Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-06-04
DISAPPEARANCE of Five Cases of Con-
traband "Booze" Leads to Arrest OF
Six-Patrol Driver and Former
Motorcycle Patrolman Among Sus-
pocts-Two Cases Still Missing.

on federal warrant. He Is being
held pending further investigation
here and probably will be taken to
Des Moines Saturday for trial
Late Thursday Long furnished a
bond Of 500 on the charge of trans
porting liquor, and of $500 on the
charge of maintaining liquor nui-
sance. Two federal officers, arrived In
the city on an evening train, however,
and Long was soon back in Jail. Jack
Williams. arrested with Long. and
held on like charges. was arraigned
Thursday and his case was continued
to June 10. He was unable to furnish
bond. He also was placed under ar
rest on federal warrant and will be
taken to pes Moines.
Five Dozen Bottles Missing.
When Night Sergeant Frank Camp
hell checked up the liquor seized at
the Long home Tuesday morning, as
it was being unloaded at the city
building, five cases were found to be
missing. A recount failed to change
the result and the sergeant directed
members Of the night force to make
further investigation.
Campbell was in charge OF the raid
on the Long home and was insistent
that every case Of liquor be ac-,
counted for. Several young men who
Had assisted in loading the patrol
wagon were suspicioned and officers
were sent out to round them up. AS
a result of the investigation charges
of larceny were filed against six, in
GLIDING former member OF the po-
lice force and the patrol wagon
driver.
Patrol Driver 10 Accused.
The men taken into custody were
questioned early Tuesday morning
by Judge B. o. Tankersley and again
last night by federal officers. The
following were charged with lar
|ceny:
Harold Parsons. Clifford Melvin,
William Plum, e. T. Mulcahy. James
Orr, the latter formerly motorcycle
patrolman, and M. C. Hammer, driver
of the patrol wagon.
Orr, Parsons and Melvin were the
first to be taken into custody. Ser
geant Campbell, Special Agent John
Watt, of the NJ. & st. l., and r. B.
Grimes. clerk Of the municipal court,
In the latter's car. accompanied by
Parsons and Orr, made a flying trip
to the Parsons home. about three
miles north on the Center street road.
where the officers say two cases of
the missing liquor was found
Meanwhile, according to the po-'
lice, Melvin had confessed to the
theft Of five cases. According to his
story, as retold by the police he and
Parsons took the five cases from the
patrol wagon and hid them under a
pile Of timbers in the Ward lumber
yard. He is said to have claimed,
that Hammer told them to
take the liquor.
Another Case Found.
Melvin. accompanied by Special
Officer Charles Watt and Clerk
Grimes later visited the lumber
yard, expecting to find the other
three cases Of liquor, which Melvin
and Parsons expected to remove after
having taken two cases to the Par
sons home, but only one case, and that
only partly filed. was found.
Two cases were missing, and the
superstition was that some Of the
other young men, who knew of the
theft, had secured it. The night force
continued its search, but visits to
garages and other places, where it
was believed the liquor might have
been secreted, proved fruitless.
Patrol Driver Hammer, when ques-
toned, said he saw one case Of the
liquor go over the side Of the patrol
wagon, but he did not know who got
it or where 1t went.
Hoped to Recover All.
The police and the municipal court
officials gave the young men every
opportunity to ind the other two
cases or to tell where the liquor had
gone, and the story Of the missing
whisky was withheld until 1t was
certain all the evidence possible had
been obtained.
One broken case, partly Oiled, was
placed in the patrol wagon when the
liquor was carried from the Long
home, and when the wagon reached
the court house the case was empty.
After Melvin, Orr. Parsons, Null
cahy and Plum had been subjected
to examination, Hammer was sum-
moned from the central fire station
for examination. Members Of the
crew were up, having answered seven
police calls during the night. Special
Officer jacques and Clerk Grimes
then went to the home Of Fire Chief
Pigman, who was having his day off,
asking for an investigation at the
station
Firemen Not Intoxicated.
Chief Pigman said he went inn
mediately to the station and that he
found the men were not intoxicated
as has been rumored about the
streets. The men were up, he said,
because Of the frequent police calls
during the night. He explained that
when call comes into the station,
the gong wakens the entire force.
The attention of the city council
was called to the rumors of the
firemen being drunk and to the police
charges but the members evidently
feel there is no truth in the charges.
At least, the council has failed to call
| an investigation, altho members
said at first that one would be in
stituted.
Hearing June 10.
| The six charged with the liquor