The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-05-30
TRAIL Of WHISKY
RING GETS HOT AS
INQUIRY PROCEEDS
Determined Men Unearth
System of 0utIaWry-Are
Closing in on Its Operatives
and Those Who Abet Il.

The federal grand jury adjourned
Erloay afternoon until Monday morn
ing, Judge John e. Mccall, In federal
| eourt, WIN hear motions for new trials
morning, and there will be no grand
jury report then,
witnesses summoned Friday were
largely men believed to be acquainted
WIN the ways of the botlegger on the
th, thtSer, newspaper men and others
tnougnt TO have knowledge of the
Caruthersville-t to- Memphis booze route.
20 near have investigators into the
SAFE and importation of whisky ap-
pIoached to the exposure OF those most
intimately concerned with the illegal
LraIIlc In Memphis that agencies. at
NaS ,easI ior the accusal of those engaged,
were unremittingly at their tasks Fri
day. ~ 10 % i''i
Although federal court was adjourned
LOT the day, the grand jury kept at
us work and when court reconvenes
Monday morning it is possible there
may be handed to Judge John e. Nc
Can documents naming in indictments
men VINO have made the importation
ana sale OF hundreds Of cases of liquor
monthly by operations on a magnitude
staggering the minds of those Snug
citizens who have been deceived into
.nInkihg tnat the law was being OBJ
served in Memphis
The federal grand jury Is bending
every effort to apprehend at least two
OF the rlngleaders among the men who
nave directed from behind the lines
the traffic here; men with huge bank
rolls, who have financed cargoes on
boats running into hundreds Of cases,
as well as those who have used the
railroads and highways for the piracy.
Forces FLASHING.
With routine matter out of the way
the federal grand jury for the past
Two days has exercised it's inuuisitorial
powers. 1t has found two armies OF
John Barleycorn pretty well intrenched.
1t is said that one general of the North,
whose agents have been men both OF
Caucasian and Senegambian types, has
been assured by some men engaged
With city and county agencies that the
guns of the law have had their sights
too low and that he is safe. However,
there is ample evidence that uneasi-
ness prevails even in the ranks OF the
army OF the North. In the South the
traffic, so far as the city Is concerned,
Is believed to be directed by a former
law officer, grown fat on his gains,
who does not dirty his hands with
actual contact with gunny sack or
glassware, but who rather chooses to
ogle women in front of a Main street
loafing place for male fashion models
ter
Here he is said to dispose OF such
small matters as fixing the scale of re-
muneration for officers large and small
necessary to be consulted before the
way is clear for the actual salesman
to "go get the gentleman pint or to
solicit office buildings and hotels in
quest of men who elevate the morning
glass to thirsty mouths with manicured
hands
The trail is growing warmer leading
toward at least one former officer in
the federal building. Investigators have
looked into alleged activities, both at
the Memphis and other ends of lines
into Memphis from Charlottesville, Pa
ducah and Cairo, Ample evidence of
activity has been revealed but as yet
1t has been fastened on no single in
dividual
= Besides the regularly organized sys-
tenn the county is said to be infested1
with the small operator who in many
cases maintains regular liaison finan-
cially with men supposed to be engaged
In the suppression rather than the
abetting of the sale of intoxicants.
Determined men are on the trail and,
harassed as they are with afficial Chi
canery are anxious to get at the bot
tom Of the traffic and sale of liquor
particularly as the present investiga-
tion has drawn Memphis ward the eyes
Of an astonished nation. |
If in the federal building vault there
lies a kings ransom worth Gas there
does) of confiscated liquor and if, in
the vaults of the county there bulge |
cases Of whisky by the score each |
week periodically destroyed or sneaked
out and consumed, and IT, in various
houses and few drink stands down
town whisky is openly sold even by
the drink at -four bits a shot" the |
investigators declare, not only should |
the purveyors be punished but men |
paid by the peoples money to stop
such business should not only be re- |
moved but should feel the heavy hand |
of the law and be put where they |
could sin no more, and cogitate upon |
July looking with blearea-eye through |
a landscape checkered with bars Of |
iron.
That such men will soon at least |
be made to face accusers and prove |
themselves innocent or guilty seems |
to be within the realm of the proxi- |
mate If not immediate future.
Federal court is not in session Fri |
day. Saturday is motion day A num-
Der Of such pleas for convictions dur
ing the past few days will be heard and |
from Judge McCall's remarks of yes
terday 1t looks as though little clemency |
.f,au he oyneCtad