Evening star., 1922-12-28
CLAIMS SHE SHOT
RAIDER AS THIEF
Mrs. Tribby Declares She
Thought Dry Agents Were
Burglars.
STORY DENIED BY POLICE
Revenue Men Say They Stated Mis-
sion Before They Seized
Liquor.
STORY DENIED BY POLICE

Wide discrepancies in the stories of
police and revenue agents and Mrs
Minnie Covell Tribby. 1895 Morrison
street. Chevy Chase, developed today
as a result of a raid on her home yes
terday afternoon. during which Gen
eral Prohibition Ohicer Ralph E.
Ruby was shot and seriously wound
ed.
Mrs. Tribby. who was arrested in
connection with the shooting, and sub
sequently released on a writ Of habeas
corpus. claims that she fired one shot
believing the officers to be burglars.
The bullet pierced the right breast
of Officer Ruby, passed through his
body and came out at the shoulder.
The police and revenue men, on the
other hand. maintain that before en-
tering the home they notified Mrs.
Tribby they were officers and were
armed with a warrant to search the
house for liquor. She also claims that
one of the officers fired the first shot.
while the police declare that they were
fired upon before Private J. w.
Agent May Recover.
Revenue Agent Ruby is in the Emer-
gency Hospital in a critical condition.
Physicians. however. expect him to re-
cover.
Armed with a search warrant. Rev
enue Agent Ruby. accompanied by
Lieut.. J. L. Giles Of substation T, at
Tenleytown, and Privates Stevens and
NJ. ]. Dowd, went to the Morrison
street house at $3.50 o'clock yesterday
afternoon. They say they notified Mrs.
Tribby Of their mission and tried to
enter the house, but found the front
door locked.
While Lieut.. Giles and Private Dowd
guarded the front entrance. Revenue
Agent Ruby and Private Stevens went
to rear door, which was open. When
they met Mrs. Tribby in the hall lead
ing to the kitchen. she is alleged to
have fired shot without warning. the
bullet striking Ruby. Private Stevens.
who was Immediately behind Ruby.
then fired one shot, which passed
through the hall and front room and
through a panel on the front door, mar
rowly missing Lieut. Giles and Police
man Dowd, who were stationed on the
front porch.
Woman Released ON Writ.
Officer Ruby was carried to the
street and placed in the machine of
Lieut.. Giles, where he was given first
1901 K street. who was passing at the
time. Later he was taken to the
Emergency Hospital.
Mrs. Tribby was placed under ar
rest and taken to the Tenleytown
police station and held without bond.
Several hours later she was removed
to the house Of detention, where. after
considerable delay. she was released
on a writ Of habeas corpus. Bond was
set at $1,000.
After returning to her home last
night, Mrs. Tribpy reported to the
police that during her absence her
house was ransacxed and her dia-
mond rings, valued at $3.50, stolen.
Accompanied by her brother. Norman
s. Bowles, she visited police head
quarters today and demanded that an
Investigation be made of the rob-
berry.
and confiscated sixteen fve-gallon
cans of distilled liquor, one Ave
gallon bottle of liquor. about seven
quarts of gin. a bag of corks. q cooper
funnel and other paraphernalia used
in the bottling of liquors.
In his official report of the case to
Mai. Sullivan today Lieut.. Giles stated
he received information about ten
DAYS ago which led him to believe
that the law was being violated ct
the Morrison street house. about 10
am. on the 26th instant" said the re-
two large steamer trunks and large
wooden box. which was seize6 and
taken to sub-T, and found to contain
iso quarts and 81 pints of liquor. The
driver, Frank billiard. colored. forty
street northwest, was arrested and
charged with transporting and illegal
possession, released on $1,000 bond. at
which time application was made Tor
a search warrant. which was refused"