The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1921-08-23

fcers Often Brave Death Seeking
Blockade Runners.
Since the advent of prohibition in
the United States bootlegging has de-
veloped into perhaps the most gigantic
criminal conspiracy in the history of
the nation, cold fact and figures now
in the hands of the federal prohibition
authorities in Washington, d. C., show.
The hip-pocket dispenser, for whom
/ the name bootlegger was first invented,
has given place to an organized traffic
welding a power undreamed of by
the general law-abiding public, say
dry" officials. The crimes of this
newborn giant among lawbreakers
range from corruption, counterfeiting,
blackmail bribery and forgery all the
way to wholesale burglary, arson and
even murder. The profits of the boot
servatively estimated at more than
$50, 100000
Sheriffs and Court Officials Aid.
Steamships, power yachts, automo-
] biles, airplanes and fleets of motor
trucks are at the command of the or
ganized bands of traffickers in booze.
In some sections sheriffs, court Off
Gals and political leaders are extend
| ing secret aid. The greatest counter
letters and forgers of the day are EN-
ployed.
When occasion demands the ''busi-
ness" of the bootlegger is transacted
on fake letterheads of the United
States treasury department itself. So
cunningly is the work done that the
| arr1ra 81 h. arA
duced. Even the envelopes are imitat-
ed and in some cases forged orders for
the release of huge quantities of bond
cd alcohol are daringly ranked free
as government business" through the
mail.
Only 954 Federal Agents Out.
Pitted against these powerful viola
tors of the prohibition laws is the COM
lparatively small prohibition enforce
ment unit OF which Maj. r. A. Haynes
lis the commissioner This unit has an
appropriation of only So, 100000 for the
current fiscal year, and, in addition to
! the enforcement of prohibition it is
charged with the enforcement OF the
anti-narcotic laws,
Large office forces for executive and
clerical work have tor be maintained.
rs a consequence there are in the
whole United States only 954 federal
agents actually engaged in running
down bootleggers. Major Haynes,
however, does not despair but hopes,
with the local cooperation OF police
departments, sheriffs and courts to lay
! the booteggers by the heels.
Already the prohibition bureau has
dealt the traffic some heavy blows
Since Jan. of the current year, in
complete records show that more than
/ 10000 arrests have been made for
violation of the federal prohibition law.
Since Jan / OF the current year in
been seized, totaling a value OF So,
SOL, 749, with eight Of them not yet
appraised.
Bootleggers Murdered IL Officers.
Additional incomplete records show
that, since Jan | indictments or in
formations have been returned against
/ 100 persons, and during the first
three months of 1921 convictions and
pleas of guilty have been obtained in
1888 cases The disparity between ar
rests and indictments is regarded as
strong proof of the failure of local
courts and officials to cooperate in
certain sections of the country.
Twelve federal prohibition agents
have been killed by bootleggers during
| the past six nlonths-some shot down
in desperate battles, others murdered in
/ cold blood. Nearly two score other fed
eral agents have been severely wound
ed The strongholds of the bootleggers
are in Pennsylvania, New York, Chi
cago, San Francisco and Florida.
Fake Business Concerns.
Thousands of individuals and fake
business concerns are engaged III
fraudulently Withdrawing alcohol and
whisky from bonded warehouses. They
usually operate under the camouhage
of legitimate commercial enterprises.
The making OF proprietary medicines
is favorite device. 1t is done every
where, but the offenders are thickest in
Pennsylvania and surrounding states.
Others use havoring extracts manu-
facture as subterfuge
Moonshine stills, once limited to the
mountainous regions of the south, now
operate in every section of the coun-
eminent and local agents is becoming
almost a daily occurrence.
Profits Are Enormous.
The profits from the illegal sale Of
whisky, which are divided between the
retailers and wholesalers, are enor-
nous. They get whisky for SIS to $40
gallon and sell it for SIS to $50
quart. The biggest profits are on alco-
hol. Bootleggers buy a 50-gallon bar
rel for $3.50 or $500. Adding two bar
rels of water, little coloring and fla
voring matter they produce three bar
rels Of whisky" Putting this up in
whisky bottles with counterfeit labels
of standard brands they sell it at top
notch prices and it is by that method
bootleggers have been known to clean
up as much as $4,000 to 10000 on a
single barrel of alcohol.