Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-12-11
AID To BOOTLECGERS.
LAID To POLICEMEN
BY PROBE WITNESS.
Dressmaker Tells of Watch
ing Game Through Peep
HoIe-Arranged With Man
on Beat to Make Raid

The special committee of city
council investigating charges of in
efficiency and dishonesty in the po
lice and detective departments hello
a session replete with sensations al
the city hall Friday morning.
First was the declaration of Chair
man Harvey Hatcher that the com
'mittee is investigating the board OF
police commissioners as well as the
police and detective departments.
Next was interesting testimony by
Clarence Hart, an admitted bootleg
ger, describing in detail how the
bootlegging business is carried on
). and charging City Detectives Terry
and Howell with taking seven cases
of whisky from him and never turn
ing in but two cases at the station
house.
Third was the supporting testi-
mony Of Thomas H. Goodwin, Harris
lawyer, that he was sure Terry and
Howell were in league with Gritt
Freeman, another alleged bootlegger,
TO rob Hart Of his whisky.
On the other hand, the police and
detective departments scored point
when Aldine Chambers, Of the police
commission, who is acting in the
role of attorney for the defense, drew
the declaration from Hart and from
H. A. Reeves, a whisky runner,
that they were never protected" by
any member of the police or the
detective forces, and that they never
hard of any protection" being fur
Eished bootleggers.
Chambers Acting for Police
Hart. a dapper, well dressed man,
talked with the utmost frankness
and fuency about bootlegging. Lean
ing back in his chair, he answered
any and all questions put by mem
bers of the committee, except as to
The source of his supply.
Aldine Chambers, of the police
commission, who has been acting In
the role of attorney for the defense
for the police and detective depart
ments, established at the outset that
the witness had a criminal record.
Hart admitted that he had been con-
yicted several times for burglary
mad served terms in the Henitentlary'
and for a times was in the state in
sane asylum at Milledgeville. He
declared, however, that he would
support his testimony by bringing
before the committee Friday after
noon three or four other bootleggers.
Tells of Shipment
Hart said that on September 20
last, he~received ten cases OF Scotch
whisky by express from Fort Pierce
Fla. packed in wooden boxes, and
marked "Glassware and CLONES
He had the boxes consigned to &c. Il.
Smith" he said. and got them him.
self out of local express office. he
refused to tell the name of the snip
ner In Fort Pierce, but members OIL
the committee took notes on the tes-
timony and declared they would in
vestigate further. Hart said he paid
ss5 g. case for the whisky, and was
going to sell it for $3.50 case.
Hart said he arranged with "GrlH
Freeman to buy the whisky, Freeman
making an appointment to come the
next night to Harris home. 136 West
Peachtree street. Freeman arrived
in his car, said Hart, and they were
loading t with the liquor when City
Detectives Terry and Howell ap-
, neared on the scene. Hart declared
that the detectives took Freeman and
the whisky and drove away. Terry
threatened to kill him II he ever
said anything about it."
Hart said that he and compan-
lon. "Vic" Messer, of Savannah
trai1ed the officers in another auto
mobile, but that Messer was afraid
to continue the chase and they both
returned to town and went to see
Tom Goodwin, lawyer.
wanted to Prosecute Terry
1T knew they weren't going to turn
in my liquor at the police station
and I wanted to prosecute Terry
said Hart. He continued with the
statement that Attorney Goodwin
went to the police station the nex'
day and found that Terry had turn
ed in two cases out of seven which
Hart said the detectives got.
Attorney Chambers began to ques
ton Hart closely about his acquaint
ance with Terry.
"Sure, / know him." said Hart. :"
8 used to be in the liquor business
with hinnl
And then, when he went on thu
notice force, he quit the liquor bus
iness. eh?" asked Mr.. Chambers.
"Weu, 1 don't know about that,
replied Hart 81 don't like the ide
Of getting on the police force in or
der to steal liquor, just because h
can make more money that way. l
lie is going to be a bootlegger. lie
him be a bootlegger. If he's goin
TO be a policeman, let him be pc
liceInan. l know Terry, Howell an
Grff Freemen were in partnershi
TO take my liquor
Alderman Nutting interrupted t
ask if Griff Freeman was connecte,
with the police force. The witnes
replied IN the negative.
Hart testified that he and Teri
i had an alteration at the COURTEOUS
later on about the liquor episode
and that Terry was tried for con
tempt of court for being so nois
about 1t.
Attorney Goodwin Called
After Hart left the stand Attor
ney T. II. Goodwin, employed b
Hart to prosecute Officers Terry an
Howell, was sworn. He began hi
testimony by saying that he wa
absolutely certain that collision eX
listed between Griff Freeman, the al
al,
Terry and Howell.
The whole thing was a rottel
fsame-up between Terry. Howell an
Neeman, for Freeman to get Hart
whisky without paying for it," sal
Mr. Goodwin.