The New York herald., 1921-11-09
Dry Agents Said They Paid
$4,000 for Release of
$500 Cases.
TRAP sPREENG IN HOTEL
Prisoners Said Surrogate
judge Would Guarantee
the Transaction.


Of the prohibition laws have been made
by Federal agents In connection with
the arrest Of two women in hotel in
West Forty-third street, which was re-
ported In a late edition of TIE New
York HERALD yesterday. Other arrests
and the exposure Of ring which has
found new way to quick wealth are
expected to follow.
The agents say one Of the women
gave as references. before their ar
rest. the names Of Surrogate Judge
and prominent newspaper man. They
allege that counterfeit withdrawal per-
mits were purchased from the women
calling for the release Of $500 cases
of whiskey, and that one Of the pris-
oners told them to eeall up the Judge"
If they had any doubts about the power
of the papers to secure the liquor.
The arrest Of the two women. whose
names are Miss Helen Small and Mrs
Eugene ORourke. and who are believed
at prohibition headquarters to represent
q ring which has been busy attacking
the prohibition law from new anglia
adds to the already considerable list OF
women who have been involved In cases
Of alleged conspiracy to violate the Vol
stead act. The frequency with which
women have been named in reports Of
bootlegging operations may be regarded
as an indication Of the way In which
trifling with Governmental regulation
Of liquor has spread through all local..
ties and classes. the officials say.
Harold b. Dobbs. special agent on the
staff of Acting State Director Yellow
ley, in company with another agent
made the arrests late Monday night
Because yesterday was a holiday the
defendants will be arraigned before the
United States Commissioner this morn
ing. They spent yesterday and last
night In the Delaney street police sta.
ton.
First Counterfeit Case.
Although numerous arrests have been
made by Federal officers OF persons
charged with obtaining and using bona
fide permits for the illegal withdrawal
Of liquor, this Is the first time the use
Of counterfeit papers has been alleged.
It is said the withdrawal permits which
the agents say they purchased from the
women were printed in New York, and
that papers of this kind have been In
circulation for some time, and In con.
siderable quantity.
1t is believed. however, that the coun-
terfeits have been too poor in quality to
effect the release Of much liquor. and
that trade In them has been restricted
largely to a "bunco" game in which the
purchaser believed himself to be in pos
session of papers which would get liquor
for him. but which were In reality
worthless
In addition to the set of withdrawal
papers which the agents say they OBJ
tained from the women they claim to
have been given also letter OF confirma-
ton. addressed to the distillery from
which the liquor was to be drawn, and
signed with the initials of Acting Di-
rector Yellowley. This letter, although
typed on paper bearing the letterhead of
the New York ofiice of the prohibition
department, is declared by the agents
TO be a forgery.
The withdrawal permit, for which
Agent Dobbs said the women were given
$4,000 In marked bills, was made out to
Felix Crisafulli. 81 Commerce street"
This Is believed by the agents to be
fictitious name. At any rate. no one Of
that name liz registered at prohibition
headquarters as a permit holder. The
liquor was to be drawn from the Sher-
wood Distillery Company. Cockeysville
Nd
There was also a letter. purporting to
be signed by Crisafulli stating that the
bearer was entitled to purchase the
liquor consigned in his name.
The Information leading to the ar
rests was furnished to Director Yel-
lcwley by two men who were recently
found in the possession Of forged with
drawal permits Agent Dobbs then got
In touch with Miss Small, who he says
named two places as her residence
IL Spencer avenue. The Bronx, and the
Felix-Portland Hotel.
Paid women $4,000.