The Washington times., 1921-10-08
ALLEGED
RUM KING
7 AIKEN BY
DRY FORCE
Colored Man Said to Have Sold
Booze Like MiIk-Made
Thousands Daily.

In one Of the most spectacular
raids ever staged in any city, pro-
hibition agents and Washington
police today swooped down on one
Of the "whiskey rings" of Wash
ington and arrested thirty-one per-
sons.
A large quantity of liquor and
much valuable evidence, which the
prohibition officials say will help
them in breaking up several rings
in this and other cities. were seized.
William ]. Butler. colored. 324
T street northwest, known as the
King of the Bootleggers." was ar
rested as one of the leaders of the
ring. His brother Edward. who
lives at l015 Lamont street, is be.
ing sought. The police and pro-
hibition officials charge that the
Buffers are at the head Of the ring
and that they have grown wealthy
in the last six months by their
business.
Held Under $1,000 Bond.
William Butler was arraigned before
United States Commissioner Hit to-
day and held in 5000 bonds for q
nearing on October IL.
Arthur Patrick, 1914 Twenty-second
street. a bookkeeper for the Buffers.
and Silas Jefferson. the keeper Of their
warehouse, was also charged with con
spiracy and held in $5, 900 bonds each
for hearing at the same time.
The others arrested were charged
with Illegal possession Of liquor and
VIII be given a hearing late this after
noon before Commissioner Hit.
The main office Of the ring was at
1918 Lamont street. where a luxurious
office was fitted up with typewriters.
adding machines, and two safes The
police captured a quantity of ammuni
ton and two rifles in the office.
Haynes Directs Raid.
The raids were conducted under the
direction of Prohibition Commissioner,
Roy A. Haynes and Assistant Com
missioner James +. Jones, H. r.
Stephenson. chief of the local prohi.
bition force, and Col. l.. G. Mutt, in
charge Of the Flying Squadron" per.
sonally conducted the raids.
According to the prohibition off.
cials, the Buffers are the master
minds Of the ring and Silas Jeffer.
son is their agent and principal man
ager.
<hiSohOl III ITuCn az 1UU-DarreI
lots have been shipped to the But
lers during the past six months, the
prohibition agents charge. and they
have distributed II throughou. the
city to tho retail bootleggers.
$1,000 Profit a Day.
Their profits on one route were in
excess of $4,000 a day. and II is al.
ieged that they had ten routes in diff
ferent sections of the city. The rail
today was only on one of their
believe that they have broken UP the
source of supply of the other boot
leggers in the city and that they
will have to quit or get their whiskey
from other sources.
The Butler brothers specialized on
alcohol. and 1t is said that they have
the alcohol market in Washington
cornered. The alcohol was brought
here from Philadelphia in auto
mobiles in ive-gallon cans, II 10
alleged. and taken to the home Of
Silas jefferson on Twenty seventh
street where it was changed to one
gallon cans.
Every morning at o'clock the
men who worked for the Buffers in
serving their routes" reported to
SVAhtiS iCCtlNtu IntlT
for delivery. In addition to selling
alcohol. the prohibition agents charge
that the Buffers also did a thriving
business in spirits OF juniper. wfN'h
was used by their customers In con.
verting the alcohol into gin.
The same drivers reported back at
o'clock in the afternoon for their
afternoon deliveries and the Buffers
came around every afternoon and
took the collections home wrapped
in a newspaper.
Bought at sI4.5O n Gallon.
The alcohol was sold to the retail
bootleggers throughout the city for
S14.50 q gallon and the spirits OF
juniper was sold for 81 bottle. The
alcohol and juniper were brought to
the city from Philadelphia
The places which were raided by the
police and revenue officers were on