The Washington times., 1920-04-07
'TWASRUM, PASTOR
SAY "S|PPED" t
DR.. Straton Insists He Got Real
Whiskey on New York Vice
Crusade.

NEW YORK, April THE Rev. DIR.
! John Roach straton, who made SEN
' sational charges regarding vice con-
ditions In his sermon In the Calvary
Baptist Church Sunday night, agreed
yesterday to repeat his story before
both the Federal and county grand
juries.
He will appear before the Federal
body tomorrow with the two young
4 mon who accompanied him on his 70"
cent tour OF resorts In the new ten
/ derloin. According to the clergyman.
| they will corroborate his statement
that he succeeded In purchasing
liquor In three weli-known rsstau-
rants.
They have agreed to go before the
March county grand jury on Thurs
day afternoon for the purpose OF tell
ing about tho flssrant violations OF
the State laws which. according TO
the pastor. were found TO exist In
every place visited by the party, and
which relate TO the police graft stu
alton that this body Is probing.
Confer. With Presenter.
The pastor conferred yesterday In
his study in Calvary Baptist Church
with Assistant District Attorney
James Il. Smith, who 10 directing the
grand jury's inquiry. He also re-
ceived a telephone call from George
Winship Taylor. Assistant United
States Attorney. who previously had
been In communication with James
shevIln, prohibition enforcement
agent, regarding DR.. Straton's sunday
night talk.
To show how widespread the condi'
tions complained Of are at the present
time. the clergyman related harrow
ing tale Of how q young man associ-
ated with him had been referred TO q
disreputable house through branch
of the Young Mems Christian Asso-
citation. He assured the reporter that
he did not mean to imply that the per
sons connected with the y. NJ e. A.
knew the, character Of the place. but
said II proved how many are the PIT
falls that await the youth OF today.
Wore Laynsn's Clothes.
The young man, he said. went to
the Y. N. c. A. In quest OF living &C
commodations and was referred to
house on the upper West Side, where
he was to share the room of another
young man.
After two nights there he learned
that the use of the premises was not
altogether limited to bachelors, a. he
had at nrst been informed. He left
the place and told the clergyman OF
| his experience.
This was one Of tho things. that
| impressed DR.. Straton with the idea
that IL the monster vice were to be
slain he must buckle on his shining
armor and get after II In person.
/ The pastor said that when he set
out to ascertain at hrat hand just how
lniquitous conditions are he adopted
a disguise. The reporter had visions
of the clergyman in q checkerboard
suit with a carnation In his button
hole and a red necktie, but DR.. Stra-
ton assured him that the disguise con-
sisted simply of some layman's
clothes, a soft hat, and a worldly air.
1--WE just went to 1t as II we were
there for business" he said.
| "sipped" the Evidence.
The clergyman also explained that
he knew IT was whiskey that had
| been served to his party in the res
taurants he visited because he had
"sipped every drink"
"Do you know the taste Of whis-
key?" he was asked.
~ certainly do" replied the clergy
man.
Asked what became Of the drinks
that had been ordered for the young
men who accompanied him, the
preacher said: They attended to
that end of it."
DR.. Straton would not reveal the
| identity of these young men, but he
said that neither is connected with his
church. The affdavits they have
made to support the statement in his
sermon were withheld by the pastor.
who said the full details of his trip
would be given to the grand juries.