Imperial Valley Press

NEW YORK, Dec. 22. (UP)—Hans von Gontard, 31, grandson and heir of Adolphus Busch, founder of the Anheuser-Busch breweries of St. Louis, was arrested here today on a charge of conspiracy to evade the Selective Service Act.

Arrested with von Gontard, a naturalized American of German birth, were an army intelligence officer, von Gontard's personal physician, and an official of a uniform manufacturing company, all of whom are charged with conspiracy to delay von Gontard's induction. A draft board clerk also was named in the sealed complaint which was presented before U. S. Commissioner Garrett W. Cotter, but he had not been arrested.

CAME IN 1933

Von Gontard, whose American-born mother was the daughter of Adolphus Busch, came to the United States in 1933 and became a citizen in 1938. He registered under the Selective Service law with a local board in Beverly Hills, California, where he was living, but since making his residence in New York his draft status has been handled by local board 20, New York City.

Others arrested were Lt. Francis J. Grottano, 37, of New York, an intelligence officer stationed on Governor's Island; Dr. Arnold Aaron Hutschneker, 45, of New York, von Gontard's physician, a German refugee who came to the United States in 1933 and holds his first citizenship papers; and Michael Mangano, 43, secretary of the G. M. Uniform company of New York.

Mangano was arrested in Brooklyn and will be arraigned before the U. S. commissioner in that district.

The complaint charges that Grottano, said to be a New York City detective on military leave, introduced von Gontard to Mangano in 1941 and that they all made representations to von Gontard's draft board to the effect that he was an essential employee of the uniform company, by which, the complaint charges, he was at no time employed.

These representations delayed von Gontard's induction for some time, but in January, 1943, he reported for his army physical examination and was rejected on what is alleged to be a faked medical history of a gall bladder ailment, built up for the purpose by Dr. Hutschneker.

Von Gontard and Grottano were released on bail of $1500. Dr. Hutschneker's bail was set at $1000. Hearing for the three was set for January 5.