The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1917-04-06
"HlS HONOR" POLICE CHEF BUCKINGHAM AND FORMER
SHERIFF HODGE HELD III FEDERAL INVESTIGATION
OF GREAT LIQUOR RING
SENSATION CREATED IN DRY METROPOLIS
Uncle Sam Charges Defendants With COnspracyAeged that
Chief Executive and Lesser Officials Accepted Brbes for
Protecting BiIngsey Brothers Supposed "Booleggers'

PROVING that prOhlDltioh can hoN ~
successful IN large cities comes news
of the Indictment of Mayor GIN and
other officials In Seattle. the prohf
bitioG metropolis. for alleged violation
OF the liquor laws. And only recently.
the American Issue, official organ OF
tho AntiSaloon League printed full
length photograph of Gill. on its front
page, with a glowing eulogy of him.
and a streamer panorama of Seattle
And Major c. b. Blethen, editor Of
the Seattle Times, gave interviews
to many papers, saying that Seattle's
prohibition was a success. The follow
ing is also from the Seattle Times, but
much later:
Swept into a maelstrom of sensa-
tional charges as a result OF what
government officials pronounce one OF
the most gigantic ard far-reaching con-
spiracies in the history Of criminal
prosecution in the West, and charged
with being the alleged "higher-ups' in
a huge combine growing out of Seat
ties Illicit liquor traffic, Mayor Hiram
c. Gill, Police Chief Charles l.. Beck
ingham, former Sheriff Rossr SET.
Hodge, and fourteen others, a1aong
them a number OF police officers. yes
terday afternoon were indicted by tho
Federal Grand Jury
City Sieutis Caught.
Among others indicted were Meyer
NJ. Peyser, city detective; John Pool
man, city detective; James Doom,
city detective; Dan ]. McLennan, city
detective; C. j. Mullen, former patrol
man; Logan Biilingsley and Fred Bill.
Kingsley.
All these men, with the exception
OF Mullen, who is charged separately,
are made co-defendanss in general
i conspiracy Indictment. These, includ-
| ing Mayor Gill, Chief Rockingham and
Hodge, were indicted on three counts
each, two charging them with con-
spiracy to violate Section 238 of the
United States Penal Code, the other
with plotting to violate the Interstate
Commerce law.
] All Of the Indictments are for al
! legged infractioGs Of federal statutes
providing for the transportation Of in
toxicating liqHor in interstate com.
merce, excepting that returned against
/ Mullen
Again-tiie Dictanraph.
Mullen, arrested after it was alleged
he vas trapped with q government die
tagraph, is accused Of an attempt to
intimidet e the Bnlingsleys when they
were wines s awaiting appearance
before tie and jury.
The = lgsleys and Pielow and
Frazier were first indicted December
p and have been 81 liberty under bond
! practically sine that time They were
charged with conspiracy to violate the
federal liquor statutes and later be-
came star witnesses for the govern,
ment in its sweeping investigation OF
the alleged whisky ring conspiracy.
Bench warrants for the arrest OF
Mayor Gill, Chief Rockingham and
Hodge, the latter twice a candidate
for governor, were issued by Judge
Jeremiah Neterer, in the United States
District Court, Immediately following
the return of the indictments.
Both Mayor Gill and Chief Decking
ham, as. we'll as Hodge, are alleged in
the indictments TO have conspired with
the Billingsleys. self-confessed whisky
ring operators, to ship huge quantities
OF LIQUOR into Seattle in violation oil
TIE federal laws
They are also accused OF providing
the bootleggers with official and police
protection for their LIQUOR shipments
and with accepting large sums of the
BilIingsleys' money in payment fol
their alleged part in the conspiracy.
IN the hev'av Of their illicit opera
tons Ire. the BrEngsleys, according
to ads-'s-ic reo'0 10 he government
dill a tee;nees. Saturday in
veztiga .oa no. IS TEN to be prac
ticslly Deaniiess
As a result OF the alleged conspir
acy. said to be without a parallel il
the United States, Mavor Gill anC
CHEZ Beckingham are charged witt
permitting the BiNings,eya TO operate
without molestation, while many o
their rivals felt the force of police
axes.
Punishment Severe.
The offense charged against the in
dicted men. upon conviction. is pun
ishahle by two years imprisonment IL
federal penite1Aiary or q fine o