New-York tribune., 1920-11-20
Police Are Silent on
Reported Drive to
Enforce Dry Law
Swami Admits Rorke Was
Present at Conference
With u. S. Officials Satur.
day; Assistant Won't Talk

Officials at Police Headquarters re-
FUSED to comment yesterday concerning
the report that policemen will act as
prohibition enforcement agents in a
concerted drive of Federal, state and
city authorities against saloons in this
city selling liquor. The report fol-
lowed conference of the authorities
on Saturday. Others who attended .he
conference continued their policy OF
silence, but District Attorney Swami
issued the following statement:
eyes, there have been conferences
Alexander Rorke, of this Office, was
present at one last Saturday afternoon
Mr.. Talley and myself were present at
such conference about a year ago
We are naturally anxious to give the
government any information that may
reach US relative to violations of the
Federal law
but, after all, it is Federal Law
that is being violated, and it is my per.
sonal opinion that the District Attor.
ney of New York County has no il ris.
diction to prosecute violations of, 6
Federal statute. If any laws of the
state are being broken, no matter what
particular laws they may be, and evi-
dence of such violation reaches thi.
Office, we will prosecute"
Mr.. Rorke declined to make a state.
ment.
Frank L. Boyd, supervisor Of pro
hibition enforcement for the state, sale
he did not attend the conference owe
will welcome police assistance" he said
You can see what a help 1000 po.
licemcn in New York City would be
added to our staff of 200 for the whole
state
lie Roy W. Ross, United States Dis.
trict Attorney of Brooklyn, appealed
to the citizenry of that borough yes
terday to aid in the enforcement Of the
dry laws.
"The cooperation of the police and
citizens is absolutely essential" said
Mr.. Ross. "If citizens who are in
terested in this cause will cooperate
in getting evidence we will soon have
the problem cleared up. All they have
to do is to make liquor purchases in
saloons and give the information tc
Federal officials"
Mr.. Ross said he will enteavor Il
obtain Jail sentences for all violators
1t was announced that 100 bottles OF
liquor were seized aboard the steam.
ship Santa Ana of the Grace Line
which arrived at Pier 33, Brooklyn
from South American ports on Thurs
day. Ownership Of the whisky was rot
determined.
At the instigation of John F. Kramer
Commissioner OF Prohibition in Wash.
ington, enforcement agents were sent
yesterday to visit the saloon OF
Michael Keane at | Park Row. ~lt
proprietor and Timothy Lyons, the bar
tender, We're arrested after, it is al
legged. the agents. purchased drink
They were each held in 1000 bail.
Two private detectives who were en-
ployed by Prosecutor j. Henry Harri
son, of Newark N. j., to get evidence
against saloonkeepers there under the
crimes act, were given police protec
tion when they left court yesterday
ter appearing against five of thirty
nine saloonkeepers arraigned.
Assistant Prosecutor Price asked fol
a patrol wagon to take the detectives
from the court when large and hostile
crowd gathered outside. The Grove
booed the operatives as the patro
drove off. Two private detectives were
assaulted in Orange, N. j., last week
under similar circumstances.