The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-10-12
Directs That Attorney
General Be Put in Pos
session of Facts.
COURT HITS AT
LOWRY'S OFFICE
Memorandum Filed With Clerk
Charges That Collectors En-.
ployes Are Friendly With
Liquor People and Antag-
onistic Toward Chap
mans Deputies.

Friction which Is known to nave
long existed between the office of Coll
onel w. H. Chapman, United States
Internal Revenue Agent, and that Of
collector NJ. X. Lowry, in charge OF
the affairs of the Second Virginia Dis
trict reached a point yesterday from
which 1t is evident that an official n
vestigauon of Mr.. Lowry's depart
ment Will be ordered Judge Waddill,
Jr.' of the United States District Court
MED a memorandum in the office or
the clerk suggesting to the District
attorney that report of the situa-
ton In Richmond be forwarded to the
proper officials of the treasury depart
ment and copy also placed in the
hands OF the Attorney General. That a
full investigation will follow is satt
to be a fact
Severe on Lowry's Men.
This step on the part of Judge wad-
dill not only created sensation. bur
1t was the explosion of bomb which
Is expected to tear asunder the Office
OF the Collector. There was conster-
nation among deputy collectors. dtyis-
ion deputies. gaugers and other subor.
dinate officials when it was learned
what had been done.
In the document filed. Judge waddIll
scathingly arraigns members OF the
force of Collector Lowry. No one ia
spared. 1t sets forth that the work Of
the Government in prosecuting viola
tors of the liquor laws has been re-.
tarded by actions OF men from the Of
nee OF the collector. Further, 10 states.
mat under existing conditions this
government Is embarrassed in attempt
ing TO prosecute such cases and that tho
costs of obtaining indictments and or
'rial is a useless expenditure of money.
RMS memorandum resulted from the
recent trial OF A. w. Jones, superin-
eenoent' and Burt Jones. white. and
stephen Bullock. colored, OF the Po
cahontas Distilling Company. They
were accused of removing untaypaid
spirits from the distillery to the rec
Trying plant. The trial resulted I'm
hung jury,
Demands investigation.
because of the fact that this case.
ana several others OF a similar nature
VIII have to be tried. Judge waddi,l
decided that the attention OF the Treas
urN Department should be called to
certain conditions
lie alleges that in the prosecution
the deputies of the office of the Reeve
nue. Agent We're earnest In their eff
forts to convict the accused, while en-
II is set forth. IL appeared to the court.
mat SIX Of the employees of the col
In
their EFFORTS to aid the defense Six of
them were placed on the stand to tes-
tify against the Government and Some
OF them endeavored to impeach tha
testimony of j. a. Pierce, speciaI
sauger and chief witness for the
Government
The employees of Collector Lowry.s
once VINO testified in behalf of the de-
tense included the chief DEPUTY. three
deputy collectors. two of whom we're
division deputies, and two storekeep-
ers-gaugers
Division Deputy Southwark was useo
by counsel for the defense as an ex-
pert witness to disprove testimony Of
fered to the jury by the Government.
Drawn Into Conflict.
because OF these conditions the de-
Tense, as far as possible, Attempted to
direct the attention OF the jury 20 the
actual point in Issue and draw it to the
coniiict between the offices OF the Rev
enue Agent and the Collector. This
consequently. prejudiced the case of ths
government, In fact. from authentic
information obtained immediately after
the jury failed 10 agree. 1t was learn
ed that the Jurors stood IL to for
acquittal. But for the lone Juror chs
United States would have completeIy
lost the case However there Will have
to be new trial and the three accused
men are now out under bond OF 81 900
each Though no mention of the fact
is made by Judge Waddill H. L. Lowry
OF Norfolk, son of Collector Lowry. was
one OF the attorneys for the defense.
The memorandum opens with the
suggestion that District Attorney I.
L. Lewis forwarded n full report of the
case TO the proper official of the Treas.
ury Department. y brief history of the
facts ir the case are given and the
conclNti IN which the court drew from
the aculns of the revenue officials who
tcstiskt FOR the defense, followed.
1t sxa, ludes with further requey
that Judge Lewis forward a copy Of
the same report to the Attorney Cen
eral at Washington in order that that
official. may know of the embarrass-
ments to the Government incident 10
the enforcement here OF the liquor
laws.
Clnims Justice Is Blocked.
Under existing conditions. Judge
Waddill declares there Is little that can
be done TO bring to justice this class
of persons charged with the violation
of the Internal Revenue laws. and that
time consumed by tho grand jury In
considering such cases and the trials
resulting from indictments when
found is mere useless expenditure OF
money by the Government
The only inference that can be
drawn from the attitude OF Judge Z,
Waddill in this matter is that he ak
pects a full and open investigation BY
tss Treasury Department and Attorney