Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-08-01
NEW DEVELOPMENTS.
IN ALLEGED D OP {.
RING At PRISON
Attorney Hager Says
He Has Been Advised to
Mol Prose- Indictments
Against Three Guards

legged dope ring" probe at the At
lanta federal penitentiary came to
light Saturday when United States
District Attorney Clint w. Hager
admitted that he had been advised
by the attorney generals Office to
mol pross indictments charging
statutory offenses to three of the
prison employees, and suggesting that
now under indictment on charges of
violating the narcotic act to speedy
trial, even if it is necessary to hold
an extra session of the UNITED
States district court to do so.
Reports in circulation around the
Federal building Saturday were to
the effect that following the report
Of H. II Votaw, superintendent of
federal prison., who made a private
investigation Of the situation here
Attorney General Daugherty had
written District Attorney Hager d.
recting that the indictments charg-
ing statutory offense against three
employees be Immediately "quashed"
and that the three guards charged
with participation in the narcotic.
drug trade within the prison be at
foqded an immediate trial.
These reports were to the effect
that Mr.. Votaw's private investiga.
ton had convinced him that the So
called dope ring" probe was more
or less of a tempest in a teapot; that
it would be difficult, if not imposs!-
bic, to substantiate the statutory
charges against the three employees
under indictment, and that any de-
lay in putting the three guards VI
trial on the norcotic-drug charge
would be most undesirable.
A feature of the report current at
the Federal building was to the eff,
feet that the dope ring" probe, hav-
ing been suspended in midair, as it
were. leaving uncertainty and appre-
hension on every side, has seriously
impaired the discipline at the prison,
and that the whole proceedings have
been such as not to shed any great
lUster ON the Republican administra-
ton.
May Call Extra Session
1t also was reporter that the at.
torney general had instructed Dis
tr1ct Attorney Hager to proceed
Immediately with the trial of the
three guards now under indictment
on charges of violating the narcotic
law even if it became necessary to
call a special session of the United
States district court to do so.
Questioned regarding the reports
District Attorney Hager denied that
Washington officials had expressed
disapproval of the outcome of the
probe, but admitted that the attor-
ney general had suggested the ad-
visibility of nol-prossing the statu.
tori charges against the three pris-
on employees, and had also advised
him to proceed with the trial of
the three guards charged with vio-
lation of the narcotic law as quick
ly as possible, suggesting a special
term of court to accomplish this
end.
81 have received no instruction
whatever regarding this probe or
the cases growing out of it," said
District Attorney Hager. "The at
torney general has left the cases
largely to the discretion of this
office, merely suggesting that. the
cases involving statutory charges
be nOl-prossed and suggesting a
special term of court as a means of
disposing of the narcotic cases as
quickly as possible.
81 have written the attorney
general telling him that it will be
impossible to hold a special term
fact that Judge Sibley will be away
inc Of CT
will, however, be placed on trial
at the beginning of the October
term.
IL am rather of the opinion N.Y.
self that it will be advisable to drop
the cases against the three en-
ployes charged with statutory Of
lenses. Not that I am not con-
WINGED of their guilt, but serious
ly doubt whether the government
could secure convictions on the tes-
timony Of one man in the trial of
a man for such an offense.
To Be Test Cases
II will bring tn three guards I'M
der indictment on charges Of Violat-
ing the narcotic law to trial as test
cases, if for no other reason. I want
to see how the jury takes to convict
testimony. If they are convicted
there will be other arrests. [ believe
there are a number of others at the
prison guilty of peddling dope.
For the time being, no further
arrests will be made. The govern
ment is not yet ready to go to trial
on the cases it has already made but
we are getting evidence. Only the
other day 1 got an affidavit from a
Well-known attorney regarding the
existence Of dope ring" and other
evidence is steadily pouring in.
THE probe has not been quashed.
1t is proceeding steadily, if quietly ".
Mr.. Votaw told me himself that he
wanted to see every man who was
guilty of selling narcotic drugs, both
in and out Of prison, brought to JUS
tice. Every effort will be made to
do this"
At the beginning of the probe SEN
charges were made regard
ing the existence of an elaborate
dope ring" at the prison, including
numbers Of the employees and pris-
oners, which Systematically dispens-
ed large amounts of narcotic drugs
among the prisoners, reaping enor-
nous profits from the trade.
DIR. H. C. Carrick, assistant prison
was alleged to have been
the head of the ring and was indict
ed on a charge of violating the mar
cotic law. He subsequently plead
guilty and was sentenced, several
weegs ago, to four years in the At
lanta federal penitentiary for his
part in the alleged ring.
Three guards, John H. Ownes, J.
H. Dean and r. H. Massey, were
also indicted on charges of violating
the narcotic law, but have not yet |
been brought to trial. Indictments |
charging statutory offenses were |
also secured against three other en-
ployes at the prison.
Following the'r indictments the T