New-York tribune., 1921-08-28
Six Detectives
Accused \ OF Two
Illegal Seizures
Four Held on Charge of
Raiding Place, Breaking
Lock and Taking So, 900
Rum Without Warrant
Court Suspects 2 Others
Orders an Inquiry After
Alleged Police Plot Is
Revealed at the Trial

Six Police Department detectives
are now involved as the result Of al
legged searches without warrant and
alleged abuses of authority in Mullan-
Gage law prohibition enforcement.
Four detectives were held under
bond yesterday for alleged search and
seizure without warrant, while the ac
tivities of two other detectives en-
gagged on liquor law case were
ordered investigated by the District
Attorneys Office. Magistrate Bernard
A. Douras, in Washington Heights
Court, ordered the Investigation in the
latter case on account of an arrest
which, he said, was made under "sus-
picious" circum stances.
Detective Lieutenants Evans and
West and Detectives Hepner and Lillis,
all of the Third Inspection District,
were held in $500 bail each for ex-
animation Wednesday By Magistrate
Francis X. McQuade on charges Of
violating Section 854 Of the Penal Code,
which deals with oppression. The op-
preston is alleged in their raid on
the automobile establishment Of Rod
ney X. Haines, 228 West Fifty second
Street, where it is charged they broke
lock without warrant and seized
$4,000 worth of liquors.
Regards Case as "Suspicious"
Magistrate Douras regarded as ~sus-
piclous" an arrest made by Detectives
Henry Kerr and James Jackson, of
Inspector Cahallan's staff. The de-
tectives testified they went into the
grocery store of Angelo Merculio, 246
West 146th Street, and saw Merculo
sell Peter Jackson, a police reservist.
a bottle of whisky.
After the detectives had testified,
William Nef, private detective, of
234 West 146th Street, stood up in the
courtroom and said:
II would like to say something, your
honor. I witnessed this whole affair.
| saw the two detectives take a bottle
from Peter Jackson's pocket. became
suspicious, thinking at first the detec-
tives had arrested Jackson. / followed
them and saw the police reservist 60
into the grocery store of Merculio.
after jackson was in the store,
saw Detective Kerr and his partner
enter and I followed them. One detec-
tive went behind the counter and the
other got on his hands and knees and
began searching under things. Sud
denly one of the detectives pulled out
Il flask of fluid and said to Merculio:
What are you doing, selling hootch in
this place."
This case looks suspicious to me-"
said the magistrate. He turned to the
stenographer of the court and said: II
want you to send copy Of the minutes
of this hearing to Assistant District
Attorney Ranton immediatelv'
Then turning to Assistant District
Attorney O. Z. Saylor, who prosecuted
the case, the court instructed him to
get in touch with his Office and see that
an investigation be made into the case.
II discharge the defendant" con-
cluded the court.
Store Building Raided
Armed with search warrants issued
by United States Commissioner Hitch
cock, Federal prohibition agents yes
terday entered a store building at SAB
West Twenty-ffth Street. Over the
door was a sign that read;
Progressive Smelling and Metal
Corporation"
In the building the agents charge
they found man who gave his name
as Lawrence Donohue, and his son,
Lawrence jr. Both were served With
summonses. The agents say they found
in the store building sixty-hve cases Of
Holland gin, ten barrels Of Sherry and
.wo cases Of wine, all of which was
seized.
James Dc John. bootblack stand
proprietor at 93 East Fourth Street,
Brooklyn, was arrested yesterday by
policeman, who testified that il man
knew the pass word and said he wanted
"shine inside and out" that De John
would slip two ounce bottle Of whls-
key into the customers pocket. The
price OF the inside out shine was GO
cents, the detectives testified. Magis
trate Liota, in Flatbush court held De
John in $500 bond.
Federal enforcement agents testified
before United States Commissioner
NcGoldrick in Brooklyn that they en-
tered the Casino at Freeport, L. l., and
found much merriment. Bathing girls
overran the scene, they said, and many
people were sitting at tables inbibing
real drinks at S a drink. Domiuick
Farrio, the proprietor, and Frank Mon
roe. the bartender, who were taken
from the scene by the agents, were held
in 81 900 and $500 bonds.