The New York herald., 1921-09-07
FORGED PERMIT RUM
VALUED AT MILLION
. SEIZED AT PIER HERE
Ia, 900 Cases Freed in South
on Blanks Stolen in
Hart's Office.
MANY ARRESTS NEAR
Barring of Bootleg Ring
Here Expected as Result
OF Biggest Haul.
TWO HELD IN SHIP PLOT
Men Said to Have Negotiated
for Whiskey Landed From
Vessel Off Jersey.
TWO HELD IN SHIP PLOT

About $4,000 cases OF whiskey
valued at more than $1,O00,0O0 and
shipped here from distilleries and
bonded warehouses in Kentucky and
Maryland by use of forged permits,
were seized by Federal prohibition
agents yesterday on several piers
along the North River. This is the
largest seizure made In this city
since the Volstead act went into
effect.
| A few weeks ago it was discovered
that 500 blank permits had been
stolen from the office Of Harold L.
Hart. Director of Pro'Kbition for
New York State, and an Investigation
Adisclosed that many OF the stolen
permits had appeared at distilleries
and bonded warehouses filled out in
an apparently bona fide manner.
! The permits called for the release
of between $4,000 and 10000 cases OF
whiskey, with New York city as the
only objective point. Washington au-
thorities were consulted and it was
decided to allow the liquor to be
shipped in order to lay a trap for
another gigantic bootlegging ring.
Fifty enforcement agents for the
last week have been scattered along
the piers night and day watching
the arrival Of the whiskey, which has
been in progress for more than a
week. Several persons appeared in
large automobile trucks with trans
portation permits, but were not al.
lowed to remove any OF the wet
goods pending further investigation
of their papers. which we're seized.
Watch Rum Caravans.
Beginning early yesterday morning
and continuing throughout the day
large trucks. guarded by enforcement
agents, transported the seized booze
from the piers to the Knickerbocker
Warehouses, which are leased by the
Government for the storage OF seized
liquors. Persons residing in the neigh
borhood watched the rum caravan
throughout the day. For an hour yes
| terd ~ afternoon a reporter for THE
New York HERALD mingled with the
throng watching the unloading OF the
rye and bourbon, some of which had
been bottled in bond more than ten
years ago.
Officials in prohibition headquarters
in West Twenty street re-
fused to give information about the
seizure except to confirm the confisca-
ton had taken place as the result of
liquor being shipped here through
forged permits made on blank papers
stolen from Director Hart's Office.
1t was learned from other sources
that thousands of cases OF whiskey
are in transit TO this city and on ar
rival will be seized on the allegation
the liquor was obtained and shipped
by forged permits. 1t is expected that
many arrests will be made within a
few days and the cases brought before
the Federal Grand Jury.
| Already several men well known In
the .bootlegging trade who do business
on a large scale are. under surveil-
lance not only by prohibition agents
but operatives OF the Secret Service
and Department of Justice. These
men will be prevented from leaving the
4 oh tx,xra fryn nm
Of their past and present activities.
Under the direction OF Mr.. Hart an
| investigation has been going on for
| two months into every permit issued
since prohibition went into effect in
this city. Mr. Hart, who is Repub-
Iican. succeeded Charles r. O'Connor,
a Democrat. last May. During Mr.
4 O'Connor's tenure of office thousands
! Of permits were issued to apparently
localized wholesale liquor concerns
that were only supposed to sell liquor
for non-beverage purposes.
Rum sold to Saloons.
II Is a well known fact that nine
tenths OF this LIQUOR reached bootleggers
who sold IL to saloons and other places
where drinks are bought at high prices
AZ connor's name was forged to thou
sands Of pernits which brought the re-
lease and Illicit sale of millions OF doll
lars worth OF all brands OF liquor In this
city. which Is considered the drinking
Mecca OF the country by prohibition
officials here and also IN Washington.
Special Secret Service men for weeks
have been busy investigating thousands
| OF apparently legitimate permits issued
since the advent OF the volstead act
| Already several men formerly engaged In
the liquor traffic have left the country
| after learning from underground sources
that their activities we're being made the
object OF a searching inquiry.
Yesterdays seizure is only one Of the
few developments expected to take place
within the next few weeks ~ the result
OF the announcement OF Federal Prohibit
ton Commissioner Roy A. Haynes In
Washington that vigorous campaign
had been planned and was actually In