The Washington times., 1921-12-08
BELLBOYS
PLY TRADE
IN LIQUOR
At HOTELS
HAYNES Men, Stationed at Hos
telries, Said to Be Rum Run
ners' Best Customers.

Attempts to enforce the prohit
tion laws in the leading hotels Of tbe
city are farcical, according to re
ports received by the police. Pro
hibition agents stationed in the
leading hotels, in many cases are
the biggest customers Of the boot
leggers, while the principal diver
sion of some Of the men detailed to
watch for infractions Of the law, is
poker ~
Dry Agent Intoxicated.
MA fssk nights go. one Of the pro-
Ehis4vh ssaen assigned. To- watch one
Of the big hotels became 30 intoxi.
Gated that when he got his prisoner
to the station house. the Qusstion OF
arresting him was seriousiyt con-
sidered. -
This particular prohibition agent,
1t is said, after arresting the bellboy
who sold him liquor, forced the boy
to tell where he purchased the liquor
and went to the home OF the boot
logger. He had previously telephoned
other agents for assistance and when
they arrived at the bootlegger's home,
they found the agent and the boot
logger drinking.
According to versions OF the case
which have reached the police. the
agent said that he had been working
IN other cities for some time and was
taking a drink, IL it would help in
the procuring Of evidence. but that
the stuff they sold in Washington
was 30 rank that a few drinks almost
put him out of business.
A great many Of the prohibition
aeents now stationed in Washington
have had very little experience in the
actual enforcement Of the prohibition
law, and are temporary appointments,
IL is said. In great many cases they
were former 'stool pigeons and OBJ
tained appointment through helping
the regular prohibition agents.
Bellboys Supply Liquor.
Colonel Mutt, in charge of the gen.
eral agents of the Prohibition Bureau,
who has immediate charge OF the men
detailed at the hotels, said that he mas
men stationed there at the request or
the management OF the hotels, who
are trying to put the bootlegSers out
| of business. The great source OF sup
ply for the guests OF washington
hotels, It is said, are the bellboys, who
work in conjunction with the hackers
and the bootleggers.
1t is an easy matter to procure
liquor in the hotels in Washington,
it is said. All the guest has to do
is to call a bellboy and tell him his
wants and supply the necessary
amount Of cash. The bellboy In
turn visits his favorite hacker and
after deducting his bit" turns the
money over to the hacker to buy
the liquor. The hacker in turns calls
on his favorite bootlegger and pro-
cures the necessary amount of
lliquor pocketing the difference be-
tween the bootlegger's price and the
then turns the liquor over TO the
bellboy who in turn gives it to the
hotel guest.
| Managers Oppose Traffic.
The manasements Of the Washing
ton hotels are doing everything In their
power to clean up the practice, be-
cause of the bad quality of liquor sold
in Washington at the present time
i They fear. 1t is said, that serious con
sequences probably will follow drink
ing in the hotel, which win bring III
repute to the hostelry. They have or
several occasions volunteered to helr
the prohibition forces to the fullest
extent in relieving what they term a
bad ituation," and while they have
afforded every means of cooperation
to the prohibition agents. they have
been unable to stop II. This is due, II
is said. in a large measure to the
failure Of the prohibition agents sta
toned in the hotels to measure up to
the standard and to the fact that
many of the agents are not averse to
taking a drink themselves.