While living in Baltimore during September 1913, Guth was arrested for murdering George A. Murphy, an African American man who was employed as his chauffeur.

[4][5] The NAACP-published magazine The Crisis reported on the incident several times, and noted that Guth "killed his colored chauffeur in a dispute which arose because Guth didn't want his milk delivered at the same time as his chauffeur's.

"[6] In Guth's version of events, he fired the man, and Murphy allegedly responded by trying to attack him with an axe.

[7] The NAACP noted in its annual newsletter that the "not guilty" verdict in Guth's case was "a woeful miscarriage of justice".

[9][10] In 1930, he was elected president at a stockholder conference where the police had to intervene to ensure it did not become a riot.

[11] Charles Guth owned a family business, Grace Company, which made syrups for soft drinks in a plant in Baltimore, Maryland.

Then, he became interested in the Pepsi-Cola Company after Coca-Cola refused to give him concessions on the sale of the cola in his drugstore.

After the product still failed to become a success, he introduced Pepsi in a twelve-ounce format but with the same price as the six ounce drink.