The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-08-21
Of
RUM LEAK
BEGUN BY
GESSF0RD
Criminal Charges Predicted as
investigation Requested BY
Daugherty Started.

Sensational charges against sew
eral members of the Washington
police department growing out Of
the strange disappearance Of large
quantities of wines and liquors
from police headquarters and the
various precinct stations appeared
probable last night.
Attorney General on job.
1t had been freely predicted by
members Of the department that the
haphaxard method OF keeping q
check on the big stores of intoxi-
cants entrusted to the department.
would In time result in embarrass-
ment and probably criminal charges
against some police officials unless
a new system were inausurated-
When Attorney General Harry M.
Daugherty some days ago began to
take a lively interest In the District
situation and ordered an investisa-
ton and complete checking up on
the local stocks, It came As no sur
prise to many members Of the de-
partment
Maj. Harry L. Gessford, acting
under orders, detailed Private George
Mattinxly, of his private staff. TO
handle the investigation.
Probe VIII Be Wide.
Mattingiy's probe win not be con-
fined to headquarters alone. but will
cover all eleven precincts
Vigorous protests have been lodged
at police headquarters by Washing
ton lawyers, who charged that their
clients were not able to recover from
the police whiskies and other liquors
illegally seized and later ordered re-
turned by the courts.
One case which, has caused Major
Qessford great concern II that sf-,
fecting a client Of Attorney T. Nor,
ris Wampler.
In the case in question The client
OF Wampler had several cases of
whiskey taken from him when ne
was arrested on a charge of violat-
ing the Volstead act.
The court dismissed the case
against the alleged offender and di-
rected that the whiskey be returned
to him. When the man went to DO
lice headquarters for his goods, Nev-
eral cases OF whiskey could not be
located.
Other Similar Cases
other lawyers claim to have had
similar experiences with the police
department.
James o'shea, attorney for a man
arrested in connection with an al
legged violation of the prohibition law.
n oil
get the return, as ordered by the
courts, of a large quantity of Nvhis-
key that the police had taken from
him.
What has become of the liquor?"
the lawyers demand.
ut will be found-probably mixed
up with other seizures" is the time.
worn reply, it is alleged, they receive
In the meantime they are unable TO
get the goods which the courts rule
they may recover.
In some cases, the police say, certain
lots of liquors probably will never be
recovered. When asked where Il has
gone, they shrug their shoulders and
say that's what some of us would
like to know"
Large Sum Involved.
The value Of the liquors and gen.
eral assortment OF intoxicants now
stored at Police Headquarters and the
eleven precinct stations will run up
into the thousands of dollars.
It did not take long for the police
to fill the property room at head.
quarters with liquors after they got
busy enforcing the Volstead act. 1t
then became necessary TO store II in
the precincts after II had been seized
from alleged violators Of the dry act.
Mattingly has been instructed to
ascertain just how much liquor the
department is holding and to check
Il up with the amount which has
been confiscated according TO the
r,cc"d" of the courts. II is charged
by some Washington lawyers that
the probe will show that the stock
held by the police Ia much less thA2a