Evening star., 1923-06-08
INVESTIGATE JAIL
DISAPPEARING ACT
U. S. Officials ToIeI Substitute
Served for Upper Marlboro
Prisoner and|Vanished.

Substitution of t"utility man" for
bona fide prisoner in the Prince
Georges county, MSl. Jail for four
weeks, while the nrisoner--the con-
victeu one-roamed' about at will. is
the backbone of a cease rounded out
by Department Of .Sustice agents in
vestigating charges of alleged lax
law enforcement in athat county. it
was learned today.
Entirely too consitferate, trea tment
even of the substitute is woven into
the case by informa tion obtained by
the operatives to tile effect that he
was vertiable guest" Of the county
during Incarceration periods. having
freedom about the town of Upper
Marlboro, al intervals. ami meals and
resting place awaiting.him at night.
In the Jail.
From source of Undisputed au-
thority today came the prediction that
drastic action might be looked for
within two weeks. with a battery of
the United States attorneys office in
Baltimore turned upon the position
of deputy sheriff, ready today down
a pre-indicsment barrage.
CasesIntricate and veiled.
The case.isi intricate iand is being
veiled with official secpecy so far as
the Department of Justice is con-
cerned. 1t hail its START when prohi-
bition agents, raided the John V. l..
Findlay farml near Etllicott City and
after a running gun fight captured
seven prisoneis and 10000 gallons of
mash and disuillate. and Smashed up
two 500-gallon, stillS and the rest of
a plant valued at $4,000, on March IA.
This case resulted fn two convic-
tions under the Vblstead act Judge
Norris A. Soper. onI'May 81. ten days
after conviction. sentenced John C.
Stafford. alias John Johnson, and
Harry q. Richi To three and two
months, respectively. The opening
wedge of the case worked up by the
investigators consists of allegations
that party toob place en- route to
the county Jail. where the prisoners
had asked to be comlH4tted, and that
during that party man named w.
G. Hall stepped. into Johnson's Cor
Staffords) shoes to take his place in
the Jail
Four weeks later, when investiga-
tors swooped down on the jail. they
found that wsirning siren had been
sounded and th;tt Stafford was in. the
cell. while W. @. Hall had conven-
iently disappeared. Picking up odds
and ends. the ag gents are declared to
have found that while Hall was pinch
hitting for Stafford. he was being al
lowed a run of Upper Marlboro at
times, returning to the Jail for over
night stays.
L. s. OfHrinls ON Cass.
Federal officials in Baltiru ore have
been placed in charge of the Ease by the
Attorney Generals Office he, e. w w.
Woodcock, the United STAT es attorney
there, in statement. saidf that he was
at. work on the case and that mo official
report could yet be made
1t Is known, however. thPA the spe-
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. from this jurisdic-
tion have completed their end of the
preliminary investigation. ind the fact
finding inquiry is a closed ssue, the mat
ter now having been turn d over to the
united states attorney to whip into
form for legal action.
Ever Every Indication at the Department of
Justice today pointed 70 the interest
that has gripped the federal govern
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