The New York herald., 1921-10-03
BOOTLEG HUNTERS
GET $4,000 WOMEN
They Are Involved in One
Out of Every Four Cases
in Last Year.
CLEVER SMUGGLERS
Cause Chief Concern to Dry
Agents Along the Coun-
try's Border.
REAL BRAINS OF GANGS
Specially Constructed Gar
ments Worn to Convey
High Priced Rum.
REAL BRAINS OF GANGS
Special Despatch to THE Nsw York HsaALp.

Special Despatch to THE NEw YoaK HEaALp
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington, ID. g., Oct. 3. e.
women operating as bootleggers
and rum smugglers are challenging
the ingenuity of Federal Prohibition
Commissioner Haynes and his agents
at frustrating attempts to violate the
Volstead law. Women are causing
anxiety to the police chiefs of every
large city in which State dry laws are
effective.
Nearly 25 out of every 100 cases Of
alleged violation of the prohibition
statutes now involve the presence Of
women as defendants and in a smaller
percentage Of cases as witnesses. as is
shown in police court records.
More than $4,000 women were in
volved in cases Of detected violations
OF the prohibition laws last year. ac-
cording to reports received here and
their activity is increasing.
John F.. Kramer, first Federal prohi-
bition commissioner. once issued warm
ing to women not to engage in Illegal
liquor activities, declaring they would
receive no gentler treatment because of
their sex than male offenders. Women.
according to Kramer were harder to de-
tect as bootleggers than men.
Are Clever smugglers.
Smuggling always has appealed to
women, officials point out. During the
great war women vino smuggled to-
bacco. sugar. drugs and other CONTRA
band between Holland and Germany
numbered thousands. Following the
peace between Soviet Russia and the
then German Empire women fIocked to
the frontier to carry on a smuggling
trade In forbidden goods. Concealing in
their clothing thousands of dollars worth
of contraband at the frontier they
hastened to Berlin and other big cities
to dispose of their goods at enormous
profits. A large force OF German troops
was required to put out of business the
women smugglers.
United States customs officials say
women more often than men attempt to
smuggle into the United States Jewels
and valuable silks and other goods
Smuggling OF liquor into the United
States by women is frequently tried at
ports on the Canadian border Fancy
liquors that represent little bulk but
great strength and which are difficult
to obtain are specialized In by the
women. Many have been discovered at
Detroit and In ports of New England
and New York. At Detroit officials of
the immigration bureau came to know
a woman who crossed the Detroit River
frequently from Windsor, Ontario. Per-
sons crossing the river at Detroit ar
rive on a ferryhoat and number thou-
sands daily. Search by the immigration
officials therefore must be somewhat
perfunctory because o. the smailness of
the force. Persons arriving with hand
bags and packages usually are requested
to open them unless they are known to
the Officials as individuals whose busi-
ness compels them to cross the river
frequently.
The woman crossing the river daily
at Detroit at first carried a small black
satchel which contained clothing day
after day when the inspectors investi-
gated 1t. At last they became convinced
she was all right. Probably sensing
that the officials believed her law abid-
ing, the woman began TO carry liquors
In her bag and In parcels when she
crossed How long she did this before
detection Is not known
Have Special Garments.
Detroit officials also detected
woman who was smuggling liquor In
specially designed set of garments con-
tanning numerous hidden pockets to con-
ceal the bottles.
In all big cities women are frequently
seen among alleged bootleggers awaiting
trial In police courts. Some are women.
OF considerable standing In their com
munities, at least until their arrest and
conviction. On the first offence some
escape with light fines. Judges and
luries often deal ienientiy with them
becarse of their sex. officials saw.
In washington recently police court
lawyer was called on the telephone late
NJ night by woman who said her auto
mobile had been confiscated by police
because her chauffeur was Transporting
liquor. The lawyer obtained the release
of the car and driver To his surprise
he found the woman was the chief Of a
bootleg ring. In addition to paying a
fee for the lawyers servlse the woman.
who said she was unusually grateful,
sent the lawyer as a gift two bottles OF
very rare liquor. Tagged with the law
yers name and wrapped In a package,
the bottles were placed In an automobile
for delivery by one of tho woman's
drivers. policeman halted the driver
for some small infraction OF the traffic
rules and discovered the package con-
taining the liquor The automobile and
the liquor were Beized and the driver
arrested.
The police called the lawyer on the
hhone and told him of the package ad-
dressed to him. Tho automobile proved
TO be the same car which the lawyer
had freed from police c,ntrol on the
preceding day. The liquor was held as
evidence never reached the lips OF the
lawyer. Later the woman was arrested.
Forfeiting her bail she disappeared. Po-
lice are still searching for her.
AA.L~s n.~l.1I D-I