New-York tribune., 1921-05-26
IL Jurors Rise,
Assail Dry Act,
Attack Police
Every One Knows Officers
ENaggerate, Says Victim
Of Speed Law, Explaining
9Th Rum Case Acquitial
Satisfy Judges Curiosity
O'Bricn Asserts Most Liquor
Seized Here Is Fit Only
To BE Dumped in River

When the seventh man tried for al
legged liquor law violation was acquitted
yesterday By II Jury IN Queens County
Court before Judge George F. Andrews,
Of Toga County. who presided, the
court demanded Of iurymen in the case
why it was they appeared to give so
little credence to testimony of police
officers.
"These policemen are hired to protect
you as citizens" said Judge Andrews,
"They are here to do their duty. Why
Is their testimony not consideredW
An immediate response from Bruno
Bleul. of 317 Cooper Avenue Evergreen.
one of the jury, threw the courtroom
crowd into laughter
That's simple, your honor" said
Pleul. 1--WE ali know that policemen
are given to eXaggeration. If police
man sees a man driving his automo oblle
eighteen miles an hour he goes into
court and swears the man was going
twenty seven to thirty miles We have
all Of us had that sort OF experience"
Asks Their Opinion of Law
"Is there any possibility, since the
law is unpopular, that this fact is
having any effect on you jurors 2" pur-
sued the court.
Immediately all twelve jurors were
on their feet Questioned collectively,
they voiced their opinion of the Vol
stead act in emphatic tones. Ques~
toned individually, all condemned the
law, but each man insisted that his
opinion of it had nothing to do with
his verdict.
Corporation Counsel John O'Brien,
in an opinion given Police Commits
soner Enright yesterday in the mat
ter OF what should be done with
S200O,000 worth of liquors seized since
police raiding of blind pigs began, said
it would be up to the judges to decide
what was good and what bad liquor.
The commissioner had asked an opin-
ion.
THE good liquor says Mr. OBren
in his opinion. twill be turned over to
the sheriff with instructions to sell it
meaning of the prohibition law, and
the bad liquor will be destroyed
poured into the Hudson or any other
convenient river"
The opinion cites that large part
Of the liquor seized is "deleterious"
and should be placed beyond the reach
OF human consumers.
4,l51 Arrests Since April
Since the beginning of enforcement
by the police under the Mullan- Gage
law, April 4, the police report 4,l55
arrests. Among the seizures are Al
automobiles, A trucks, baby carriage,
taxi cabs, II auto trucks, 1888 bar
fels, 81, $50 bottles, ,654 cases, | motor
beat, bicycle, 3 boilers, l brief case,
% casks, 20 containers, 5 copper boil
crs, 233 demijohns 81 TASKS, 81 fun
nels, $50 glasses, a handbags, A horses
and wagons. l horse truck lob jugs
40 kegs, milk shakers, 36 porcelain
tanks, l push cart, l tub, 18 wine
presses and large number of stills.
Rebukes for entering homes without
search warrants continued to be heaped
on the police by magistrates yesterday.
Magistrate H. H. Dale, in Gates Ave
nue. Court, Brooklyn, dismissed a dis
orderly conduct charge against William
T. Glass, 757 Fulton Street, whose home
was ralded, and rebuked the four de-
tectives making the raid.
Magistrate William A. Sweetzer in
jefferson Market Court declared detec-
tives had no right to enter and raid
the home of Walter Roth, 561 Seventh
Avenue. He dismissed the case.
Detectives Smith and De Luca testi-
hed in Jefferson Market Court yester-
day against Peter Eco and Joseph Bat
tagiola, charged with selling liquor un-
der bogus labels Eco and Battagiola
were held in $1,000 bail each
In the face Of criticism of county
Judges United States District Attorney
Le Roy Ross in Brooklyn yesterday
SAID he would continue to seek the in
dlctment and trial in Federal courts of
alleged violators whose cases have been
dismissed by police magistrates and
county grand juries. Warrants were
issued for the reArrest of five defend
anus in Brooklyn and two in Staten
Island who had been dismissed by
courts.