Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-11-09
NO LIQUOR SEARCH
WITHOUT WARRANT
Attorney-General Puts Stop to
Illegal Practices of Fed
eral Agents.
SENDS OPINION TO WHITE
Ruling Follows Wholesale Search
OF Baggage of Persons
Leaving Trains.
SENDS OPINION TO WHITE

Promiscuous searching OF railroad
trains and tho baggage OF passengers
by agents of tho Department of JUS
ticc to prevent the importation OF
liquor into dry territory. which is
prohibited by tho Reed bone dry" act.
will not bc countcnarccd in the future.
according to Il ruling OF United States
Attornoy-Gcncral Gregory. announced
yesterday. Secret Service agents will
not be permitted to search baggage
without tho consent of passengers. un-
less arrest has been made upon a
proper warrant.
This action is tho result Of numerous
complaints recently made against the
indiscrilninatc 'raidiuC" of passenger
trains of tho Richmond. Frcdericks-
burg and Potomac Railroad Company
by Federal agents. Baggage Of pas
scnscra in the day coaches has been
searched against the will OF the
travellers, and without Il warrant, for
nearly TWO months. Railroad officials
protested, but were unable To prevent
the raids" since the company could
not police it's trains.
NO SEARCH HEREAFTER
WITHOUT WARRANT OR ARREST
When numerous complaints were
filed against the practice, both with
the railroad and the Richmond Police
Department, William II. White. prcsi-
dent Of the Richmond. Fredericksburg
and Potomac Railroad Company, re-
quested Attorney General Gregory for
a ruling AS 10 tho authority OF the
searchcrs. Prominent attorneys had
declared that the action was unlawful,
unless the agents exhibited proper
warrants and tho railroad expressed
determination to take proper action TO
protect it's passengers.
The opinion of the Attorney-General
has just been received, the following
statement being issued yesterday after
noon from the office: Of President
white:
The Attorney General OF the United
States has advised the president of the
Richmond. Fredericksburg and To-
tomac Railroad Company and the
Washinston-So Railway that.
while it Is the purpose Of the Depart
ment Of Justice to use all proper dill
Sence in enforcing the law against
the transportation Of liquors, the
agents of the department nave been
given instructions not TO searcn persons
or their baggage against their will
has been made.
The controversy arose after a. whole
sale raid on two trains Of the railroad
company tho nigh, OF October .. Three
secret Service agents assembled at
the Elba Station, and as passengers de-
trained, made systematic search of
their baggage. As the train pulled
out Of the station the operatives
boarded II and continued their search
through the day coaches. Several ar
rests were made, aud quantity of
liquor conhscated Several raids were
made previous to that time, and since
that date the operatives have devoted
considerable time To the searching OF
trains.
Tho ruling of y-Genera1
Gregory is not expected. however. to
curb the activity of the operatives.
1t will merely cause them to act with
more caution, and within the law. The
department of Justice is determined
TO prevent the transportation of
liquor, but all preventive measures
adopted in the future must be with a
clear regard for the law
Raids on the trains in recent weeks
have been generally made upon in
formation from Washington and other
Northern cities. Operatives i'm tho
North have watched all southbound
trains. and when they were apparently
heavily loaded with liquor. the inrorma.
ton was wired to Richmond. Secret
Service agents in this city then laid
IN wait for the trains. and the raids
were conducted.
BAY LINE BOATS HAVE
BEEN SEARCHED IN BALTIMORE
In official circles last night il was
believed that another practice of
operatives. which has been the s,,bicc,
OF considerable discussion. would h.
prevented by the instructions ius,
issued. In wet" towns, csneci,IIy
Baltimore. during the past few weeks
Secret Service agents have been .,.
toned at the sanS nlanks TO ipsnoc,
the baggage OF all passengers as tbav
boarded steamers bound for Virginia
points This search was made in
wet" territory. and was declared bv
attorneys Ia be absolutely illegal
The principal objection by railroad
ofticials against the raidine Of trains
by the operatives. who did NOT sion
to show their credentials, was tho
opening OF the way for indiscriminsto
looting Of baggage. Since the search
ing began numerous complaints have
hcen filed by passengers OF thefts of
naggaEe. aud continuance of tba
raiding was expected to result i'm an
Increase in the quantity of baggage
stolen from the trains
NO HOPE FOR ALCEDO'S MEN
search for Survivors OF Torpcdoed
American Patrol Shin