The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-03-20

/ Nluhlfth iNl luAl0n wv ifAtb W. -
sales, Colonel Mutt, internal revenue
officer, has reported to Prohibition
Commissioner Haynes
Miami. March 19.-secret inyestiga
tions in this city and nearby winter
resorts for the last ten days by a
force OF more than thirty special OPP
eratives brought down from the Nort1
ern States by Col l.. G.. Mutt. Chief
Of Federal Prohibition Agents, result
ed today in the seizure OF o smuggled
consignment OF whisky, gin and fancy
liquors, worth at prevailing boot eg-
ging prices 100000 and the arrest OF
two Of the smugglers.
Thomas n. Lewis and Wilbur
Phelps, the two men arrested, had de
liycred 100 cases OF Scotch whisky
and gin to two Government agents.
They signed confessions involving the
vice-president OF one OF the principal
national banks Of Miami. a member
Of the Federal Reserve system. This
banker whose name is being tempo
rarily withheld while certain data is
being completed, probably will be ar.
rested in few days.
His connection with the case as
co-conspirator and the man who fin.
anced the deal In HIS capacity as a
bank officer with the knowledge of
the cashier and ia tie presence OF
both parties 10 the deal Is certain TO
be brought out in the court proceed.
ings.
Evidence is in hand one banker
was to receive personal payment of
eighteen bottles OF hne brandies as
HIS reward for putting the loan
through Ire bank, in addition to the
interest which the bank would re-
ceye on a demand note.
When confronted with the fact that
the Federal authorities had know.
lodge of tie whole transaction this
banker almost collapsed in his own
home last night. He had the exact
amount Of money which was 10 bind
the DEAL about $4,000 in bills OF large
denomination. in a pocket of his pa
jamas when two OF the Government
operatives called on him about II p.
m.
They had been posing as New York
4 bootleggers and had been offered a
consignment of booze by Lewis and
Phelps, with the banker as go-be.
tween aud custodian OF the money.
The banker turned over the money to
the Federal agents, and pleaded with
them not to arrest him. He said il
would ruin him for life and do meal.
/ culable injury to TIE reputation and
business of the bank. The Govern
ment agents did not arrest him, then
/ they took Lewis and Phelps into Gus.
I tody at once, but they feel certain
the banker can be found at any time,
on account Of his prominence.
Col. Mutt, head OF the narcotic raid
ing squad, will come out OF hiding
here tomorrow when he has complet-
ed the projected raids on local hotels,
restaurants. cigar stores, etc. To a
correspondent who has been eognizant
OF his work since he arrived, he said
tonight: Our men have revealed a
startling condition in Florida. In
Miami and other Florida cities a day
or two after they arrived they were
told where to buy liquor by the drink,
the quart or the boatload with the
utmost frankness, 1t was Just like
being directed to the post Office. Such
brazen disregard of the law ! have
seldom seen in my long experience. "
Col, Mutt denied tAat he issued the
order by which the yacht Patricia
was permitted to sail this morning
after 400 of 465 cases of liauor, pur.
chased in Nassau had been taken off
her. He intimated that il his advice
had been asked II would nave beon
in favor OF seizing the vessel The
Patricia was cleared by the Customs
inspector as yacht of British regis
try, although owned by an American
and sailed under the American yacht
design.