Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-09-11
POLITICS BLAMED
FOR CAMDEN RAIDS
SaIoonkeepers Claim They Are
Baird Machines Revenge for
Cox Endorsement
DECLARE ACTION ILLEGAL

| Camden county officials have not only
| "stirrcd up n political boomerang" by
! their raids upon Camden and seizures
of liquor. but also violated the law
| which they claim they were enforcing,
Camden saloonkeepers declared today.
The motive back of the raids was
| politics. pure and simple, IL was said,
and not the high minded purpose of
purging Camden county Of illegal liquor
resorts. as was claimed by the authori-
ties under whom the raids were plan
ned.
Camden saloonkeepers say they see
the hand of David Baird. Republican
organization leader in the county, back
of the arrests. This "change of 'front.'"
aS the saloon men say. on the part of
CamdPn's political ring. is based on
the attitude of the Associated Fedora
tion of Liquor Trade of New Jersey
which has been fighting for modifica
ton of the Volstead law and whose in
dividual members have indorscd the
presidential candidacy of Governor Cox
and the Democratic ticket as favorable
to the wet platform.
Prosecutor Charles A. Wolverton
claims he seized goods under the Bishop
act prohibiting the sale of liquor with
out license said an official of the
Camden Retail Liquor Dealers As
sociation. ''1n the first place. this law
does not exist since the adoption Of the
eighteenth amendment to the constitu-
ton. and. secondly, the Bishop law does
not permit search and seizure as
was rescrted to by the prosecutor. |
venture to say all the cases will be
thrown out of court. do not condonc
violation Of the law, but is there proof
of any violation?
The raids were conducted for effect
only and an attempt at intimidation,
as sentiment in Camden countd is
wholely for modification Of the Vol
stead act
Despite the charges fifty city and
county detectives under Prosecutor
WOlverton will continue the serving of
bench warrants today on Camden coun-
ty saloonkcopers. accused of selling
LIQUOR without licenses. il was said.
Thirty four saloonkeepers and bar
tenders. arrested in wholesale raids
Thursday night. and thirty alleged
violators who surrendered voluntarily
yesterday when they learned warrants
were issued for them, are held in $1,000
bail for trial.
In every instance, the saloonkeepers
or their bartenders are charged with
violation of the state law. They are
not charged with violation OF the VOL
stead act. and the raids were made in
depended of the federal prohibition en-
forcement authorities of this district.
In all. 2i6 warrants were issued
from the bench following the return
of 500 indictments against the Camden
county saloonkeepers by the Camden
county grand jury sitting in secret
session.
Governor Edwards, Of New Jersey.
was not consulted by Prosecutor VOL
verton in planning the wholesale liquor
raids. which began in Camden county
Thursday night.
Say. what are they doing up there
in Camden he inquired of a friend
on arriving in Atlantic City from Egg
Harbor.
That's for you to explain" the
friend parricd. What do you mean by
letting them tear things wide open like
that just when we thought New Jersey
was going to make good your campaign
pIedge?"
"Whatevcr you do. don't blame me, "
the governor responded. II never had
bigger surprise in my life
Although the raids in Camden and
vicinity were planned and are being
! executed without. the 90 operation Of
the federal authorities. John A. Crolly
assistant to Leo A. Crosseu. super
vising prohibition enforcement official
| for this district. announced today that
he would ask that all liquor seized in
! the raids be turned over to the Phila
| delphia office.