The Washington times., 1918-09-06
j. s. T]F|GHT
THE SALE Of
WH|SKEY BY
BOOTLECGERS
By BILL PRICE.

Uncle Sam, as represented by Com
missioner Roper, of the Internal
Revenue Bureau, is framing things
! for a sweeping descent on bootleg
gers engaged in Illicit whiskey traffic
| in this city.
Fresh from a great clean up OF
M.oonshiners and Illicit whiskey men
generally in the South, especially
around army camps and activities. re-
sulting in the destruction OF 100000
gallons of dew" and hundreds of ar
hTests. the raiding forces of the Gov
eminent now have their eyes on con-
ditions in and around Washington
Big Chief Murphy, head OF the
special agents of the Internal Revenue
Bureau, has been in conference with
Commissioner Roper, who1 has given
orders that the Government extend a
helping hand TO the Washington po-
lice in a fresh onslaught on the boot
| leggers, who are plying many new
schemes. Even the bell hops around
the hotels are now said to be able to
supply customers with goods"
FavorIte Scheme.
A favorite scheme for getting
whiskey into Washington from Balti-
more without personally toting the
familiar suitcases is ito check these
things to Washington over the rail-
roads and sell the checks to waiting
citizens at this end They do the bal
ance.
Riotous behavior on trains leaving
Baltimore Labor Day, in which SOL
diers and civilians took part, the
Baltimore police having their hands
full. are reported.
Bootlegging and its evil conse-
quences are becoming SO notorious
that the Secretaries OF War and Navy
and the Department OF Justice b3Se
been giving consideration to the
subject, with a view OF applying tho
authority given for preventing sales
of whiskey around army camps. So
far as Washington is concerned the
officials hold that 1t is virtually a
camp.
Except as to the plans OF the oCm-
missioner of Internal Rev enue no Of
fetal action has been taken, how
ever, but the outcome may be the
application OF all available Federal
and war laws to check conditions.
Internal revenue officials have CO.
operated with the local police when
in possession of information. but
now the revenue agents for the Dis
trict, in charge of Agent Forbes, at
Baltimore, are going into the sltuR-
ton for the purpose OF making ar
rests under Federal Iaws-largely
for selling whIskey without Federal
license. Every bootlegger is violat-
ing the internal revenue laws when
he sells his goods without first
having nhfafnad 20
do so.
Railroads PowerIess.
Railroads entering Washington are
trying to check whiskey shipments.
They cannot do much. They have no
authority to refuse to sell tickets to
men carrying luggage believed to
contain whiskey for sale in Wash
ington. The Washington, Baltimore
and Annapolis electric line has for
some time been struggling to mini
miZe the traffic on its cars. 1t has
no police or other power. Its passen-
ger rates from Baltimore TO Wash
ington are cheaper than on the steam
roads. the Maryland public service
commission having refused its re-
quest to increase rates to the same
basis as steam roads. Because the
GlGClElC are more easily "dlCntu
a great deal OF the traffic from Bal IL
more to Washington is now going
over the steam roads.
Whiskey dealers in Baltimore are
at last worried over the openness OF
the traffic between that city and
/ Washington and have been consider
ing the matter OF limiting sales to
small quantities. Their fear. though,
is that If they did this dealers would
open up / nsmall towns nearer TO
Washington and sell in any quantity
sought
Police officials believe that boot
leggers are doing less business now
than in the past, owing to heavy sem
fences imposed in the Police Court,
but say Rankly that nothing but a
"bone-dry" law will stop the traffic.
Whiskey runners go to and from Bal
timOre with little fear so long as
they are not caught making sales. II
arrested with a suitcase full of half
pint bottles OF whiskey they claim
that II is for personal use and the