Vogt, Bruce Gary

Clipping found in Bruce Vogt's 1954 high school yearbook:

The Elkhart Truth
Elkhart, Indiana, Monday, August 30, 1954
Vol. LXV. – Number 205, Page 1

CHECK TAVERNS AFTER YOUTH BEER PARTY
15 Young People To Face Court

State excise police from the South Bend office today began aninvestigation of 13 stores and taverns suspected of having soldalcoholic beverages to minors.

The investigation resulted from stories told to Elkhart policeafter they had broken up what they described as a drinking partyin an Elkhart home early Sunday morning.

Altogether 15 young people were taken to the police station.They ranged in age from 15 to 19 years.

Their cases have been cited to juvenile court for action. Sincestate law closes juvenile court records to the public, the namesof the hyoung people are withheld from publication.

Most From Elkhart

Twelve of the young people live in Elkhart. Two are from Goshenand one is from Osceola. Two are girls whose homes are in Elkhart.

Police described the place where most of them were arrestedas “knee deep in beer cans.”

The drinking party, according to Police Chief Ivan Carlson,began at the Midway auto theater, which is just south of Dunlapon U.S. 33.

At the Midway a theater official told police that after closingabout 150 empty beer bottles and 90 beer cans had been collectedafter the Saturday-Sunday all night show.

Sold By Juvenile

Among those arrested was a 16 year old boy, who admitted topolice he has been selling beer to juveniles for “several weeks”at the theater. He said he took the beer to the place in atruck in which he kept it iced and ready to serve.

He and another youth, he continued, used a draft card as identificationwhen they went to buy beer. The other youth financed theiroperations, he went on. He said he often took 2 or three casesof 24 bottles each to the theater and sold it at 25 cents acan or bottle.

Among young people questioned at the theater were employeeswho police said, told them they were aware that beer was beingsold from the truck for “some time.”

In Neighboring Towns

Others of the young people told police they had bought beerfrom stores and taverns in Elkhart, Goshen, Mishawaka, Osceolaand Union.

Chief Carlson said he received a call shortly before 2 a.m.Sunday about drinking at the theater. He went there with Lt.Van Kessler and met Deputy Sheriff Woody Caton.

After questioning employees and some patrons, the police wentto an Elkhart home and arrested two youths. Then they visiteda house party at another home and arrested seven more. Theothers were picked up at various places.

Try to Hide

Police said the parents of the boy at whose home the house partywas held were away for a vacation.

When police arrived, they said the young people attempted tohide, but soon surrendered themselves. At first the young hostdemanded a search warrant, but later allowed police to enter.

The two girls told police they hid in the trunk of the car ofone of the boys to get into the theater since “they had no money.”

According to police the girls had been drinking with the boysand had been in several different cars.


17 Cans in 4 Hours

One admitted to police she had been intimate with a boy duringthe drinking party.

Police said two of the 15 year old boys said each had consumed17 cans of beer in 4 hours. One was still “highly intoxicated”Sunday afternoon before being released to his parents.

All the young people were released without bond to their parents,some of whom said they “had no idea this was going on.”

It was reports of such parties that led to the Midway investigationand the Elkhart raids. Chief Carlson said both the police andsheriff’s departments deplore “all night shows where there isno supervision” of juveniles.”

Fog Obscures Screen

Carlson said the Sunday arrests and subsequent questioning ofthe young people indicated “more of this has been going on,involving more teenagers, here in Elkhart and neighboring towns.”

Carlson said fog was so thick Saturday and early Sunday that“no one could see the screen anyway.” There were about 75 carsat the theater, but the chief added he did not know how manywere operated by teenagers.

The chief also strongly condemned tavern and store owners whosell beer to boys from 15 to 18 “who look their age.”



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Undated newspaper clipping found in Bruce Vogt's 1954 high schoolyearbook:

Adult Court To Hear Beer Party Cases

Twelve of 15 juveniles arrested early Sunday by police, whosaid the young people had taken part in an all night drinkingparty, will be arraigned in city court, according to Judge WilliamE. Wider, who as judge of the superior court conducts juvenilecourt.

The cases of two girls and a boy, all 15, will be heard by thejuvenile court. All the cases had originally been referred tothat court. "The others, who are over 15,
will be processed in city court," Judge Wider said.

Under 1953 Act

Two youths. who are over 18 will be processed as ordinary citycourt cases. But the others will face misdemeanor charges stipulatedin a 1953- act which defines juvenile liquor violations.

Prosecutor Jerome K . Burke said the new law provide a $5 to$50 fine for juveniles "having possession of alcoholic beverages."Burke said that under the act a jail sentence of from 5 to 30days could also be imposed.

All 15 young people were released without bail Sunday to theirrelatives.

Continue Inquiry

They were arrested at several Elkhart homes and' at the Midwaydrive-in theater, where police first received reports of thedrinking party early Sunday morning.

Police Chief Ivan Carlson said today the investigation of Sunday'sdrinking party was being continued on the basis of statementsmade by the youths. He said there was a possibility of morearrests.

Douglas Hutton and Jerry Parsons, state excise policemen, havebeen investigating taverns and stores in Elkhart and neighboringtowns where some of the young people said they bought beer.

It was understood today that the names of several taverns havebeen forwarded to the
alcoholic beverage commission in Indianapolis for possible action.