The Washington herald., 1922-10-03

The looting of warehouses rented
by the Department of Justice for
the storage of seized intoxicants
which are now and have been sub
ject matter Of litigation in the
local courts, which the Federal
grand jury was asked to investi-
gate with the view of returning
ind ctments against the guilty
parties. has not resulted In any In
dictments.-but the laxity and al
legged Grim nal tendencies on the
part of those responsible for the
safe keeping of the liquor, has
Aroused the indignat' of the
grand jury to the extent that a
written complaint was hied with
the District Of Columbia Supreme
Court yesterday.
The report, signed by Eugene
Thompson, foreman. states that 1T
Is the sense of the grand jury based
upon conclusions deduced from the
testimony that the representatives
of the Department of Justice. who
were concerned with the seizure,
storage and d isposition of the liquor
in question. were signally lax in
not confirming the seizure of this
l:quor by proper legal process. and
also by permitting its disposition,
as hereinbefore set forth.
Indictments Refused.
In view of the unprecedented
circumstances surrounding this case.
II Is our opinion that the testimony
appears to be insufficient to warrant
the presentment of an indictment.
Here Is a case, however. presenting
a most dangerous precedent where
in property has been seized by gov
ernment officials without having any
legal title of custody established by
the government, and. the property
disposed of by such officers and en-
ployes with the sanction and ap-
proval of those in higher authority
at that time. Such conduct on the
part of the officers. agents and en-
ployes of the government. especially
of a department charged with the
administration OF justice, is beyond
our. comprehension and cannot be
too severely condemned.
with the assistance of the Dis
trict Attorney, every person known
as having any direct knowledge of.
or taking part in, such seizure or
disposition. embracing officers and
employees of the Department of JUS
tice. the Bureau of Investigation.
and a few private citizens. in all.
twenty-eight persons. were sum-
moned as witnesses. and duly ex-
amined by the District Attorney,
his assistants and members OF the
grand jury.
Seized at Union Station.
This investigation developed the
fact that a large number OF
trunks. suit cases, boxes, chests,
etc, presumably containing alco-
holic liquors. in indefinite guam
titles, ranging from a pint in some
instances TO several gallons In
others. had been seized by agents or
the department. for the most part at
the Union Station in this city and
stored in rooms OF the Department
OF Justice Building. and warehouse
space rented for that purpose dur
ing the period of from April 4, 1918.
to September IL. 1920. and that
memoranda made by various agents
and warehouse records show that
during this period many removals
of such trunks etc. were made,
principally between the dates of July
% and September IL. 1890, the final
withdrawal having been made Sep
tember IL, 1920: that during such
period of seizure no warrants were
issued nor legal process instituted
with regard to the persons trans
porting or to the parcels of liquor
transported; that the liquor so
seized while supposed to be for
feited to the United States was not
in fact so forfeited. for the reason
that such seizure was never con-