The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1918-05-07
SGT. COMSTOCK
Ex0NERATED BY
FEDERAL JURY

Nuirt OF Goetcc WarYv0 IueAs
day refused to state definitely
whether OF not he would rein.
state SrrTi. George ~ Comstoek.
esouerated Monday rs th. f-si.
crai grand Jury 81 alleged com
plieity with bootl-Gger<.
Il have not yet d~ctd-d What
to Do" tho chief said at noon.
- have ma seen Ccmstock.
While he IL technically . men,
bs< a tho dsparsmeuf. have
not derided In whsl capacity Z
can place him n ~ b rstnstatea.
] have mt dreiArd whe<hee ~
NJ 70 reimtAie him-
comssock lef, home Tuesday morn.
ng. supposedly IN Interview the
rhies. but had not arrived a; head.
quarters up 20 late hour.
Technically. Comstock II s,iil a
member OF the dry squad depart.
ren,. as he was suspended only dur.
ns the examinations that have re-
'ul,ed In his acauit,ai.
Comstock WINS suspended In Jan.
iary. after being arrested by Sheriff
strinEcr and held. pending invest.
,ation % the story % Raleigh NJ
Faulkner. boo,iegx.r. who declare,
ie had purchased SO 900 worth OF
'eircd liquor from Cornsiock.
Faulkner was indicted By the
;rand jury late Monday. and must
'tand trial for violation Of the Reed
amendment. which prohibits import.
ms liquor into dry territory.
Investigated Prosperity
Comstock. being suspended. not
iirrnissed. II still technically mem.
Der OF the police department
Faulkner was implicated when DO
ice officials began investigating his
inworted prosperity laAt January
following his release from the
Pierce county jail In January. 1916.
when he was penniieNs. within a
short interval. he was
'portinE select home and three
which incurred the sus
,icion OF officials
Investigation showed that Faux
Ter was making his money thru
His home was consequently raldcd
md liquor valued AZ s. 400 dlscov
red. in quart bottles. packed in
metal drums labeled Auto Polish. d"
Named Comstock
~ this arrest. conducted By sher
n stringcr. on December 20. Faux.
,er denied importing tho liquor into
he state 1t was showed that on ut
east two previous occasions Faux
Ter had received liquor. By exam
nation OF way bills at the freight
lepot
SIN denying that he had imported
he liquor. Faulkner is then said 10
ave alleged that he purchased II OF
he dry squad.
This admission IL alleged TO have
,ecn made TO Chief Warren I'm the
alters home. where several govern.
nent officials had gathered. Faulk.
Ter claimed 10 have paid $3.50 per
'ase for the liquor. purchasing in
~. s20.30O worth.
Sergeant George CosnEtock. head
" the dry squad nj that time. was
directly named AS the man Faulkner
rad done business with While he
Indicated that ether men in the
quad were aware OF his transnc.
ions with the head. he did not i'm
)licate them.
Kept In Jail
Government operatives Swallowed
he dry squad members for several
lays thereafter. arresting Comstock
md Patrolman Joe Revclle. dry
quad member. Revelle was accused
# permitting members OF a gambling
Jarty to escape during raid. and
vas released shortly. following his
arrest He was acquitted at his
rial.
After spending n night In Jail,
comstock was released on 5000
,ail a thoro investigation and
questioning Of the squad was then
iet In motion. All maintained their
Bound over TO the grand jury for
Investigation on charge OF con.
'piracy to defeat the Reed amend.
nent. Comstock Immediately began
gathering evidence that was later TO
'esult In his exoneration. He claim.
d TO be the victim OF conspiracy.
md set about TO prove II. lie sue.
'ecded in establishing that he had
net Faulkner but once, and that I'm
he presence OF witnesses. He used
prominent people TO show that his
character was above reproach. Many
II the defense utilities employed