The New York herald., 1922-04-14
Soda Water Is Substituted
for Scotch OH Way From
Train to Ship.
THREE TRUCKS In USE
Trip OF Half Hour Takes
Five Hours When Trans
fer Is Made.
BOOZE RING EXPOSE NEAR
Man Convicted in Brooklyn
Likely to Enmesh Politicians
When He COnfcsses.

| Customs inspectors reported yester-
day the disappearance of $3.50 bottles
Of 1902 Haig & Haig Scotch whisky
while being transported Tuesday from
the st. Johns Park freight terminal
| Of the New York Central to the Ward
| Line pier at the foot of Wall street.
/ 1t was suggested by the customs men
| that prohibition agents could discuss
| the disappearance better than them
selves, but at prohibition headquarters
nobody had any knowledge of the
consignment and it was denied that
any agents had been assigned to cover
the shipment.
According to report made to Fl. G.
Stuart. Deputy Collector of the Port.
bottles of strawberry and cream soda
were substituted for the whisky while
on the way in three motor trucks. 1t
was part of large shipment in bar
| rels from Quebec, via rail and steam
ship, to Havana. The lost liquors
bootleg value was estimated at not less
than $4,000.
| A report that three New York pro-
hibition agents had been suspended as
a result of the custom inspectors in
vestigation was denied by John S. Par
sons, chief State enforcement agent.
| Five Hours for short Trip.
! Ono manager of the freight depart
ment OF the Ward lines said that ION
Tuesday we were informed that the
| liquor had left the railroad freight ter
minal at 10 O'Clock IN the morning in
three automobile trucks. Records avail
able show that the liquor did not reach
this pier until > o'clock i'm the after
noon" The route ordinarily could be
covered in half hour.
The liquor was to have been shipped
TO Cuba on the steamship Mexico yes
terday. The bottles were packed In lis
barrels, all stamped plainly, with toe
contents and the destination. About 6
o'clock Tuesday night. after about 10
barrels had been stored in the hold of
the Mexico. one barrel fell from the
hoist bag and struck the pier. Long
shoremen who picked up the bottles
reported that all contained soda pop
The Custom inspectors on pier f3 i'm
mediately began an investigation. Seven
barrels were opened, and in each. |. is
alleged. bottles OF soda were found
a further search was ordered, and the
entire shipment proved to be made up
of cheap soda water. The Cuctoms su-
| thorities are positive the liquor was not
touched from the time II reached
Canada ontl its arrival at the freight
terminal.
officials OF the Ward Line. upon learn
ing of the substitution. refused TO take
the barrels to Havana.
Two N. j. Dry Agents Dismissed.
John +. Downs and Leroy Davis. two
New Jersey enforcement agents. were
dismissed yesterday. according to a re-
port received at prohibition headquarters
yesterday from John p. Appleby. general
agent in charge OF the New York and
New jersey zone The two agents are
charged with having solicited and re-
ceived s2.50o bribc from the occupant
OF house at 651 Henderson street, Jer-
sey City. two days ago.
According to the report, they got n
search warrant to investigate the re-
ported possession Of liquor. The occupant
OF tho house complained to prohibition
headquarters that he had been com
PEELED to pay $500 bribe under threat
of arrest and prosecution.
-. Il.
New Jersey. also dropped an agent. Will
lam Cannon OF Camden. for the good
OF tho service
Ralph G. Greene. United States at
torney in Brooklyn. announced that he
would order d Grand Jury investigation
TO determine II bootlegging ring. pro-
tectcd by political influence. is behind
the conviction of James. alias Greek"
Williams.
Guilty Of Forging Withdrawals.
4 jury, after remaining out all night,
found Williams guilty Of dealing in
fraudulent and forged withdrawal per-
mits on which 1.040 cases and twenty
barrels OF whisky were obtained from
the Reincrs Corporation at 1S1 Stagg
street. Brooklyn.
II am going 20 give you an opportu-
nifty of telling all you know about the
case" said Federal Judge Garvin 10
Williams yesterday. The jury by
recommending clemency evidently be-
lIevcs there arc others behind you The
idea that you had $4,000 to pay for the
liquor seems incredible. A thorough m
vcstigation will be made. and II you tell
all YOU know, ] will consider II in inn
posing sentence
Frank ". Licbman. secretary or tho
Reiners Corporation. testified to the
payment of tho $4,000 for the whisky.
When asked who had passed the cash
he hesitated and said. "Mr. IIilkemeicr"
Nothing was brought out to show who
mir. Hilkcmeier" is. The records re-
veal that Alderman George iIiIkcn rier
OF the Ffty-third district In Brooklyn
was ono OF three named IN the original
complaint which led 20 Williams's in
dictment. The complaint against Hill
kemeicr was dismissed for lack OF evi-
dence.
Leo T.inder. formerly a CLERK in the
office OF Charles r.. OConnor when
0'Connor was state Prohibition D-
Continued on Page Seven.