The New York herald., 1921-04-14
SPITE TIPS LEAD
| COPS TO CELLARS
| OF HOME BREWER
Stills, Wines and Beer
Seized in Raids in Several
Apartments.
rs ARRESTS REPORTED
Rockies Bent ON Promotion
Keep Saloons Well
Closed.
NO NEW INDICTMENTS
Brooklyn Second Offender
Gets 90 Days, a Record Sen
tence Thus Far.
70 NEW INDICTMENTS

New members OF the force, acting
with plain clothes men and patrol
men who are TO be retired within the
next year on pensions, are doing the
major part of the Police Department
work IN enforcing prohibition in this
city. II was learned yesterday.
When the Mullan Gage laws went
into effect April 4. as advocated by
Gov. Miller, word was sent out from
Police Headquarters to the rockies"
that It offered an excellent opportunity
for them to make a reputation and win
promotion BY rigidly enforcing the law
and showing no favoritism. The new
men went at the job with enthusiasm
and ambition.
Members OF the force to be pensioned
during the next year were chosen be-
cause they could not afford 70 run the
risk of being delinquent. as Police
Commissioner Euright In General Or
der No. II made It plain that any Of
ncer would be held Immediately re-
sponstble for the efficient performance
of hiy duty in enforcement of the
new dry laws. A member of the police
force woulc lose his pension If found
dereiiot in suoh duty, SO the near pen
sioner have beer as active as the
probation policemen. Few arrests have
been made thus far by patrolmep on
post.
There is certain element Of politics
being played by both sides IN tho dry
enforcement herc Poiics Officials do
not intend to allow Gov. Miller and the
Republican administration in Albany to
get anything on" the Police Depart
ment or even Mayor Hylan. so far a.
making IT hard for the people OF this
city to buy liquor. After investigation
Gov. Miller has the power Of removal of
any county or city official who is found
guilty OF not enforcing the law.
MaEfstrates Hold Fifty.
Up 70 a late hour last night about
seventy-five arrests had been made since
midnight Tuesday. most of this work be-
ing done by specially detailed detectives.
Fifty were held IN either $500 or $1,000
bail IN the magtstrates' courts through
out the city on charges OF violating the
new laws. There were no indictments
returned yesterday by the New York
County Grand Jury against liquor Of
tenders.
Home brewers in the future will have
to be careful to keep their win
dows closed, as also viii people hold
ing ''hoocn" parties in their homes. for
complaining neighbors are reporting vio-
lations to the police in every part of the
city Getting even and paying off old
grudges' is the way detectives oharac-
terixe such information. which brought
about several successful raids yesterday.
Charles Hoffman, superintendent Of
an apartment house at 52s West t11th
street. a block from the Cathedral of St
John the Divine. was arrested by Detec-
tives Gilbert and Cariin as result OF
complaints by nelghbors he was violat-
ing the law in the cellar OF the premises.
According to the detectives the smell
OF brewing beer and sour mash has been
noticeable for some time on the prem
ises and neignbors asked for an inves-
tigation. The two rum sleuths broke
into the cellar and there found Hoffman.
three barrels OF sour mash. ten gallons
OF .red ink" wine and fifty bottles OF
home brew beer. II took two trips OF a
patrol wagon TO remove the still. ingre-
dents and other stuff to the West 12sd
street station. where Hoffman was
locked Up.
On a similar tip last night Detectives
waxman and Burton raided the cellar
OF an apartment house at 541 West
Forty-fourth street and there found two
stills and six barrels OF wine such as
Is used In italian and French restau-
rants in the vicinity of Broadway In
that district. No arrests were made
as no person In the house would claim
ownership. The entire seizure was
locked up in the West F'orty-seventh
Home Brewers Freed.
When detectives vino had made tho
arrest and seizure could not satisfy Mag
istrate william A. Sweetscr In the Nor
risania Court yesterday that the home
brew beer confiscated contained alcohol
he discharged Boather Ciemcniuo OF
sf5s Albany Crescent. The Bronx, and
his brother. Nicholas.
Detectives Brady and Roth testified
they purchased several bottles OF home
brew from the brothers in their home
At 30 cents a bottle. They said they
seized $50 bottles of the same kind Of
Cortiuued on Sirth Page.