The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-11-10
WHISKEY RINGS
OF BUFFALO DO
BRISK TRAFFIC
Lake Port Thriyes on Booze
Obtained From
Canada.
OFFICERS HELPLESS
Most of Liquor Transported
to New York City
for Sale.
LAW ENFORCEMENT is LAX
Duries Won't Convict, and
Judges Reject Evidence in
LAW ENFORCEMENT Is LAX
guries Won't Convict, ana
Judges Reject Evidence in
Many Cases.

Herewith is published the fourth Of
. series of articles setting forth the
results of an Investigation of aUhole-
sale liquor smuggling. across the Ca
madam border, made by staff COR
respondent Of THE New YORK HERALD,
scho travelled along the border from
Mnine'to Michigan for the purpose OF
making this Investigation. What the
correspondent found loit be pr bHshed
IN these columns, day by day, through
the tceek.
Special Despatch to.THE NEW Yosg HHRAn,.
II BuFFALo, Nov. SIT was just af
ter the middle. of last month that Ed
win G.. Waters, chief prohibition en-
nounced that he had cut off, or be-
neved he had cut off, the chief source
Of supply by which Buffalo obtains
its whiskey from Canada.
On the day preceding his announce
ment fifteen automobiles were seized,
between dark and midnight in the en-
virons of the city, and all of them
were found to contain grain alcohol
for use in compromising synthetic
whiskey. All Of the cars wore new,
high priced and speedy. and, accord
ing to Mr.. Waters, were working in
combination or as part of one crgani-
ration, under control, Of course, of the
invariable master mind" always lurk-
ing in the background. p
Each of the seized cars was found to
contain about seventy gallons Of grain
alcohol, and all of the men arrested
when the cars were caught were found
30 be residents Of Buffalo. Mr.. Waters
insists that ever since national pro-
hibition came to pass the running Of
Canadian .whiskey into Buffalo shas
been carried on as an organized and
highly profitable business; that there
Is a ring which controls the distribu-
ton and price. and an exchange where
retailers come to purchase It end sup
ply themselves with labels and forged
revenue stamps as WELL Practically
all whiskey coming through from Can
ada into the United States, Mr.. Waters
insists. is sold under spurious labels
and stamps and has no claim to the
name OF whiskey at all.
Trade for New York City.
Mr.. Waters explained also that only
q small part of the Canadian liquo,
which is transported m the region of
Buffalo remains in Buffalo for consump-
tion. Most of it. he says. goes down into
southern New York and to New YORK.
city. And on the other hand. many of
the cars which carry It to New York
city return from there with whiskey
smuggled out OF bond. which Is duly
sold In Buffalo and vicinity for the use
Of those who are ready to pay well and
are afraid to put their lips to the Cana
dian hootch.
The lawfully minded OF Buffalo ara
enthusiastic about Mr.. Waters. and they
applaud his probity and his zeal, but
they do not for a moment imagine that
Gently he detailed two men to duty
along the Niagara River and Lake Erie
shores. their especial duty being to find
points of liaison in the whiskey routes
between New York and Canada rather
than to catch smugglers In the flesh.
He. with Others comedies that the order
given Is rather considerable one for
two men. But the two are all he has
70 spare, and they must do the best they
can.
No one else in this part of the State
considers that one ring Is in control of
all the liquor that Is coming in. Every
body knows that all sorts of freelance
and small combine runners are carrying
Alcohol and whiskey from Canada into
points about here and from the various
American rendezvouses to Syracuse, AL
bany. Boston and New York. The Ma
CARA River floats good supply of booze
into the United States every night ono
can get all one requires on either sids
of Niagara Falls. and plenty of It.
Loaded into fast powerboats on the On
tario side of Lake Erie, IL is sent across
for tho benefit of thirsty Buffalonians on
every dark night, and frequently In
broad day as well.
Few Are Convicted.
Agent Waters may. by such methods
ss he can control. discourage the boot
leggers all he may, but there Is some
thing he cannot control which encour-
ges them vastly. Many are accused In
Buffalo. but none seem ever 20 reach
Jail II IL fact that the Federal juriej
which have been trying whisEey runners
have turned them out one and all.
The runners have taken heart of grace
also from a recent decision OF United
States Commissioner George p. Heating
who has ruled that suspicion OF whis-
key running gives no enforcement Of
ncer the right 20 hold car up and
search Il. HIS decision was rendered in
the case Of Edward Miller of Scranton,
pa, who was arraigned on the charge
that when hts automobile was searched
n was found to contain 500 worth OF
whiskey.
what section of the law. II any, en-
powered you TO make the searchT' asked
the Commissioners OF the enforcement
agent, who came In as complainant
The agent was a little vague. but In
nistad that-s .whiske> had been found
the result justified him. Blu, the court
overruled HIN.
THE Constitution" the Commissioner
declared. protects citizens against UNI
REASONABLE search. That right cannot be
annulled BY dozen prohibition laws,
and so long as I remain a Magistrate
I shall try to see that citizens are Sc
CURED in that right"
fhs court also had something to cay
sn respect to a young woman who had
been riding In the car with Miller. She