The Washington times., 1922-02-08
DC, POLICE
OBJECT To
'U.S.ACENTS
Charge That Many Are Boot
Logging and Several Are
stool Pigeons.

A shake-up in the Prohibition
Bureau is impending, it was learned
here today. The actions Of many Of
the prohibition agents, 1t is said, Is
casting discredit on the entire
bureau. and many Of the Washing
ton police, who have been detailed to
run down bootleggers, have declared
they did not want to work with the
prohibition agents who are now de-
tailed in Washington.
Information that some of the
prohibition agents were bootlegging
has come to the local police depart
ment, and the fact that some former
bootleggers are connected with the
enforcement of prohibition is known.
In addition to this there are severa
former stool pigeons" who now
have prohibition agents jobs.
This condition has reached such
stage that for the first time in the
history of prohibition. agents Of the
Prohibition Bureau are making raids
without the aid Of the police.
Rumors of graft are rife in boot
Logging circles in the city, and it is
said that the big bootleggers in the
city are paying for protection.
Revenge Is Suggested.
The condition was brought to
the attention of Col. l.. G. Mutt,
In charge of the Federal prohibition
agents some time ago, but he said
that the men were doing good
work, and that he was inclined to
believe that the rumors were in
spired by bootleggers, who were
seeking revenge. He said that the
men were only on the job temper
arily.
Colonel Mutt said that the bu-
reau always made an investiga-
ton of the men before they were
employed, but admitted that the
police were well acquainted with
one of his men. He said that this
man was a temporary employee.
Several of Colonel Nuts men
have been accused of getting drunk
while on duty, but they were never
disciplined as far as could be learn
ed. At any rate they are still
working for the prohibition forces.
To Make Full Investigation
Following disclosures made by de-
tectives investigating the alcoholic
poisoning Of Eckstein, Colonel Mutt,
of the Internal Revenue Bureau,
fullest investigation. Until the in
vestigation Is completed he refuses
to state whether or not drastic
steps will be taken against Ecksten.
At the hospital last night Ecksten
is said to have told Detective Ser
geants Kelly and Scrivener that he
went to a house in the southwest
section of the CITY and purchased
two drinks of corn whisky which
he drank. Later he bought a half
pint of the liquor and drank part
Of 1t at Fifth and d streets in a
barber shop, which he frequents.
One Of the detectives said he learned
on good authority that Ecksten and
another man had been drinking
from a quart bottle containing a
learned, the detective said, that
Ecksten's friend seemed to be I'M
der the influence Of liquor.
Doctors Used Stomach Pump.
At the hospital it was necessary
for the physicians to use the stom-
ach pump on Ecksten. They had
not learned that there had been q
suspicion Of poison and threw the
contents Of the viscera away. It
had been hoped that an examination
OF the contents would have revealed
whether or not poison had found
Its way into his stomach.
Ecksten became i'll in the office
of United States Commissioner Hit.
where he had gone to obtain a war
rant for the arrest of the man who
had sold him the two drinks and the
half-pint of liquor. AS his condition
seemed to be serious he was re-
d at once TO Emergency Hos
pital.
-. the institution this afternoon it
was said that ECksten's condition
was not improved He spent n
restless night, having suffered from
commissions" a physician said. He
is resting more quietly now"