the text exactly as it appeared and scans of the original newspaper pages, from that day’s editions of the following publications:Brownsville Herald, Evening Star, New Britain Herald, The Indianapolis Times, Daily Kennebec Journal, Seward Daily Gateway, and Phoenix Tribune.
Receive the original news from the press of 100 years ago, daily, weekly or monthly. Subscribe by December 1, 2026 and get
20% off for life!
Today's paper
November 2, 1926. The original articles, with the text exactly as it appeared and scans of the original newspaper pages, from that day’s editions of the following publications:Brownsville Herald, Douglas Daily Dispatch, The Daily Worker, Seward Daily Gateway, Evening Star, The Indianapolis Times, and Daily Kennebec Journal.
You do.
SQUEALER TELLS STORY OF BIG LIQUOR GRAFT
Five Patriots Shared in the Boodle
A witness told a federal court that a former prohibition administrator of the Chicago district was drawn into a conspiracy under which thousands of gallons of sacramental wine were distributed for beverage purposes. The witness, a former bathhouse owner, said the proposal to bribe the administrator came from another defendant, and that dealers who wanted permits paid that defendant first and were then given permits.
What purported to be the inside story of how Major Percy Owen, former prohibition administrator of the Chicago district, was drawn into a gigantic conspiracy whereby thousands of gallons of sacramental wine were distributed for beverage purposes was told from the witness stand in federal court today at the trial of Owen and state Senator Lowell B. Mason on charges of conspiracy to violate the prohibition law.
The witness was Harry R. Schlau, a former bathhouse owner who became one of the leading figures in the so-called wine graft. The proposition that Owen be bribed to issue fraudulent permits, he said, came from Louis Abelson, who with Schlau and four other defendants are to be government witnesses.
How Graft Was Divided.
"Abelson," Schlau said, "wanted to charge $1,000 for each permit but finally agreed on $300. Half of that was to be divided between Owen and myself, the other half to go to Abel-son and the two prohibition agents who were to be named upon his recommendation. They were appointed by Owens after he had thot over the proposition and decided to come in with us."
After that, the witnesses swore, sacramental wine dealers who wanted permits, with the right to sell wine to any and all, saw Abelson first and after paying him were given permits by Owen.
Reproduced unchanged from The Daily Worker, November 2, 1926, page 2.
This text reflects the language, attitudes and errors of its time. A Century Late publishes it as a historical document.
Text: read from the Library of Congress scan by A Century Late, within the article boundaries of American Stories (Dell et al., 2023), DOI 10.57967/hf/0757.
Reproduced unchanged from The Daily Worker, November 2, 1926, page 2.
This text reflects the language, attitudes and errors of its time. A Century Late publishes it as a historical document.
Text: read from the Library of Congress scan by A Century Late, within the article boundaries of American Stories (Dell et al., 2023), DOI 10.57967/hf/0757.
Yesterday's paper
November 1, 1926. The original articles, with the text exactly as it appeared and scans of the original newspaper pages, from that day’s editions of the following publications:Brownsville Herald, Evening Star, New Britain Herald, The Indianapolis Times, Daily Kennebec Journal, Seward Daily Gateway, and Phoenix Tribune.
Receive the original news from the press of 100 years ago, daily, weekly or monthly. Subscribe by December 1, 2026 and get
20% off for life!
Today's paper
November 2, 1926. The original articles, with the text exactly as it appeared and scans of the original newspaper pages, from that day’s editions of the following publications:Brownsville Herald, Douglas Daily Dispatch, The Daily Worker, Seward Daily Gateway, Evening Star, The Indianapolis Times, and Daily Kennebec Journal.
You do.
SQUEALER TELLS STORY OF BIG LIQUOR GRAFT
Five Patriots Shared in the Boodle
A witness told a federal court that a former prohibition administrator of the Chicago district was drawn into a conspiracy under which thousands of gallons of sacramental wine were distributed for beverage purposes. The witness, a former bathhouse owner, said the proposal to bribe the administrator came from another defendant, and that dealers who wanted permits paid that defendant first and were then given permits.
What purported to be the inside story of how Major Percy Owen, former prohibition administrator of the Chicago district, was drawn into a gigantic conspiracy whereby thousands of gallons of sacramental wine were distributed for beverage purposes was told from the witness stand in federal court today at the trial of Owen and state Senator Lowell B. Mason on charges of conspiracy to violate the prohibition law.
The witness was Harry R. Schlau, a former bathhouse owner who became one of the leading figures in the so-called wine graft. The proposition that Owen be bribed to issue fraudulent permits, he said, came from Louis Abelson, who with Schlau and four other defendants are to be government witnesses.
How Graft Was Divided.
"Abelson," Schlau said, "wanted to charge $1,000 for each permit but finally agreed on $300. Half of that was to be divided between Owen and myself, the other half to go to Abel-son and the two prohibition agents who were to be named upon his recommendation. They were appointed by Owens after he had thot over the proposition and decided to come in with us."
After that, the witnesses swore, sacramental wine dealers who wanted permits, with the right to sell wine to any and all, saw Abelson first and after paying him were given permits by Owen.
Reproduced unchanged from The Daily Worker, November 2, 1926, page 2.
This text reflects the language, attitudes and errors of its time. A Century Late publishes it as a historical document.
Text: read from the Library of Congress scan by A Century Late, within the article boundaries of American Stories (Dell et al., 2023), DOI 10.57967/hf/0757.
Reproduced unchanged from The Daily Worker, November 2, 1926, page 2.
This text reflects the language, attitudes and errors of its time. A Century Late publishes it as a historical document.
Text: read from the Library of Congress scan by A Century Late, within the article boundaries of American Stories (Dell et al., 2023), DOI 10.57967/hf/0757.
Yesterday's paper
November 1, 1926. The original articles, with the text exactly as it appeared and scans of the original newspaper pages, from that day’s editions of the following publications:Brownsville Herald, Evening Star, New Britain Herald, The Indianapolis Times, Daily Kennebec Journal, Seward Daily Gateway, and Phoenix Tribune.
Receive the original news from the press of 100 years ago, daily, weekly or monthly. Subscribe by December 1, 2026 and get
20% off for life!
Today's paper
November 2, 1926. The original articles, with the text exactly as it appeared and scans of the original newspaper pages, from that day’s editions of the following publications:Brownsville Herald, Douglas Daily Dispatch, The Daily Worker, Seward Daily Gateway, Evening Star, The Indianapolis Times, and Daily Kennebec Journal.
You do.
SQUEALER TELLS STORY OF BIG LIQUOR GRAFT
Five Patriots Shared in the Boodle
A witness told a federal court that a former prohibition administrator of the Chicago district was drawn into a conspiracy under which thousands of gallons of sacramental wine were distributed for beverage purposes. The witness, a former bathhouse owner, said the proposal to bribe the administrator came from another defendant, and that dealers who wanted permits paid that defendant first and were then given permits.
What purported to be the inside story of how Major Percy Owen, former prohibition administrator of the Chicago district, was drawn into a gigantic conspiracy whereby thousands of gallons of sacramental wine were distributed for beverage purposes was told from the witness stand in federal court today at the trial of Owen and state Senator Lowell B. Mason on charges of conspiracy to violate the prohibition law.
The witness was Harry R. Schlau, a former bathhouse owner who became one of the leading figures in the so-called wine graft. The proposition that Owen be bribed to issue fraudulent permits, he said, came from Louis Abelson, who with Schlau and four other defendants are to be government witnesses.
How Graft Was Divided.
"Abelson," Schlau said, "wanted to charge $1,000 for each permit but finally agreed on $300. Half of that was to be divided between Owen and myself, the other half to go to Abel-son and the two prohibition agents who were to be named upon his recommendation. They were appointed by Owens after he had thot over the proposition and decided to come in with us."
After that, the witnesses swore, sacramental wine dealers who wanted permits, with the right to sell wine to any and all, saw Abelson first and after paying him were given permits by Owen.
Reproduced unchanged from The Daily Worker, November 2, 1926, page 2.
This text reflects the language, attitudes and errors of its time. A Century Late publishes it as a historical document.
Text: read from the Library of Congress scan by A Century Late, within the article boundaries of American Stories (Dell et al., 2023), DOI 10.57967/hf/0757.
Reproduced unchanged from The Daily Worker, November 2, 1926, page 2.
This text reflects the language, attitudes and errors of its time. A Century Late publishes it as a historical document.
Text: read from the Library of Congress scan by A Century Late, within the article boundaries of American Stories (Dell et al., 2023), DOI 10.57967/hf/0757.
Yesterday's paper
November 1, 1926. The original articles, with the text exactly as it appeared and scans of the original newspaper pages, from that day’s editions of the following publications:Brownsville Herald, Evening Star, New Britain Herald, The Indianapolis Times, Daily Kennebec Journal, Seward Daily Gateway, and Phoenix Tribune.
Receive the original news from the press of 100 years ago, daily, weekly or monthly. Subscribe by December 1, 2026 and get
20% off for life!
Today's paper
November 2, 1926. The original articles, with the text exactly as it appeared and scans of the original newspaper pages, from that day’s editions of the following publications:Brownsville Herald, Douglas Daily Dispatch, The Daily Worker, Seward Daily Gateway, Evening Star, The Indianapolis Times, and Daily Kennebec Journal.