Elmer Winford Pearson
1903 - Yes, date unknown
18 Nov 1947 Mayor Elmer Pearson opposes liquor license Lincoln Star
Controversy Rages Over Beer Permit
Many Of Ceresco Citizens Involved
More than 100 interested citizens of Ceresco and vicinity attended a hearing before the state liquor control commission Tuesday on the application of Adolph Wotipka for a beer license outside the city limits.
The application, approved by a 4 to 2 vote of the county commissioners, had been denied by the commission and the applicant appealed.
Both sides came to the hearing armed with petitions signed in the vicinity. Each contained approximately 200 signatures.
Ministers Testify.
Three ministers of churches in Ceresco testified that they circulated petitions among their membership and advised them in church of the availability of petitions.
Roy Anderson, member of the school board in the rural district where the tavern would be located, created a stir when he exclaimed regarding sale of liquor:
"There is no law. It is only the one with the most money and the best lawyer."
Anderson said that in his opinion the only way to prevent trouble with liquor is to keep out liquor. He denied that the controversy arose because people of Swedish descent were dry and Czechs in the neighborhood wanted liquor.
Own Opinion
Mayor Elmer Pearson of Ceresco opposed the granting of a license 2 1/2 miles west of town. He admitted that the letter of opposition he had written the commission as mayor was his own opinion and that the board had not acted on it.
Pearson was closely quizzed by both the commission and attorneys on his statement that he did not believe Wotipka and his wife were the "right kind of people" to operate a tavern. When pressed for specific reasons, he remained mute.
The only answer that questioners could obtain was this opinion was based on "just their daily lives."
Fear Reprisals
The hearing was replete with innuendoes and opinions of people who did not attend the hearing. Fear of reprisals and damage to machinery by people not attending was related and all refused to give names of their informants.
Otis Beaman, county supervisor, testified as to the differences of opinion on the county board at the time the application was approved.
Among those called as witnesses were" Henry Tvrdy, Ted Pospisil, George Vanicek, Willard Beaman, Henry Fiedler and John Krafka, all nearby farmers, and Ed Raymond, grocer, all in behalf of the applicants. Alfred Burkland, farmer, was opposed in addition to the ministers, Anderson and Otis Beaman. The hearing of oppoment witnesses carried over to the afternoon.
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