Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1922-03-22
FLORIDA BANKER HELD
ON LIQUOR CHARGE
In Federal Officers Drive To Stop
BootIegging By Wholesale
In Miami

Clayton, vice president of the Mi
ami National Bank, will be given
a hearing Wednesday on charges
o1 being a party TO the smuggling
OF liquor. He was arrested Tues
, day with w. {. Phelps and I. y.
\ ewis in connection with the
~cleanup campaign launched here
by Col. /. @. Mutt. OF the internal
revenue. against the illicit liquor
trade in florida. Phelps and
Lewis also Will be ar1aigned We'd
nesday.
The warrants charge that Clay
ton and the other men and wo-
man made a written agreement
for delivery OF commodities TO
Phillips. a prohibition agent. for
the sum OF S4050, CLAYTON TO han
die the money for the client" and
turn ii over TO Phelps and Lewis
when the "good>' were delivered.
The warrant was issued by
United States Commissioner at
the request of +. B. Henson. OF.
Savannah, Ga. general prohibi-
tIon enforcement officer.
The complaint charge, that.
CLAYTON con>pired with Thomas
y. Lewis. Wilbur Phelps and an-|
other man and q woman 10 handle
The sum oi S4O5O which was 10 be
paid Lewis and Phelps. and one
~ r. Phillips. the assumed
name oi member uf the special
: squadron ct prohibition agents.
The arrest oi CLAYTON was ac-
ccp,cd n the first oi q series pre-
dictcd by Col T.. O.. Mutt. inl
charge OF special prohibition en-
forccmcnt contiugcnts here. who
announced that his investigation
had disclosed an unusually well /
organized baotlcyging ring with |
which several prominent business /
men had been CLOSELY allied.
The Florida liquor operators. /
Col Mutt asserted. had carried /
their organization to the point !
where they accepted orders Tor /
amy amount 81 illicit drinkablc> /
ior delivery at a designated point I
and permitted the purchaser 90 de !
pp~it the money with q hank a,
trustee against Iuliilmcut Di their 4
contract
Col Nur'> report un the boot /
lcggcrS WAS Wa1c % Prohibition /
Commissioner Eoy a. HAYNES.
The liquor operators transacted /
their business iu the open. in
much the same manner a. bank /
.r> negotiating q loan. according
tD the report In certain inStau- /
ccs. Col Mutt ~aid. they even gave /
banks az reference. The report
continue
ln substance the operators
proposed: We VIII contract Tor
AN the liquor you vaut-Scotch. /
Irish or champagne. We viii de-
liver II within p hours wherever
you >ay--at your hotel at the
cour thou~c or al the po>toficc. 3
We viii deliver it at the rail I
way >tatipu Do Nou wish il to be
shipped. We win place il in the
cars and provide the necessary
grapefruit or tomatoes to cover iti
zap. With the cars sealed. the
shipment viii go wherever vou.
wish"
The special Investigating agents
CLOSED two such deals, with the
aid ot bankers. on the first daN
of their investigation. accordingi
10 Col. Mutt lie added:
"Ow investigators found that
manN of tfc operator, owned
their own smuggling ships. would
make night voyages to a point !
near Nassau. Bmini or Gmko.I I
meet "a schooner laden with liquor
make purchase at the average
prize oi SIS "a case. rcturn The 1
next MIGHT aud receive donblcI
pricc from ihciy purchasers, also
make "a snug profit on The fruit
and Vegetables ior packing.
They would explain that hs di
lning jhc consignment could bc
doubled and even trchlcd. ml
quantity and sold up North iori
al least SlOO a case.
"AN oi this our Investigators 4
more than verified and continued (,
for more than week 10 carry ON
negotiations for big and little ship
mcntS without the slightest trou-l
bic. Our men saw the smuggling !
vessels 90 north. saw them return
wcn-ladcn with liquor. and in one
instance witnessed a flying boat
used Tor the purpose.
"Thcv had no trouble In having
promincut banks act as trustees
for purchase funds. even after cN-
,iaininss that n was a hupor deal .