New-York tribune., 1921-09-09
Rum Hunters i'm
Dress Suits Raid
Century Roof
Continued from page one,

tContinucd from PAGE one)
if he chanced to renew the acquaint-
ance at the Century Promenade
At this, said Wittcnberg, Burk men
toned half pint in an apologetic tone.
and Wittenberg admitted that many n
party had started on less. The enforce
ment agent said that Burk brought the
half pint himself aud with it check
for 81.
A few minutes later perturbation
spread through the Century Promenade.
Some keen-eyed diner or waiter had
seen sacrilegc committed. One of the
fastidious trio at the front table had
been seen to seal half pint flask with
out even shifting it.
There was a great scurrying about
and the three enforcement agents pro-
claimed their identity and their mis-
sion. Wittenberg's old friend Joe was
informed he was under arrest and a
waiter was sent for Mr.. Werner. When
that anxious looking individual ap-
peared he also was placed under arrest
It was the beginning of the drought on
Broadway.
More than 1000 cases of whisky
shipped to New York City from Ken
lucky and Ohio on permits stolen from
Prohibition Director Harts Office were
seized yesterday in Brooklyn by Direc-
tor William f. Kissick, after the con-
signee had made affidavits that the
liquor did not belong to him and that
his name had been forged.
The whisky, which is valued at ap-
proximately 100000, was consigned to
Vincent De Maio of 1905 Eighty-sixth
Street, Brooklyn, and was found by
Federal agents as a result of the watch
that has been kept over railroad yards
of the city since the food of liquor
started east on the stolen permits.
The consignment filled three box
cars, one of which was shipped from
the Davies Distillcry, of Kentucky, and
was seized at the Montague Street
Yards, Brooklyn. The ether two cars
were shipped from the Wertheimer Dis
tillery, OF Ohio, and were taken over at
Gravesend Avenue and Avenue I,
Brooklyn.
Consignee Denies Ownership
The cars arrived in New York last
Monday and were located immediately
by the Federal agents, who waited till
yesterday for the consignee to claim
the liquor. When De Maio made no at
tempt to claim the shipments he was
looked up by the agents. After he had
made affidavits that he knew nothing
about the liquor it was seized and
stored in Brooklyn warehouse An
investigation is being made to ascertain
the actual owner of the whisky.
Kissick and several of his assistants
were made prisoners yesterday after
noon while making a raid on an alleged
''blind pig" said to have been operated
John Somerville, Patrick King and
Bernard Devlin. Fifty cases of whisky,
camouaaged as boxes of canned toma-
toes, ten fivegallon jugs and one fifty
gallon barrel of whisky and two cases
of Guinness Stout were seized. King
and Devlin were arrested and held in
$1,000 bail after arraignment before
Commissioner McCabe. Somerville was
absent at the time of the raid.
While the officers were busy assemb-
ling the liquor, they heard the door
in the lock. In order to free them
selves they were forced to smash down
the door.
Enforcement Agent Arrested
Prohibition Enforcement Agent Clar-
ence Smith, thirty-nine years old, of
No. 800 West 135th Street, attached to
the local office, who was arrested,
charged with stealing bottle of
whisky, was suspended yesterday by
Assistant Prohibition Director Yellow
ley, pending investigation, after the
matter had been taken up with the
Washington office.
Smith was arrested by Special Officer
c. D. Roosa, of the New York Central
Railroad, who testified before Magis-
trate Frothingham in Tombs Court yes
terday that he had seen the agent take
from case a bottle of rye whisky
valued at SO. Smith was supposed to
be guarding the liquor Roosa declared
that Smith had stated that he was
going to give the boys drink"
Smith, on the stand, denied having
made this statement He said that
there were forty men about the case
when he first observed that it was open
and that there was but one bottle of
liquor in it.
He took the bottle, he said, and went
to get cooper to fix the case.
Under cross-examination by Assist