The New York herald., 1921-04-22
WET ARRESTS 1851;
II3 ARE INDICTED
100000 Booze Seized Here
Under State LalD.

A statement yesterday by John A.
leach, First Deputy Police. Commits
sioner. said that since the Police Ue-
partment began TO enforce the new
State prohibition laws 1854 arrests have
been made and more than $500.000 worth
Of LIQUOR confiscatcd. with 11s iudict-
cents returned by the Grand Jury OF
New York county aud more than thirty
~ the Grand Jury of Kings county. In
making this number OF arrests. Com
missioner Leach said, the police have
,eized 500 barrels of whiskey and wine,
le.1i6 bottles OF whisiSey and other sorts
or liquor. 81 small kegs of whiskey. II
stills. 24o jugs OF whiskey. 123 demijohns
Of liquor. one horse and wagon, seven
automobile trucks and four taxicabs.
A delegation Of Jewish rabbis called
on Commissioner Leach and protested
7gainst the action OF the police in seiz-
ing sacramental wines. claiming such
activity had caused serious shortage
in thesquantity OF wine used to celebrate
the Passover. which will begin at sun
down tonight. They told the Commits
sioncr detectives have been raiding
wholesale liquor places and seizing de-
livery wagons containing sacramental
wines and that the Jews had become so
frightened that few of them would take
the chance Of obtaining wine for the
religious rites in their homes. They
said one dealer who had a $1,000. 900
stock of such wines had stopped deliv-
cries because his men we're being arrest
cd as fast as they tried to furnish jew
ish families with their supplies for the
Passover ceremonies.
Assistant District Attorney Banton
held conference with Commissioner
Leach and declared afterward he had
not decided what could be done about IL.
'I believe" he said. that those who
wrote the law had In mind only the
Christian faith"
Albert 3. Unger. Assistant District
Attorney. said yesterday that In addi-
ION to the 1ls indictments already re-
turned in this county he is working on
100 complaints which viii be presented
TO the Grand Jury as soon as possible.
Joab II. Banton. Chief Assistant Dis
trict Attorney. said he hoped to begin
trying liquor cases BY the first of next
month. but declared calendars in the
Court OF General Sessions have been
clogged with other matters for moro
than six months and there is no pros
pect OF the situation being relieved.
Under the national prohibition laws
each Jewish family which follows the
orthodox manner OF worship is allowed
ten gallons OF wine year. the rabbi OF
each congregation to be the judge OF
whether the family Is orthodox and
therefore entitled to such supply. Hun
dreds Of approved rabbis' applications
for wine are on nie In the Office of the
United states Director OF Prohibition
Enforcement but many OF them have
not been filled because OF the fear OF
police action.
Oliver Morosco, theatrical producer
was hned 500 by Federal Judge Thoma,
I. Chatheld, sitting In Brool-iyn. after
he had pleaded guilty to having un.
knowingly In his possession ninety-tws
bottles OF whiskey. which had not beer
recorded on a Federal permit for the
transportation OF his private liquor stock
from Great Neck. l.. l., to Los Angeles
Cal
Mr.. Morosco testified he had not beer
home for several weeks and had nc
idea how the extra bottles came to bs
among the other lntoxicants. Judge
Chatfleld ordered the ninety-two bottles
seized and forty-two barrels OF bottled
Cor,,lued on F,fth Page.