The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-03-05
Once Corrupt Marshal
Convicts Whisky Ring

endeavoring TO redeem himself. He
prides himsIlf on the fact that his
testimony against indicted bootleg
gers has aided the government end
takes still further pride In the fact
that n jury Of IL uninterested men
is accepting his testimony as the
truth. Irs. Taylor. whom Taylor
married a few days after his di-
vorce from another woman Ia
pleased with the record OF her testi-
mony and that OF her husband. Her
faithfulness to him in the days OF
reverse aud disgrace Is a high ex-
al u 10 or woman's fidelity.
Tyree Taylor is n typical ptoduct
OF rural southern county. He had
spent most OF his life in Gibson
county, west Tennessee when Wood
row Wilson was elected president for
the first time. His friends then be-
came active and on November 8,
1915, Taylor accepted an appel t.
ment as deputy United States mar
shaI for the western district OF
Tennessee, with headquarters in
Memphis. He went into office un-
der the democratic reorganization
OF the government.
Taylor apparently impressed his
Superior, Stanley II. Trezevant,
United states MARSHAL, for in Janu-
airy, 1916, he was appointed chief
deputy. Memphis, like every other
American city. was having Its liquor
troubles. The city was dry in
theory but wet in practice. Whisky
OF any brand could be bought with
case.
Flooding Memphis With Liquor.
10 was generally known that boot
leggers with high-speed automobiles
were flooding Memphis with liquor
from the case OF Kentucky and Mis-
souri, that we're defying the en-
croachment OF prohibition, When
the Reed amendment went into ef-
feet on July /. 1917, the work of
prohibition enforcement officials be-
came still more difficult.
Taylor. as leader OF the marshars
field force. performed his duty un-
I'll July 1918. Easy money" caused
his final downfall he has explained
since his arrest. II seemed so easy
to forget 20 arrest a speeding mo-
tor.st as he came through the sub
urgs, racing to a famished market
with n priceless cargo. il required
so llttle effort to forget TO keep
guard on the Mississippi river when
cargoes OF whisky nightly were ar
riylng IN boats, purchased and fitted
out for the sole purpose OF liquor
running.
Deputy Marshal Taylor pursued
bootleggers with enthusiasm and
success. But that was IN the early
days OF his official career. Tempta-
tions came again and again! He
has told on the witness stand how
on a hot night In July 1918. he gave
up honor and accepted his first
bribe in an alley behind a crowded
hotel in the downtown district.
That was the beginning OF the end.
From that day on the forces OF the
government we're cropping in the
dark. City and state officials also
had been corrupted. Enforcement
OF the Reed amendment became a
farce. News Of Taylor's corruption
spread rapidly through the under
world. Taylor could no nothing but
accept brides from others, Accept
ance was his own protection. His
business became enormous. He
needed help. He was In the midst OF
divorce proceedings from his first
wife. As his home was deserted
curing the day and telephone sery-
ice was necessary 10 carry on his
operations he moved nv telephone
TO the home OF the woman with
CONTINUED ON PAGE FIYE.)