The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-07-16
DISTILLER TRIES ANY WAY
 TO GET HIS MEN JOBS IN
 DRY ENFORCEMENT RANKS
Methods Of Bribery Are Open And Often Crude. One Agent Offered $50,00O and S10 Case On All Liquor He Permitted To Be Removed From Distillers Bonded Warehouse

Suddenly the file was jerked ab- ruptly away and the agent pressed the revolver against his tempter.
 Give me back that file, you crook" the agent shouted. The dis tiller was astounded.
 But I've just paid you to look at it." he complained. And then, granc- il down, he saw the agents re- volver pressed hard against hlm.
 Take that thing away" he com manded with a grimace. Tt might go off"
 The distiller was dumfounded when tcld that he~Was under arrest. He offered no resistance. but simply could not understand what had hap pened. They led him away to an swer charge of bribery.
 Most Crcdulous Criminals.
 The would-be briber almost begs for punishment. Generally, he is the most credulous of criminals ana sometimes his lack of Judgment :s almost unbelievable. vivid Qlus- tration of this tendency was obtained in operations at another city of the agent who had developed the case described in the preceding chapter.
 The agent had been approached by a crooked employe who wanted him to " do business" with bootleggers in that city. The agent was told, This will be easy piciIings," but pretend ed to doubt the statemcnt> where upon the employe promised to get him all the "grands" (thousand-dol- lar bills) he wanted.
 "IH send you a sample of = It YOU can get when l go back home" l the man said.
 The next day the other agent re- | ceived-by wire-a remittance or s1,0OO. This promising lead beckoned him to return when the former case was closed. At that time, however | the entire state was agitated by the seizures that had been made and 1t | seemed highly improbable that the l illegal traffic, reling from the body | blow just received, would lower its guard and invite a repetition of the same punishment.
 However, when the general agent arrived, the local employe, after up. braidinG him for what happened" do business" Upon receiving sat Igfactory reply, the worker immedi- i ately opened negotiations with the 1 bootleggers.
 Within 4s hours the bootleggers l sent him S6.000 and with it mes sage that all he had to do was TOOK l the other way" The day after the | bribe was received, the agent met the bootleggers.
 Were goin gto open up tomor- row." they told him.
 Are you?" he asked.
 Sure thing" And they did. Other agents were summoned to carry out seizure plans. The consplrators s started operations al they had said they would and as each truck came l onto the street. the driver was over nowered and the contents seized. The case against the bootleggers was turned over to tho department of justice and the crooked employe was summarily dealt with. 1 Acting Up To The Part
 The general agent, incidentally, was 1 beseiged by bootleggers from other sections. all of whom wanted to buy l protection. On one occasion he re- ceiyed in his office group of them who, without preliminary of any sort openly began bribery proposals. He jumped from his chair, to the as tonishment of his callers and ner- vously paced the floor.
 @"I can't stand it." he exclaimed. happen to my wife when they eaten me. It will kill her. My children. too. The disgrace-I'm going to end | it all now"
 He started on the run for the window, eight floors above the busy street. Like a flash his callers were upon him. They forced him back gently to his chair and while the | leader tried to calm him the others withdrew to the corner for consul | tation.
 "We can't crowd this fellow" the agent heard one of them mutter- He's too much of prima donna. We got to go slow with him; don't rush him and get him all excited and riled up"
 Presently they left, promising to return the next day, and the agent, alone in his office, enjoyed hearty laugh at his dramatics. (To be continued tOmOrrOw) | Copyright. Doubleday, Page Co)