The real reason Garmatz hated the Delta Queen was that Greene Line Steamers executives and their attorneys had refused to pay bribe money to Garmatz in exchange for favorable legislation. Allegedly, Garmatz was taking bribes from every barge company on the river. In 1977 a grand jury indicted Garmatz for bribery (concerning various barge and tow boat companies, not the Delta Queen). In 1978, shortly before Garmatz died, the charges were dropped due to his deteriorating health. It is ironic, that if the litigation had continued, Garmatz would have been tried in a court building named after him.


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