Beer seized by police in raids on Penticton premises
EDITOR’S NOTE: In recognition of Canada’s 150th anniversary, The Herald is reprinting historic stories from the South Okanagan focusing on the biggest news story of each year.
AUGUST 2, 1922: During the past few days the municipal police assisted by Provincial Constable McConnell have been engaged in several raids in an endeavour to stamp out the alleged illicit sale of beer in Penticton.
On Saturday night the B.C. Hotel, the Winters Club and the Canada Hotel were raided and on Monday evening a raid was carried out at the residence of Mr. Gus Erickson.
Nine-and-a-half barrels of beer were seized at the Winters Club; a bottle of whiskey and about three-quarters of a barrel of beer were found in Jim Chow’s room in the Canada Hotel, and at Mr. Erickson’s house two and a half bottles of beer were found, with seven and a half barrels of empty bottles.
Jim Chow appeared before Magistrate T. A. Pope in the municipal court on Monday morning, charged with selling beer. He was fined $100 and costs. The cases of D. S. Riordan in connection with both the B.C. Hotel and the Winters Club came up yesterday, but on the application of Mr. Gordon Lindsay for the defence, a remand for one week was allowed.
Mr. H. H. Boyle, prosecuting, making no objections to the arrangement. The charges in these cases were that D.S. Riordan did unlawfully deal in beer, contrary to section 46 of the Government Liquor act, on or about the month of July, and that the Winters Club, on July 29, did unlawfully sell beer to members of the Winters Club of Penticton, contrary to section 48 of the Government Liquor act. THE ERICKSON CASE Gus Erickson was fined $100 and costs this morning by Magistrate T.A. Pope, in the municipal police court, for taking beer from another than the government liquor vendor.
He was further charged with giving beer to a man who was under the influence of a drink, but on the recommendation of Chief R. L. Doidge, this case was suspended, as there appeared doubt as to whether the accused understood that he was doing wrong when he gave the man the liquor.
The evidence of the prosecution in the first case went to show that on Sunday morning a truck was seen to deliver something at the back of Mr. Erickson’s residence. The contents of the truck were covered with a canvas. On Monday morning, a party of five men went to the front of the house and later they went to to the back of the premises. In the evening of the same day three men, one of whom was drunk, went to the back of the premises, and was afterwards found with Mr. Erickson in the garage at the back of the house, by Chief R.L. Doidge, Constable H. Venus and Constable McConnell of the provincial police force. They were sitting around a barrel of bottled beer. The defendant was under the influence of liquor and one of the men, who gave the name of McGinty, had difficulty in standing, he was so drunk, said the police. The police found two-and-a-half barrels of Victoria “Phoenix” beer in the garage and approximately seven barrels of empty bottles. The defendant told Chief Doidge he got this beer from Mr. Riordan. Later, when the chief was gone, Mr. Erickson remarked to Constable Venus, according to the evidence of the latter, that he had been a fool to tell Chief Doidge that he “got some from Dave.”
After the case for the prosecution had been completed, Mr. Erickson said he wanted a lawyer to defend him, and the magistrate offered to adjourn the case until Thursday if the defendant desired, in order that he might make arrangements.
Eventually, after some discussion, Mr. Erickson decided not to go to that trouble, and went on oath to make his defence. He stated that the chief was mistaken regarding his remark about the purchasing of the beer. What he did say, he maintained, was, “You think I got it from Riordan.”
1922
Prime Minister of Canada: William Lyon Mackenzie King Premier of B.C.: Walter Cameron Nichol Reeve of Penticton: Edward Chambers Stanley Cup champions: Toronto St. Pat's
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