The New York herald., 1921-03-19
U. S. GIVES UP PART
OF SEIZED LIQUORS
Thousands Of Cases withdrawn
on Advice of Special Coun-
sci to Kramer.

Thousands Of cases OF liquor which are
said to have been seized by the enforce
ment authorities upon insufficient
grounds are being returned to their own
ers upon the advice OF Percy vize. spe-
ciaf counsel to Prohibition Commissioner
Kramer. It was learned yesterday. Mr.
Vize came here following conference
which State Prohibition Director O'Con-
nor had with Commissioner Kramer last
Tuesday. Mr.. OConnor is known 10
have protested against some of the seiz-
ures made by the enforcement branch
as uncaled for.
Commissioner Kramers attention was
called to the situation by counsel for
Felix Crisafili wholesale liquor dealer
at 81 Commerce street. Three hundred
cases Of whiskey shipped to CrisafiM
from Kentucky were seized two weeks
ago by Dan Chaplin, former enforcement
chief. A month before Commissioner
\ Kramer had ordered that no more liquor
| should be removed from the warehouses
| but Crisafili protested the seizure be-
cause the original permit, which he lost.
was made out some time before the orde.'
was issued.
| Ernest Langley. the new enforcement
chief. was reported to have signed sew
eral orders yesterday for the return of
! liquor seized by Mr.. Chaplin. Neither he
nor Mr. O'Connor would discuss the mat
! ter. nor would they admit that there had
been any friction between the two de-
partments.
Within the last two days trucks are
reported TO have carried away thousands
Of cases from the Knickerbocker Ware
house. where most Of the seizures are
stored. 1t has been reportes that liquors
stored there were valued at from 81. .00o.-
| 600 to s3.000,000 How much Is being
restored could not be learned.
! According to figures made public by
/ the AntiSaloon League yesterday only
/ 90 per cent OF the saloons on First,
Second and Third avenues have gone
out of business since 1915. The league
is carrying out survey OF saloons on
TALL the principal thorougffares In Man
haitian.
I The preliminary report states: "On
First avenue 100 properties which car
ried licenses in 1918 were visited
thirty-seven have gone out Of business
and 107 are still open without having
camouhaged their appearance. Six liquor
stores are selling bottle goods.
"On Second avenue, of 1e4 places only
thirty-one have gone out of business:
134 saloons are open at their old stands.
nineteen liquor stores are selling liquor,
while only thirty-one have been changed
into establishments doing legitimate
business.
"On Third avenue, of 227 places hold
ing licenses in 1918. only sixty-three
have gone out of business, 152 saloons
are still open and two places are liquor
stores. five sell malt and hops for home
brew and Ave are beverage stores, which
claim to sell soft drinks
The very continued existence OF these
places Is prima facie evidence OF viola
tion of the law. They can be closed UP
whenever the city authorities honestly
wish them closed and move in that
direction. because the city officials have
authority directly under the volstead
act entirely independent OF any State
enforcement legislation. to apply for an
| injunction under the Federal law"
| Federal Jud ge Garvin in Brooklyn
yesterday signed an order directing the
return OF 500 cases of whiskey, which,
he said. had been illegally seized from
the warehouse of Allan Black at 10
Hillary street, Brooklyn. in raid last
week.