New-York tribune., 1921-05-06
Court
For Rum Cases
Asked of Miller
Governor Indicates He Will
Grant Swann's Appli-
cation for Extra Term of
Supreme Tribunal Here
Bribe Tender Charged
Lawyer Accused of $500
Offer; Vo1stead Warrants
for Seven Freed by State

special term of the Supreme Court
probably will be called to handle the
large number of bootlegging cases ac-
cumulated in this city under the new
state dry laws, according to dispatches
last night from Albany.
Governor Miller yesterday intimatcd
to Assistant District Attorneys Joab A.
Banton and Robert Johnstone that he
would call special term. They had
gone to Albany to point cut that the
frequency of the police liquor raids
had SO cluttered the court calendars
that it would take two or three years
to dispose Of them in the ordinary
course of judicial procedure.
The Governor told his callers to sub
nit formal request, together with
condition brought about. With this
information, he will be prepared to act,
he said.
At the beginning OF his term Gov
ernor Miller pointed out that if police
activity flooded the courts it would be
simple matter to call special term
to try liquor cases exclusively. With
this in mind the two deputies Of Dis
trict Attorney Swami visited Albany.
Attempted Bribery Charged
Charles Berlin, an attorney. of AZ
Court Street, Brooklyn, was arraigned
missioner Rasquin and held in $4,000
bail charged with having offered Inter,
mel Revenue agents $500 to let him
keep liquors valued at 100000.
He was arrested Wednesday night by
Walter Murphy, Frank Seib and Leo
Keyes, of Hugh McQuillan's special in
telligence unit of the Department of
Internal Revenue. The liquor was
found in house at Seventh Avenue
and Eighty-second Street, Brooklyn,
said to be owned by Edward Donegan.
Prohibition agents, acting in concert
with the special intelligence men,
seized the liquors on search warrant
issued by Commissioner Rasquin.
Donegan, to whose house the liquor
is said to have been transferred on
April %, was mixed up in the scandal
involving women clerks in State Pro-
hibition Director O'Connor's office. He
was arrested by Murphy and Seib on
December 80 at the Hotel McAlpin. He
was charged with conspiracy to violate
the Volstead act and with attempted
bribery. He was held in $4,000 bail
on that charge.
Agents Visit Donegan's Home
After the agents had seized the
liquor Wednesday night they went to
Donegan's home at Twelfth Avenue
and Eighty-fourth Street. He was in
conference with Berlin. The agents
questioned Donegan about the liquor
and. according to Seib, Berlin offered
$500 if they would leave the liquor
where it was and say nothing about it.
Seib said he took $4,000, promising
to return for the rest. He then ar
rested Berlin.
Leroy w. Ross, United States Attor-
ney in Brooklyn, announced yesterday
that the discharge of an alleged vio-
lator Of the state prohibition laws by
magistrate, or as a result of the fall
IRE of the grand jury to indict, would
not prevent rearrest and arraignment
on charge of violating the Volstead
act.
In line with this policy seven war
rants were issued yesterday for per-
sons on Staten Island who had been
discharged by county authorities on
charges Of selling liquor.
Won't Stand for Joking
In defense Of his action Mr.. Ross
said: aThere is no disposition on my
part to use arbitrarily the power vest
ed in me. Wherever a case has been
disposed Of by magistrate, jury or
other tribunal fairly and honestly,
there. is no disposition on my part to
interfere, but where we find q disposi-
tion to make the enforcement joke
action will be taken by this Office"
The grand jury in Brooklyn yester-
day returned ten indictments alleging
violations of the liquor laws. q
According to the announcement made
ut Police Headquarters here yesterday,
there were eighty-four arrests made
by the police during the twenty four
hours ending at midnight Wednesday.
The total number Of arrests since
April was announced as 3,O29. The
total number Of seizures are 26 auto
mobiles, z taxicabs, 8 horses and
wagons. ] truck, 24,541 bottles, 2,47o
eases, 1923 barrels, 632 cans, 275
demijohns, 66 kegs, ga glasses, 65 jars,
is pots, 13 tubes, "a stills, 90 tasks,
404 jugs and 26 containers.