New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-07-31
u. S. Jury Wants
Sale of Drugs
On Liquor Basis
Licensing of All Dealers
in Narcotics Proposed
to End Illicit Traffic;
New York Case Cited
Two Brothers Indicted
900 Cans of Opium, Worth
sSI8O.OOO in Single Deal;
Many Other True Bills

presentment recommending that
the control and sale of narcotic drugs
be placed on the same legal basis as the
sale of liquors, requiring all licensed
dealers to be bonded and to sell only on
certificates issued by the Collector o.
Internal Revenue or upon physicians
prescriptions, was returned yesterday
TO Judge Edwin 4. Holmes, OF Misss-
sippi, sitting in the Criminal Division
of the United States District Court Of
Manhattan.
Two Federal grand juries closed their
labors yesterday by returning to Judge
Holmes ten indictments, in one Of which
the name Of the accused person was
not made public.
The specia, presentment was re-
turned after investigation of the evil
dence gathered by Internal Revenue
Agent Ralph A. Oyler and his assistants
that Boris Aronowitch, a druggist, OF
10 Hester Street, and his brother,
Harry, had obtained 9oS14 cans of gum
opium on a permit issued by the
Collector of Internal Revenue in the
name of Harry Childs," July 7, 1920.
The Aronowitch brothers were indicted
jointly for conspiracy to violate the
Harrison drug act.
Opium Worth s1S0,o00
The special recommendation Of the
grand jury IS, in part, as follows:
Evidence before US brought out the
fact that license to buy and sell mar
cotics was obtained by a man giving
fictitious name and address and filing
fictitious certificate in the County
Clerks Office to do business under the
name Of the Pullman Chemical Com
pany, which was not corporation. We
find that, by this means, they bought
and sold opium and that one purchase
was more than 900 pounds and that
the opium was delivered to persons
who had no right to purchase it.
We recommend that the same regu-
/ l2tions be adopted which now control
the sale of liquors; that is. that the
| party to whom d license is issued shall
be required to give bond and then to
! sell only on certificates issued after
/ due Investigation by the Collector of
/ Internal Revenue or upon physicians
/ prescriptions"
The presentment was signed by
Langdon Greenwood, foreman, and
Archibald Gwathmey jr., secretary. of
the grand jury.
According TO the indictment the
opium was delivered by one John
Solomon, Of the Anchor Warehouse,
231 East Forty seventh Street, and
found It's way to purchasers The
value OF this opium at current rates Is
estimated at S1S0,0oo. Charges of
illicit traffic il opiates since January
/ /, 1920, are made against the Aron-
witch brothers in the Indictment.
Charged With Mail Frauds
Fred W. Clawson, organizer OF the
American Canadian Corporation. which
! he capitalized al 100000. was in
dicted for using the mails to defraud
in the sale of the stock. The indict-
ment alleges that Clawson represented
TO prospective stock buyers that he
owned ships and shipping contracts
worth S53.000,0 900, whereas. the indict-
ment charges, the representations were
false.
Last February Clawson gave dinner
at the Hotel McAlpin. his guests in
GLIDING prominent Washington folk,
several members of the Shipping Board
and member of the Vanderbilt
/ family, according to Captain Jerome
Simmons, Assistant United States At
torney. Clawson formerly had offices
at 115 Broadway. He is now working
in an uptown garage, says Captain
Simmons.
c. H. johnson & Co. of 239 Broad
way, composed of c. H. Johnson and
Louis Levy, was indicted for using the
mails to detraud IN various stock
schemes.
Frederick Durgan, Robert NJ. Thomas
and Clayton J. Morse were indicted for
using the mails to defraud prospective
stock buyers in the Transatlantic Ship
yards Corporation. According to tha
indictment "the victims were deceived
into the belief" that they were pur-
chasing treasury stock and that the
corporation owned shipyards at Tot
tenville, Staten Island The alleged
transactions occurred between Febru-
airy y, 1917. and March 19, 1919.
James Donovan, Gus Dix. Ben amin
! S Mendelson and the Long Island Soap
Company were indicted for conspiracy
TO steal number of tierces of lard
from Pier 81. June /, 1919.
Arthur c. Dunckelman was indicted
on the charge of counterfeiting and
Louis Leventhal and Alexander Hacker
were indicted on charges of stealing
D.. parcel post packages from the mails.
I The concealed" indictment was re-
turned against a corporation engaged
in the selling of oil and sulphur
stocks Arrests in this case are ex-
pected to-day.
Louis Greenburg was indicted on
! charge of transporting twenty cans Of
opium, June 80. 1920. The opium was
! consigned to l46 Blocker Stdeet
Detective Sergeant Martin S. Owens
was commended in resolutions adopted
! by the grand jury for his effective
work IN breaking up the ring of auto
mobile thieves which has beset New
York for the past six months.
Ehe home fOun-