The New York herald., 1921-12-03
SECRETS OF BOOTLEG
TRAFFIC UNEARTHED
j. A. Day, New State Direc-
tor, Acquires Inside Facts
Of Operations.
SHAKEUP Is EXPECTED
Brooklyn Agents Neglect
Enforcement, View of
Dry Official.
LUNCH ROOM RAIDED
Pr0prietOrs i'm NeighborhOOd
LUNCH ROOM RAIDED
Proprietors in Neighborhood
Gather to Spot Revenue
Agents on Duty.

Ralph A. Day, the new State pro.
hibition director. it was learned yes
tcrday, passed the weeks which elapsed
between his appointment and his as
sumption Of Office on Thursday, brows-
ing along the inside track of New
Horll's liquor situation.
When Mr.. Days appointment was
announced it was said that he would
not take Office for some time because
he would have to give his own bust
ness affairs most of his attention be-
fore he could transfer his activities to
The Government post. That was in a
measure true; but he managed to re-
serve considerable part of his time
FOR acquiring inside knowledge of the
hyways of bootlegging and the meth
DDS of operation employed by enforce
ment agents.
His Investigations led him into sur
Veys of the situation not only in Man
haitian. but in Brooklyn and Queens as
we'll. Recently some of those who en-
gagged in violations of the Volstead act,
and also some of those who are en-
trusted with its prosecution, have
learned of Mr.. Days activities, and
thore is no small amount Of apprehen-
sion among them as to how much the
new director, really knows. They had
been preparing for a less troublesome
period when Acting Director Yellowley
should report back to Washington, bank
ing on the fact that the new director
is inexperienced in revenue work. Just
now however. the better informed
among them are doing some fast think
ing.
1t is known that Mr.. Day is not
satisfied with the status of enforcement
in Brooklyn, where. during the last
month. out of thirty-six arrests made
twenty-five were made by one agent.
Samuel Weissenberg. When Mr.. Day
was questioned yesterday concerning an
expected shakeup in Brooklyn, he re-
piled that ne had nothing to say about
the situation there at present, but would
make an announcement with respect to
ii on Monday.
Agent Herman Wittenberg whose
resignation was accepted Thursday, is
understood to have gone to Washing
ton to consult Wayne h. Wheeler. gen.
eral counsel of the Anti-Saloon League.
in connection with the cases of the agents
who were discharged the same day.
Wittenberg is said to have declared that
Wheeler would have something to say
about the dismissals. A despatch from
Washington last night stated that Mr..
Wheeler was unable to explain why he
should be represented as a sponsor.
Concerning the dlsmissals made by Mr..
Day, he expressed the opinion that
reasons other than political were in
yolved
According to agents who raided
lunch room and cafe at 1913 Third ave-
hue yesterday, all the saloon and restau-
rant proprietors in the vicinity came in
tt look them over when it was learned
that raid had been made. One of the
visitors was heard to mutter, "Pll know
TINT bird, anyway, when / see him
again."
Agents Barry, Mannlx and Epstein,
who made the raid, used a search war
rant arresting Eugene Wendell, bar
tender. and leaving a summons for Will
lam Hele. the proprietor. They seized
several bottles of whisiey. and took
Wendell to the East Sixty-seventh street
station where he was locked up on a
charge of selling.
Jacob jacobson of 92 Lincoln Park
Newark offered S2.500 reward yester-
day for the recovery of $4,000 worth
OF liquor which was stolen from his
home early yesterday morning. There
is a burglar alarm in Jacobsons house.
but for some unexplained reason ii was
not connected Thursday night and the
door leading to the garden, which is
customarily locked at night, was left
open The lock on the outer door lead
ing to the cellar had been forced. The
police are of the opinion that 1t was an
Inside job. Servants in the house denied
.lA.l. .f tlnA ...tNt Ntat. -
liquor was private stock.