The New York herald., 1922-02-16
POLICE PLAY TAG
With DRY AGENTS
They Trail Each Other Over
East Side in Chase After
BoOtleggers.
HOT TIP GOES WRONG
New I. S. Grand Jury Will
Take Up the Catrow-
Day Controversy.
TO BALK FAKE AGENTS
Form Letter Is Devised to End
Possible Graft in In
vestigations.
TO BALK FAKE AGENTS

A squad of prohibition agents and
squad of detectives. both intent on
rounding up a gang of bootleggers
played comedy of errors the greater
part of Tuesday night Early in the
evening Police Headquarters and pro-
hibition headquarters received a tip
that consignment of liquor was to be
transported Illegally through certain
streets
Six enforcement agents got an au-
tomobile and began trailing up and
down the East Side. They had been
out about an hour when they noticed
two automobiles crowded with men
wEo seemed to take keen interest in
their own car.
For blocks they followed one an
other When one car halted the others
halted. When one started forward so
did the others. Presently the automo-
biies in which the detectives were riding
came alongside the agents car at
Thirtv-fourth street and Third avenue.
WHO are you?" the detectives de-
manded.
The agents showed their credentials.
"And who are your" they wanted to
know.
The detectives produced their shields
and admitted they had been sent out
to look for the liquor shipment
The hunt went on, but no quarry was
turned up
The Federal Grand Jury, which has
been investigating charges in connec-
tion with the Catrow-Day controversy,
was discharged from further service
yesterday by Judge Edwin S. Thomas.
No report was made and Palmer Can
field Assistant United States Attorney,
in charge of the inquiry. said the mat
ter would be taken up by the new
Grand Jury. which probably will report
about the middle of March. He said
1t would be unfair to the January
Grand Jury to hold them longer. in view
OF the fact there remain a number OF
witnesses to be heard.
In the course of the inquiry both Di-
rector Day and Col. Catrow appeared as
voluntary witnesses. Recently Col.
Catrow served Mr.. Day with a sum-
mons in a 100000 suit for slander
John S. Parsons, chief of the field
lI,
announced yesterday that to protect
manufacturers and wholesale dealers
from bogus agents a form letter had
been devised which all agents sent out
to make investigations would carry with
other credentials. The letter to the
concern whose affairs are being investi-
gated will bear the names of the agents.
and the company is directed to call pro-
hihition headquarters to verify the as
signment
Many wholesale druggists and manu-
featuring chemists who have permits
from the Prohibition Department have
been visited by men who demanded to
see their books and in some cases took
money frauduently.
Director Day said II will not be long
before the seized liquor on which the
Government is now paying storage will
be moved to the army base in Brooklyn.
Some use of private warehouses will be
made TO store liquor temporarily after
seizures are made.
William H Anderson. State Super
intendent of the Antl-Saloon League,
made public yesterday n letter he had
received from Prohibition Commissioner
Haynes indorsing the leagues program
for ordinances throughout the State to
provide for local enforcement of the Vol
stead act.
ClA men were dTIfSAtu at Jet o E1ud-
son River. yesterday. charged with at
tempting TO smuggle liquor brought i'm on
the steamship Gayomanbi of the United
Fruit Line. Each Of the men. the agents
said had several bottles Of imported
LIQUOR in his possession. They were
taken before United States Commissioner
Hitchcock and held in $500 each for
examination.
Thousands Of three star Hennessey
brandy labels. gold tops and liquor
revenue stamps. all said 70 be forgeries.
were seized yesterday by Department
OF Justice agents. detectives Of the mar
cotic squad and T.atroiman Charles
Riley Of the East i04th street station
at the Glickstein Bottlng Works. i0i
East 104th street. Gustav Glicksten. p.
of gl3O Fox street The Bronx, son Of
the owner Of the plant, and Leonardo
Diteino $40 East 1l2th street. will be
nrraigned before United States Commits
sioner Hitchcock to-day on charges OF
defraudng the Government.
The Department Of Justice heard that
bogus labels were being distributed
through the Glckstein plant. An ap-
pointment was made by the Government
men and the police on the understand
ing they wished TO buy labels. Agents
Samuel u. Maloney and Albert Weits-
man negotiated purchase with n
marked 800 bill. they said, Detectives
made the arrests.