The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1922-02-02
IN
NEW TEST CASE
Former Prohibition Direc-
tor is Slated for Inter-
esting Case.
10 OTHER DEFENDANTS
BY E. NJ. THIERRY.

ID Il. H1. 1HlEhRI.
New York-The booze bootleggine
business of the country is on trial in
New York.
The case is that of the United States
against Harold L. Hart, former federal
prohibition director for the state of
New York, and nineteen other defend
ants.
If they are found guilty it will be
the greatest blow yet struck in the
name of prohibition law enforce
ment.
II. they are acquitted the result
1t is believed, will be tremendous
increase in bootlegging boldness.
It is not entirely question Of
Harris personal guilt or innocence.
The big question is whether it is
possible for conspiracy for fraudu-
lent use of liquor withdrawal permits
to exist with tentacles reaching into
prohibition directors office.
MiIIion-DolIar Fraud.
Fake permits releasing at least
$1,0O0,O00 worth of liquor from
bonded warehouses are involved in the
conspiracy charged in indictments
against Hart and fifteen other individ-
uals and four drug concerns.
Politics played part, the indict-
ments charges. Among those named
are William A. Orr, who was secre-
tary to Charles S. Whitman when the
latter was governor of New York; and
Owen M. Murphy and Thomas F. Duffy
prominent in Tammany politics.
Two of ex-Director Harris clerks
were also indicted-Thomas M. Reddy
and Michael j. Lynch.
The governments sudden offensive
created a country wide sensation be-
cause the name of the prohibition di-
rector of the biggest district in the
United States headed the list.
Hart is out on $4,000 bail. So are
the other defendants.
Rubber stamp signatures on liquor
withdrawal permits are involved in
the case. It is charged that the plot
included the issuance of false permits
bearing Director Harris stamped sig
nature, supplemented by the sigma
ture of Clerk Reddy.
Hart became prohibition director
last May 26 and resigned October g.
Shortly after his resignation, he told
the writer, then engaged in a nation
wide investigation of prohibition en-
forcement for NEA Service, that rub
Der stamps were used in the New York
office. He said they were "authorized
in Washington"
Hart was asked at that time to tell
the inside story Of the breakdown of
prohibition enforcement.
This is the. only statement Hart
would make:
"My idea Of enforcement differed
radically from that of both Kramer
and Haynes (former and present fed
eral prohibition commissioner, re-
spectively). II think prob Id til o n
eventually will be enforced. But ]
don't think their systems were work
able"
Lawyer and Judge.
Hart is Binghamton, N. Y, law
yer, 80 years old, and chairman of his
county Republican committee. He is
married and has, a son. He was a
football star at'~Cornell. He is big
and muscular, with full, round clean
shaven face andssvery light hair. His
friends call him "Blondy" Hart.
Twice he was elected city Judge in
Binghamton and he resigned from the
bench to become state prohibition d.
rector at salary of $4,000 year.
The federal indictment, Assistant
United States District Attorney Max
we'll S. Mattuck points out, does not
charge violation of the Volstead act
1t charges conspiracy to defraud the
United States government.
The conspiracy, it is charged, in
volved application by drug concerns
though Orr for withdrawal permits
and proposed that the director would
approve permits exceeding the
quantity the concerns were entitled
to; and that permits No. 247,Oo1 to
247,300, inclusive, were to be issued,
although at the time the highest and
last numbered permit properly issued
did not exceed 131, 900.
When permit is presented to a
distillery or dealer it is the latter's
duty, according to law, to inquire of
the director by registered mail wheth-
err the permit is genuine. The indict-
ment charges.
THAT Clery Lynch received the reg
istered mail at the directors office.
THAT the conspiracy included the
sending to the vendor Of verification
of the permits in question.
THAT the plan was to keep no rec
ords in the directors office of the liq-
uor obtained on these permits.
THAT it was planned to remove
from the files and destroy records of
other Withdrawals by the drug concerns
involved.