Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-01-25
CONSTABLES IN
u. S. RUM RAIDS;
POLICE CALLED
Federal Agents Go Clear to
Irvington for Aids in West
End Search.
LOOK INTO FIXING TALK


Squads af Federal prohibition officers
anc constables from the court Of T. E.
Rainey, justice Of the peace at 5504 East
Washington street, caused the police TO
make two runs to Haughvllle last night
70 investigate complaints made by resi-
dents from that part Of the city.
Patrolman Rominger was told that
men "impersonating Federal officers
were searching houses in North Holmes
avenue and that one had offered to
square things for $50" The patrOlman
called police headquarters and Sergt
Louis johnson, with a squad of detec
tives, at o'clock this morning was sent
to investigate.
The officers found, however, that the
men who had made q search Of three
houses on Holmes avenue were three Fed
eral officers and five constables from
Rainey's court.
The complaints were made to the p0-
lice by Frank Luscah, 776 North Holmes
avenue; Joseph Krainz, no North Holmes
avenue; Lewis StOnich 765 North Holmes
avenue. They are Austrians. They told
the police that a fellow countryman
namel Steve Bait. 1913 North Pershing
avenue, and other men, represented them
selves as Federal men and searched their
homes. Krainz said the men entered his
home and one took him TO the kitchen
while the others were searching the
house. He said the one who guarded him
told him he was a constable and would
square things for $50"
Another complaint made was by LUIS
cab and was that after the searchers had
left, he missed 50 and fountain pen.
The police went to the home Of Bait
and found him in bed. He told the Pc
lice that he and four other eonstables
from Justice of the Peace Rainey's court
accompanied L. A. Kidder, chief Of the
Government prohibition squad, and two
other Federal officers on a series of
raids
ADVISED TO SWEAR
OUT WARRANT.
The police then returned to Holmes
avenue and met Stonich. Luscah and
Krainz and told them If some man had
offered to square things for $50" as
they claimed they should go to the Of
fee of the prosecuting attorney and
swear out a warrant
At 7:35 p. m. the police received a COM
plant that there were -four suspicious
appearing men in an automobile at 1902
West Tenth street" Motor Policemen
Bastian and Englebright were sent TO
investigate. They found the four men
to be Kidder, r. II. Abel, whom Kidder
replaced Monday, and two constableS
from Rainey's court who said their
names were Leroy Joyce. 304 North New
Jersey street and John Dalton, go Lord
street
The police say they were told the Fed
eraI officers and constabies had search
warrants for all places searched, but that
they did not know where the warrants
had been issued
Up to 1 o'clock no return had been
made to Justice Of the Peace Rainey By
his constables on liquor seized IN the
raids, according to Squire Rainey. he
said that he did not know whether con-
stables from his court would continue
to act with the Federal officers in max
ing other raids.
SAYS CoNSTABLES
ARE RESPONSIBLE.
Kidder, when asked about the return
Of the warrants, explained that he had
nothing to do with this, as the raids We're
made on search warrants taken cut In
Justice Rainey's court by cOnstables OF
that court and that all liquor seized was
turned over to them. He said they are
responsible for making the returns
Ludwig Brudr, 2S19 West Tenth street
whose home was raided. appeared before
Kidder, accompanied by Steve BAIT, one
Of Raney's constables, and was told by
Kidder that he owed the government
S1.O1s.20, being the tax on sixty-fve gal
Ions of wine found at his home plus the
$1,000 penalty provided by Federal
statute for making wine without a Fed
eral license He was advised to see Off
Gals Of the internal revenue department
and, II he desired, to make an offer t.
compromise the case.
Officials of that department explained
that the local revenue office has no
authority to compromise cases of this
kind without orders from the collector OF
Internal revenue at Washington and that
before this authority is given it is nee
essary for prohibition enforcement
officers to report the matter to the col
Iector.
Mr.. Kidder said that to avoid having
homes searched by persons falsely reP
resenting themselves as Federal agents
householders should insist on being
shown credentials and badges.
While the Federal agents and Rainey's
consta bles were making their raids the
police were also busy. Lieutenant Nc
Murtry and a squad of police raided a
number of soft drink places and found
a small Quantity of white mule In th2
rear of Jack Christ's place, III Keteham
street
Three cases Of bonded whisky were
taken from a machine driven by William
HaveFman, $50 South Sherman drive
and Allan McKinsey, 621 Oakland ave
nue., by Federal agents who stopped the
car near Sherman drive and the Brook
vile road. The officers say the men ad-
mitted that they had brought the whisky
from Hamilton, Ohio. The whisky and
automobile were confscated and the two
men taken to jail.
That Federal prohibition agents and
constables have no right to enter a hOte
and make an indiscriminate search OF
rooms for whisky is the opinion Of a
number Of Indianapolis lawyers Of rep
ats ton. They say that it has been held
many times in the higher courts that il
Is necessary to have a search warrant
specifically naming the person and the
number of the room and that blanket
search warrant, or one made out in the
name OF John Doe" is not sufficient.