The New York herald., 1921-09-17
DRUGGISTS ACCUSED
IN BOOTLEG Ring
Wholesalers by Bogus Permits
Said to Be Flooding the
City.
ONE ARREST Is MADE
Enright Called Before Grand
Jury to Explain Illegal
Police Arrests.

The wholesale drug trade is nov
under fire In the investigation and
prosecution of Illegal liquor selling
which is being carried on here by Z. G
Yellowley, the internal revenue ex-
pert, who Is temporarily assigned from
Washington to assist Harold l.. Hart
State director. in the attempt to re-
duce New York's bootlegging activities
to a minimum. Mr.. Yellowley an
nounced yesterday he has begun to
concentrate his attack on the drus
men, believing more than one-half OF
those who hold wholesale liquor per-
mits are engaged in Illicit manufacture
and sale.
hibition officials have discovered are
working under a combination, the
members Of which are really not drug
gists at all. In one instance agents
learned that a stock of castor oil shown
to an investigator by one applicant for
a liquor selling license was sent to
another applicant after the first IL
cense had been granted. This practice
of moving the stock from one store to
another as soon as the application y
granted has been n common method
of camouf,age for bootlegging ac-
tivities.
The arrest OF Michael Boffina. a rep
resentatiye of the Mclbroe Drug Com
asf
Thursday night on a charge OF at
tempted bribery was made In connection
with the investigation OF these prac-
tees the complainant being one Of Mr..
Yellowley's staff.
Boffina's arrest was made after two
reports were made at prohibition head
quarters which were favorable 10 the
drug company, which. like all. was re
auired to show its stock and business
TO the investigating agents. third In
vestixator was sent cut to check up on
the reports. and he. It is alleged. was
offered a bribe to make a favorable
report.
Mr.. Yellowiey was asked IL any pro-
hibition agents are under suspicion as a
result of these Investigations as being
implicated In the work of the whole
sale drug ring. He replied he was not
yet sure about that. Agents Miller and
Grill arrested Boffina. they say. after no
passed over to them s40o and then 5000
more.
Records In prohibition headquarters
show that seventy-four druggists have
wholesale liquor permits. many OF which
are believed to be bogus. Eighty filed
applications for permits are being held
for investigation by agents of the status
and reputation OF the wholesale drug
gists who made them.
Under a recent ruling wholesale drug
gists are permitted to procure only 10
per cent. of the alcohol they have orders
for. Much of tho stuff sold by them as
whiskey Is not the liquor secured from
distilleries under permit. but mere coll
ored alcohol made on the druggists
premises
Mr.. Yclowley believes most OF the
Illicit liquor now In New York is placed
In circulation by these wholesale drug
gists If mushroom growth. IL Is not
the established firms In this business
who are causing the Government trou-
BILE but the host OF bootleggers who
never had any connection with the drug
business but saw In II an open door to
wide liquor selling opportunities.
IL is believed some OF the liquor put
into circulation by these men has been