New-York tribune., 1922-01-18
Ships $ Captain
Convicted Here
In Liquor Plot
Part Owner of tho Javars
Faces 3-Xear Sentence and
$1,000 Fine for Trying to
Dcfraud L. s. of S5O.OC0
Caught After Bribe Offer
Attempt &c Unload Alcohol
Cargo Results i'll Arrest:
Freed OH Dry Act Charges

Daniel Docherty captain and part
owner of the steamship Javary, was
convicted in tho Federal District Court
yesterday o. attempting TO Gefraud the
government or s56.0o0 in taNcs in con-
nection with an aitcmut to sMugsle
alcohol valued al $4,000 coo. bootleg
gers prices. into this port during the
week Of December II. This is the firs1
rum running case to come TO trlal
here, and, according to the Fedora
prosecutors. il involves large amount
Of money than any liquor case which
has yet been presented to a jury. The
trial lasted Hyc days. with Palmer Can
field Assistan; United States District
Attorney handling tho case foF the
governments William =. Ialloa s.-
pcarcd gos the dcSeasc
The lavary arrived here i:om 8a'u-
more December ii. with 80 drums a.
l8o-proof alcohol. consigned to Con-
stantinopc under seal in her hold. Sus~
picition which was first attracted to her
on December II, when bribe of $1,000
was offered to the guard on the pier,
was increased by delay in loading and
confirmed on December II, when agents
were sent aboard to make sure that
none of the alcohol had been removed.
1t was found that $3.50 gallons, valued
at $500 900, had disappeared.
Guards Honesty Reveals Plot
Subsequent Investigation, according
to the testimony at the trial, showed
that the alcohol had been siphoned
off in the first two nights in port, Satui-
dey and Sunday. when no guard was
on the pier. The Javary IS an OIL
burner, and those who noticed the pro
ctcdings thought the siphons Wsre
being used TO put fuel abroad. A man
hole. which had been convered Wleh
tarpaulin when the seals were placed
on the hold in Baltimore. was used to
get at the alcohol. and had it rot been
for the honesty of the guard to wnom
the br;be was fired to permit the
unloading to contnde unlnterrupted me
entire consignment could have been
landed and the drums never would have
been inspected here.
In that case Mr.. Caniield ported
out. the Javary could have prooeedod TO
COnStAntlnOptc Win " cargo VI '"''A
and obtained a receipt there for the
alcohol which would have disarmed all
future suspicion.
Freed on Liquor Counts
Further evidence was offered show
ing that Captain Docherty purchased
the steamer in Baltimore in the mid
die of November, when cargo of sugar
and flour already had been signed for
Europe With the alcohol, for whose
transportation Dochcrty himself ar
ranged, the Javarv bad a full cargo
and consequently had no excuse for
stopping at New York. The govern
mcnt charged that sailing was delibcr-
ately delayed by the prolongation of
minor repairs, with the intention of
losing the food consigrments and enab-
ling the steamer to put in here osten-
sibly to get cargo.
Docherty was indicted on three
counts under the Volstead act and one
under the criminal code. Federal prose
cutors point TO the fact that the jury
returned verdict of not guilty on the
three liquor counts as an indicat ION of
the prevalent unwillingncss of tales
men to convict under the prohibition
law. Docherty's conviction makes him
liable to three years prisonmcnt anc
$4,000 fine. Judge John c. Knox de
ferrcd sentence.
Six other liquor cases were before
the Federal Court yesterday In five
pleas of guilty were entered and the
defendants were sentenced to fourteen
days each In one the defendant was
acquitted.