Reuters just ran a story that, in a previously unheard of move, a hospital in Pennsylvania sought the custody of a private liquor collector's cache of rare wine. This is due to an obscure but very real loophole which states that hospitals may make use confiscated liquor.
The law states that most alcoholic drinks may only be sold by state liquor stores. Since none of these sell vintage liquor, the private collection was seized last year. The unfortunate collector who is in the center of this case is lawyer Arthur Goldman from Malvern, Pennsylvania.
Chester County Hospital filed a petition for the collection. It hopes to resell the collection for charity purposes and "to be delivered to a hospital for its use."
The original cache really numbered 2,447 bottles with an estimated value of $125,000. The state began to make moves to destroy the liquor much to the horror of wine enthusiasts and collectors.
The state also bowed to this and the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board took a stance preserving the precious liquor.
The case is bizarre as it also attempted to uncover some high-profile "bootlegging" by Goldman, as reported by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Police posed as a buyer and Goldman replied, "How do I know you aren't an agent for the PLCB?" Once satisfied, he provided the police with a 97 page inventory of premium liquors.
Goldman eventually settled the dispute with police and reclaimed 1,043 bottles from his collection. The 1,404 bottles left are still being sought by the Chester County Hospital for its purposes. Goldman and his lawyers praised the reclamation of his collection but declined to make further comments.
Trooper Adam Reed, Pennsylvania police spokesman, said that never in the history of the state has confiscated liquor been turned over to a third party. Chester County Judge Edward Griffin will decide on September 3 whether the hospital-liquor law is intended only for donations for medicinal purposes or if the hospital may legally resell the bottles for charity.
