The New York herald., 1922-12-31
HOPE TO INDICT more
WITHLA MONTAGNES
U. S. Officers Get Evidence
of Liquor Graft in Wash
ington, Too.
RICH MEN INVOLVED
Former Employee of Rae
quet Club Members Said to
Have Given Testimony.
SOME LETTERS QUOTED
Telegraph and Telephone Mes
sages of Whisky Deals
Are Repeated.
SOME LETTERS QUOTED

four La Montague brothers, who, with
nine persons less widely known. are
charged with general violation of the
Volstead law, may be a mere prelude
TO a series of equally sensational in
dictments if all the information said
to be at the disposal OF the Govern
ment is turned into evidence.
While general silence prevailed
Yesterday in both the office Of Will
lam Hayward, United States Attorney,
and among the La Montagnes and
: their lawyer OF record, Hartford T..
Marshall. a thousand and one rumors
prevailed in the district most infested
by the more prosperous bootleggers,
which district may be bounded by
Broadway, Fifth avenue, Thirty
fourth and Fifty-ninth streets.
One story to be heard yesterday had
it that the voluntary witness, to whom
Col. Hayward attributes great part
of his ability to indict the La Mon
tarnes, was former employee of the
four brothers. Incidentally this is
more than rumor; it is true. Not
fifth of the information given and
sworn to by this man was necessary
to bring about the indictments as they
were written Friday, it is said. I'm
ouestionably all of this mans testi-
mony will be used at the trial.
Had to Go to Washington.
This deposition is said to be a re-
(, uarkable document in that il is the
IeSult of many weeks of painstaking
work by the young man who made IT..
II tells of specific instances when GER
tain individuals are alleged to have
gone to Washington to indulge in a bit
of fixing" II cites and quotes letters,
kilograms and telephone messages that
arc said to have passed between certain
of the indicted men and men not yet
indicted II tells In considerable detail
of sales of whsky-who procured 1t and
how, who sold 1t and where and who
bought it and for how much.
This remarkable document is said to
contain extracts from the La Montague
business records and to incorporate sew
eral colorful tales OF warehouse nlanipu
iation. Just how much of this deposit
ton can be substantiated remains 10 be
seen because. according 10 information
that should be considered reliable, this
man was the only one OF the La Mon
tagnc employees TO lend sssistar1e to
the Government
.Just how this one employee was in
,uced or what impclled him TO make
the deposition was matter OF great
conjecture yesterday. II is known that
he made his statement first TO agents
OF the Department of Justice and that
1t was taken TO Washington before being
turned over 10 Col. Hayward for action.
- n
ment is himself the authority for the
admission that he left his document in
Washington and that he did not know
it had reached Col. Hayward until he
was called from his New Jersey home
20 testify before the Grand Jury.
Brokers' office Used.
Among the other remarkable stories
10 be heard in the bootleg district yes
tcrday was one that connects the uptown
office of brokerage firm with the
investigations OF the Federal Grand Jury.
This office is described as being en-
iirely legitimate In itself having flour
isied in a strictly legal fashion before
The country went dry. But now 1t Is
described as being the rendezvous for
several prosperous and highly orna-
mental buotieg4ers. who scorn to talk
OF orders for less than 10000 cases oi
whisky.
or course these gentlemen, if this bt
true. would probably be glad to sell any
one five cases. or even a case, for spo
cash, hut according to yesterdays stories
this brokerage office houses no piSers
Merely incidentally. so goes the story, q
well trained roulette wheel Is said TO Dc
It's masters bidding In a room connected
with this utterly legitimate brokerage
office.
There is no hint that this brokerage
office Is identified with any of the pres
ont information IN Col. Hayward's pos
session or that II had any relation to thu
charge OF bootlegging against the Ii
Montagnes. but several Of the uame.
mentioned In the La Montague indict
fiicnts arc coupled with that OF a mar
said 10 make the brokerage office hi
favorite place for disposing Of counter
felt withdrawal certificates and prescrip
tion blanks.
It is from this man that a druggis
is said 10 have bought $50 forged pre-
scription blanks TO fiji in himself ant
show tho prohibition Inspector when th'
latter came around TO find what had he
come ~ two barrels OF rye whisky tina
druggist had procured from a warehouse
with legitimate Withdrawal permit oh
tanned for a consideration from the sarn'
man.
out OF the hurry burly OF gossip ther,
came the one general conclusion-tha
IL everybody or trial and on tho wit
ness stand tells all that he knows whef
tho La Montagncs and their SO called
associatcs face q jury several pron
nent men IN and out Of public office
viii experience the sensation OF achev
Ing unpleasant notoriety. And thi,
seems to be bighly probable. The Ls
Montaguc brothers will be stoutly do
Tended. II they are convicted IL viii
be only after terrific fight
That they will be placed on tria
within reasonable time Is also Ger
tain, because OF their prominence. Now
that tnt. are Indicted the Government
will be compelled TO go 10 trial viii
fncm oven " all of It's alleged evidence
nelts away in the course OF subsequen
Investigation.
WOULD aUAsH WARD CASE.