New-York tribune., 1921-11-24
Rum Peddlers
Offered to Pay
$4,000 Bribes
Federal Records Show Traf-
fickers i'm Prohibited Bev-
erages Had a Set Rate
Card for Protection Fees
$50 a Week for Police
Women Clerks Testify in In
vestigation Being Con-
Quoted by II. s. .Jury

Records in Federal court LIQUOR
cases in which attempted bribery is
charged proved yesterday that there
was fixed scale of rates ror "protec-
tlon." Quotations complied from all
recorded cases show prohibition di-
rectors and assistant United States
district attorneys were worth $50 600
each to the rum peddlers.
Ordinary prohibition agents were
worth fiat fee of $4,000 each, and
policemen could command from s25 TO
$40 week.
lt remains to the credit of officials,
national, state and municipal. that
there Is record so far of no director
or district attorney having been
reached" by would-be bribers. One
orlbe of $4,000 WAS offered to Acting
Director E. c. Yellowley and one Of $780,
900 to an assistant United States dis-
trict attorney in Chicago, it developed
yesterday. Various bribes of $4,000
were offered to agents, and special
agent, Howard kiroack, topped the list
was made to him Of $4,000.
An unusually large sum, according to
records, also was offered to the late
Frank j. Fitzpatrick, Narcotic Director.
who was promised $4,000 in Connecti-
cut if he would "fx" the prohibition
director OF that state, so whisky could
be run into Connecticut from New
York, New Jersey and other states.
One of the most interesting of all
the alleged attempted bribery cases is
that of Charles S. Shotwell, who is re-
ported to have served as major with
the A. E. F. He surrendered yesterday
to Chief Hugh McQuillan of the spe-
cial intelligence unit Of the Internal
answering an Indictment returned
against him November 10 in the Fed
eral district OF New Jersey. He fur
nished a $4,000 bond.
Shotwell maintained expensively fur
nished Offices at 522 Fifth Avenue.
where he declared he conducted a brok-
erage concern. He was represented at
hearing before United States Com
missioner Hitchcock by Attorney l. D.
Strauss, of the William ]. Fallon law
Offices.
The indictment against Shotwell
charges that he was engaged in a con-
spiracy to corrupt, influence, obstruct
and impede the administration of justice
in the United States District Court for
New Jersey IN the trial of three indict-
ments charging the violation of the
national prohibition law" The indict-
ment further charges Shotwell with en-
deavoring to influence and intimidate
Harry E. Sands, a government witness.
The Federal grand jury adjourned
yesterday until Monday morning at II
o'clock after hearing testimony of three
young women clerks who were employed
under former Prohibition Director Har-
old L. Hart. One of the young women
said her name was Margaret Fitzgerald.
The other two said they were Miss
Tilton and Miss Pinchon It is ex-
pected that the jury will make a final
report next Monday.
Emil Wenz,. Of Grand Forks, N. D..
held on $4,000 bond on a charge OF
swindling former Policeman John Nc
Laughlin out of $4,000 by selling him
fifteen barrels of water after declaring
the barrels contained whisky, was men
toned in a New Jersey case yesterday.
Ferdinand Ella, of Paterson. NJ 7