Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-03-24

McConnelfs name to permits releasing
TO bootleggers 10000 gallons Of whisky
On one day, nomely, August 3.
This was only one week after Nc
Connell had taken office.
Gained More Evidence
"Turther investigation produced cvt.
0encc to. the effect that between August
B and October IA. when Mcconnell was
superseded Approximately seventy
dkys).. 700, 900 gallons Of whisky and
alcohol valued conservatively at So.
OOO, ,0OO) had been released to bootleg.
gern through the two Offices.
booze poured out Of PENNSYLVANIA
4istiueries and warehouses like water.
1t aooded into the State from Mary.
land. West Virginia, Kentucky and In.
diena. Under Mcconnell and his three
aides the law and the Constitution in
Fennsylvania were scrapped.
There was wild scramble of
money mad men to get their share.
Politics played part, but money
knows NO politics. Half of the defiant
boouegging crew talked with a for.
eion accent. During McConnell's regime
came the climax to the crookedness tnat
beean the year before.
The center Of the whole conspiracy
was In the directors two Offices lIvli
which issued the permits for the re.
leaee Of the liquor.
IN November of 1921, pointed out
70 Mr.. Coles, the United States Attor.
ney, that the additional evidence sa.
cured In the case involved Mcconnell
Wolfe and a number of others. in ad,
dition to those subordinates already
arrested. The Grand Jury met tbs
last week in November. The cas-, 49,
prepared for Submission To II nm Tho
1rst Monday of December
Ioso 70 Eiminete McConnen
Shortly before that date Mr.. Coles
went to Washington. He returned the
day before the Grand Jury met.
II went over the case with him and
Ss.s> r. ,,,s., rs~ .,.a.,, -on.% ronnIe my Svl.
1nats al witnesses involving ofher nsr
eoos, particularly McConnsIi. tola
~ I could not Be a marty tn snothsr.
IN the case. On Monday morn,nv ',...
fore the meeting of the Grand Inrv
there was a further discussion NJ Tho
matter. at which time Mr.. Coles gave
hls reasons for not I,roceedine' For
the second time could mot agree with
him.
w ssFIe laid emphasis unon tho f,ct TINT
Mr.. Mcconnell was stili Probihition hi :.
reetor for Pennsvlvania in numo ano
(, that no action should be taken untii he
wa separated from tbe service
could NOT see. however. that tbe fo,,ure
Of the Treasury Department to dis.
miss him should interfere with tho nre.
uentstion of the evidence to Tho Grand
Jury for its action,
However. during Monday nre.
sented evidence involvinp the or;airol
deiendants only. in order to piva NJ
Colee an oDportunitv to commnn;cats
his difaculties TO the Attornev Cen :.
toid him NV othor uas W;smassos n'orm,ns ;nnn,,
sdditionaI Jefendonts and tbo, vM" NC, ",
present their evidence or resign nv
nosition. any
PrOmised Later Action
HE then repeated to me some of tbe
reasons advanced the day before and
concluded with the statement that Tho
Attorney General himself would be EN-
berrassed in his relations with the
Treasury Department by prosecution M a,
this time. He then added that II
I would withhold the additional evidence
from the Grand Jury. he would imme
0otely upon its adjournment call @
vIbtigAtion, before which could be pre
eotse the evidence against any one i'm :
M41iate action should be demanded of
~ commissioner of prohibition.
ts4 then called In the chief of the
slecial intelligence service. with whose
u0t had been cooperating in gather.
Ing the evidence. and Mr.. Coles re.
p&ted HI: statement. We agreed tt
Saadsrstandinx that the case was de.
ii; '';s !: s::$ a \: