The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1920-01-04

Prohibition Commissioner Peters
KSSht refused 10 common. ON The
e 4s1@1- -sAxious charge made es.s,l+e
yesterday afternoon, other than to say
that he failed to see whore he entered
4 into the matter The letter. which
4 Tas published in an afternoon paper
( aske1rA the prohibition Department
ala isek prosecute Joseph Nilaiai I..s
whNM ~fxhe Department. knew A''ia.
e u be xuf1ty of boolegging' A'so,
chae9ed SAat Williams was palo
- III the trial of Officer HAN al
ssB Z Sssrssvv ~ captain Wright and NJ
& nOIfSn Neadouarters failed to reSea'
Y TIE fncf x11Af any warrant haa eve.
1 Ncnn ysvvurr out for Williams arresE
4 Nnti evidence was also lacking 'hat
s Anycfth cisY,nected with the prohibt-
tim REINSTATEMENT knew anything OF
q Fffslsanas alleged crime. An at'enlps
ttHntredit ysiilia.ns' testimony az me
teSal hys araference 10 a letter written
k1M ny Aisorney Edward b. ouhloFo
ssss n s. statement issued last night Mr..
Yf,nfara said n letter had been writ
IN ~ him and he had loaned WIZ
III ms tftN vrersonally 10 enable him TO
1 rsaac u ~ttss@- eeene of the trial. as ne
sTMTlffarnas was admittedly out ~
fuurs Mr.. Dunford's statement foa-
tOws: 80
s-rsf have seen the COPY of the letter
OF August "a 1919, .purportins To have
heen written by me. also the cory OF
the charges AGAINST the prorhihfuon
department signed hy number OF
citizens The letter OF the 2ath l.
IVA Prr Nh Tl1~
selves, Williams was never employed
ty rha department. but was procured
By the officers before their departure
from Richmond. AS n chauffeur, to
7friy7 tfre a,,t-.+.saai!e which was TO he
used to block the traffic coming ev'r
the highways. in automobiles, which.
MI ,hat tire. in March. 1919. had
grown 70 large proportions in auuci-
-r.----.4s l.ss..ll slime prohibi-
tion. He had worked several fHys
@n nirnss an the Valley turnpike and
vicinity preceding he unfortunate oc-
t.urrence at Fishers HIN and after
THAT had hecn MT 20 considerable ex-
pense in attending the preliminary
hearing al Woodstock
"sorne time in August he had In
fhrmed me of his address in Norfolk.
to which place he had moved, and re-
nnested to ne advised Of the date fixed
for trial. lie also stated that he had
beer 10 considerable expense in con-
nsction with the matter and was
financially unable tn bear the contin--
aed expense Of further trips Shortly
before the date fixed for the trial of
the case against the prohibition off,
rers. in order that there might be no
delay in the trial because of the alb
Mncw of wftne-scs, procured from
the clerk of the court at Manassas n
subpoena directed 10 the sergeant of
the CITY Of Norfolk, took it to Norfolk
and had one OF the deputies of the
sergeant Of the city OF Norfolk serve
II upon Williams and make proper
return of il TO the clerk of this Prince
2 William circuit count ~
While In Norfolk Williams repre-
sented to me that he had heard that a
srhtvsa ~ larcnvv hal hpen p~enared
against him and that he understood
warrant had been issued for his
s1FreS{g-a4.j.-fl,ax the charges related
10 the forging of an order for the
purchase Of wi1iskey. He maintained
that these charges were untrue and
that they were the result OF prejudice
created against him by reason of his
association with the prohibition Off
aters at the time of the occurrence at
Fishers Hill He requested me to
, Ascerfain II such n warrant was in
existence ! made inquiries at police
Headquarters upon nv return and
wrote the letter OF the osth of August.
ut the same time advancing my per-
for $50 with which TO. de-
fray his expenses upon attending the
rial.
II did not gee the warrant, as was
Informed that IL was not at police
headrua rfers. IF williams violated
any Lave, n connection with this war.
rant II was not known to the depart